The Boy had the power to destroy the universe with a word.

"Give me your wallet", said the mugger.

"You should be nice to me", said the Boy. "I can destroy the universe with a single word."

"Hah! What word?" asked the mugger.

The Boy spelled it aloud, because he couldn't say it.

"That's stupid", said the mugger, after sounding out the word, then ( Read more... )

There are expected patterns for casual conversation. A cadence of thrust and parry, intended to lead the interlocutors either down the path of discovered commonality and increased friendship, or into a polite and gentle discovery of their mutual differences.

Not all such conversations will be pleasant or lighthearted, no matter the intent of ( Read more... )

[PG-13: adult themes, non-explicit]

"Let's play doctor," said the little girl.

"Okay," said the little boy, who cared more about who he was playing with than about whatever they played.

She had him sit on the bed and listened to his heart through a toy stethoscope. "You have to make it go thump-thump," she said. "That's how I know you' ( Read more... )

An old friend in town. A former colleague. A great excuse to go out on a weeknight, and share a nice meal. And catch up: families, other former co-workers, new projects-both professional and personal. Then, in a lull, the inevitable question:

"So, where have you been going to church lately?"
  ( Er... um... )

It was somewhere in middle school, when he began to question things that others took for granted. Others, at the onset of puberty, became defiant of authority. But he was suddenly incapable of standard answers to common questions.

"How are you?"

"Um, well... it's been a pretty normal day so far."

"Uh, okay. Why can't you just say 'fine, how are you' ( Read more... )

It rained yesterday, so I should have known better. I left the car door open just a little too long. As I settled into the seat and buckled my seatbelt, I saw an unexpected passenger making itself comfortable on the dashboard.

A mosquito.

I raised my palm to smash the little bloodsucker. Gotcha before you could get me. Heh.

( Events unfolded surprisingly... )

He was a Navy veteran who had served in both World Wars, and his forearms were decorated with anchors. Just like Popeye.

"Does it wash off?" asked the five-year-old boy, eyes big and paying rapt attention.

"No, tattoos are for life," the veteran replied. "So they should mean something important."

"What do yours mean?" asked the boy.

The veteran smiled ( Read more... )

I am less than I should be.

Or so Paypal tells me. Unverified! they announce every time I grudgingly use their service to pay with a credit card. No matter the hundreds of transactions I have made without a single complaint, no matter my Confirmed address; I cannot be fully trusted.

But fear not! I can remedy this problem easily, according to their ( Read more... )

I don't remember much of sixth grade Sunday School, but I do vaguely recall our teacher. A crusty, white-haired Shriner wearing bifocals, he desparately tried to find ways to make those Bible lessons relevant to us boys.

The only lesson that ever stuck for me was this 'un:

"It's just as bad to say durn as it is to say the other word."

Boarding pass dated 2003 Jun 3

There's no reason to be afraid
No one's a stranger
There's no reason to run away
No one's in danger
There's no reason for you to stay
Everything changes
Everything changes
The three of us we hung together
Till she came along
From best buds to bad blood
We just got it wrong
The two of us we loved each other
Till she came along
( Read more... )