The famous sculptor says to the aspiring sculptor his work "is amateurish at best. ...They're not good." The aspiring sculptor falls into despair. Gives up his art. Gets a regular job. Of course, by the end of the sitcom, the worshipped sculptor comes back to admit he was just jealous. The younger man's art is …
SHOUT
Most people were shouting and waving signs. It was a rainy, cold November day and I was standing in front of the Texas White House. I had no sign. I didn't shout. I held my umbrella. One man had a bullhorn. He was tall and thin. Maybe in his 50s. He was part of the …
Can cookies change your life?
I walked into the kitchen on a Saturday afternoon. "Do you want to make cookies?" my mom said. I was 14. "What?" A roll of cookie dough stretched across a cutting board. She tried to look casual. "Well, I've never made cookies for you. And I thought I'd be a good mom and, you know, …
Will you marry me?
"We're going to get married," dad said. "Sure. But you're going to have to show me the marriage certificate," I said. He laughed. "You don't believe me?" "Didn't you buy her a ring like five years ago?" "That was a nice ring. It was on sale. We got a real good deal." "Yeah, Dad. You …
Does your face hurt?
It started with a bite. A mosquito bite on the back of the leg that seemed like nothing at all. But then came the swelling, the reddening, the blackening. Then came the daily trip to the doctor to change the tube in the leg. The daily change of soaked bandages. The inability to walk without …
Shoulder Pads and Other Surprises
I think it started by accident. I don't even remember who started, but my roommate, L., pulled a nursing textbook out of her bag and a shoulder pad fell onto the classroom floor. The next day I was at the library when I found shoulder pads in my bag. Shoulder pads in pockets. Shoulder pads …
Keeping Everything in the Air
Sometimes there aren't any stories, just lists of things to do. I hate that.
Bind Me Up, Bind Me Down
I was four when my first plan went wrong. My room was dark and I was supposed to be asleep. I was jumping on my bed. The mattress slid sideways, a corner of it almost touched the floor. My effort to push the mattress back up failed. So I started from the beginning. I dragged …
In 3 minutes you can…
This made me laugh. And I like to laugh. I found this over at Rachelle Gardner's blog, which has lots of good writerly information. Her blog I found over at Writtenwrydd's blog. This Internet just never bloody ends, does it?
Rabbits, Writing, and Corpses
"I saw the bobcat by the shed. I think it's here because of the rabbits," my dad said the other day. "There aren't as many rabbits around now." "Do you remember when I tried to hide rabbits in my closet, Dad?" We have never talked about those rabbits. "Sure," he said. "That bobcat is big. …
Marta Bacon 