Illusions Of Grandeur (6S)

My parents were always drunk; they were drunk when they met, and when I was conceived, and even when I was born. They stayed drunk until my 8th birthday when they drove their El Camino, (drunken, need I add) into a bread truck while on a beer run for what should have been my party. In the waiting room of County Hospital; laying on Nana’s lap and nestled against her ample bosom, I slept.

I dreamed again of mom and dad and me descending the steps of Air Force One, smiling and waving at an adoring America. Just as I got to the part where dad sweeps me up into his arms, I was wakened by official words, hushed voices and quiet sobs. With great effort, I tried and failed to muster a substantial measure of grief before once again giving in to the sleep, and the dream.

The Last Request (6S)

“Stop it with the singing,” She almost screamed, then was so surprised by her own volume that she hurriedly sipped too much of her hot cocoa. The old diner had been crowded for most of the morning so only a few people close by had heard her. For some reason this particular spirit, Margaret, had taken to singing and had barely shut up the entire three-hour trip up to the little town.

With no small effort, she forced herself to ignore the singing and the watching eyes of the sullen faced locals and focused all of her attention on the round, fifty-something, gray-haired gentleman sitting by himself in a corner booth. In one fluid movement, she rose from her table, took five swift steps, stood in front of the man, sang as loudly as she could, and then leaned forward to look him straight in the eye. “Margaret wants you to sing Amazing Grace at her funeral.”

Atonement (6S)

There comes old Paul Miller, stooped over and headed for that fire station again, no doubt carrying that bucket full of water. Folks say Paul lost his mind sometime ago after his grandson burned up in a fire when a lit cigarette fell out of Paul's mouth during a drunken nap. If you ask me, his daughter Mabeline knew full well Paul couldn’t resist a beer in the early afternoon, even if he was supposed to be watching little Dakota James. He was a rowdy something that Dakota, and just loved going down to that fire station playin’ on all those old trucks they kept out back. I guess Paul is off to put him out again. Maybe one day Paul'd take that bucket and pour it on his own head.

Blind-Sided (6S)

Girls love me, sexy girls, because I’m tall and muscular with a great smile and blazingly white teeth. This girl, Aisha, is tutoring me in math today because I need at least a C to stay on the team, then more girls can fall in love with me. As she turns the corner I notice she’s alright looking but not nearly my type and she’s a nerd. Right away, she starts in with Geometry, telling me I can do it and that I have lots of potential and that if I put my mind to it I can really be good at it, smiling and reassuring me and singing my praises and not belittling me and not berating me and not looking at me with that mixture of shame and disgust that says all you’ll ever be is a dumb jock and a cute face.

The 5th period bell rings and she moves to clear the table and smiles again and stands and says how she can’t wait for our next meeting and reaches over and touches my shoulder. It is the gentlest most caring and frankly the sexiest thing I have ever experienced.

The Day Sadness Died in Kipper

The Bellamy Brother’s circus truck meandered down the dusty side streets of Kipper Daley, Wisconsin. There had been two final shows the night before. The early one featured two fat ladies holding two scrawny poodle pups in their mouths as if preparing to eat them. The evening show pulled out all the stops. Those fat ladies, apparently having had their fill of the poodles, laid sprawled across the stage, burping and passing wind in matching yellow body suits. Kipper Daley rang with laughter for two whole days after.

Blind Sided

Girls love me, sexy girls, because I’m tall and muscular with a great smile and blazingly white teeth. This girl, Aisha, is tutoring me in math today because I need at least a C to stay on the team, then more girls can fall in love with me. As she turns the corner I notice she’s alright looking but not nearly my type and she’s a nerd. Right away, she starts in with Geometry, telling me I can do it and that I have lots of potential and that if I put my mind to it I can really be good at it, smiling and reassuring me and singing my praises and not belittling me and not berating me and not looking at me with that mixture of shame and disgust that says all you’ll ever be is a dumb jock and a cute face. The 5th period bell rings and she moves to clear the table and smiles again and stands and says how she can’t wait for our next meeting and reaches over and touches my shoulder. It is the gentlest most caring and frankly the sexiest thing I have ever experienced.

Atonement (6S)

There comes old Paul Miller, stooped over and headed for that fire station again, no doubt carrying that bucket full of water. Folks say Paul lost his mind sometime ago after his grandson burned up in a fire after a lit cigarette fell out of his mouth during a drunken nap. If you ask me, his daughter Mabeline knew full well Paul couldn’t resist a beer in the early afternoon, even if he was supposed to be watching little Dakota James. He was a rowdy something that Dakota, and just loved going down to that fire station playin’ on all those old trucks they kept out back. I guess Paul is off to put him out again. Maybe one day Paul will take that bucket and pour it on his own head.