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Daddy makes some changes… In sixth grade, daddy left borough council. He never explained why; I know he wasn’t paid much. However, he was thrown a bone: one year on the county-wide committee to bring sewers to more rural areas. I’m betting other council members grew increasingly uneasy with his bigotry and racism. Those guys… Continue reading Will wonders ever cease?

Because I was ‘Joe varsity jock’ in high school, I met a lot of guys from other schools. They all had one question (asked with a smirk): “Is it true what they say that all the girls in your school are stuck up?” Well, yes and no. Let’s swish this wine around, shall we? Rich… Continue reading And as for the inhabitants….

Gravity shifting, minds moving At first, I let Steve do all the talking–playing albums or singles, talking about the band, occasionally mentioning how he found out about the group or someone at school who liked them. I was introduced to a magazine called Rolling Stone. In those days, it was hard to find in stores.… Continue reading Hanging with Steve

No, I’m not talking about Shakespeare. The word on everyone’s lips the summer after 6th grade was ‘jointure’. My school district was now a jointure. Simply, it meant that rich town has formed an alliance with poor town. Poor town had declining enrollment (probably most families’ kids were too old, and childless families moved in),… Continue reading What is a ‘jointure’?

There will be a brief quiz just after lunch, so pay attention. In order for my tales of woe and mirth to flow as smoothly as a summer Hershey, I gotta lay out some facts for y’all. And now, our overture: First, we start with Rich Town. Rich Town was built on the fortunes of… Continue reading A brief Irreverent Geography Lesson

also named ‘Slats” This one was a Belgian Sheepdog mix. Around the same size as the first one, but this one had a different temperament. He loved to run, craved action like a Marvel hero. And smart as the proverbial whip. The old man showed him just once how to run to the front porch,… Continue reading The Second Dog

Alright, children, everybody sit down. Catherine, you’re late. Take your seat! And you, Jimmy in the back row, pay attention! Now, first you need a bully. And in the late sixties, they were a dime a dozen. Most of them made their mark with empty threats and subtle physical intimidation. The hot air ones just… Continue reading How to deflate a Bully

Who knew? I mentioned earlier that the basketball hoop in the playground changed everything. Here’s why. All dwellings in the lower regions of middle earth had small driveways, and the higher numbers on my street were on a steep hill. Few had basketball hoops attached to garages, due to thin driveways and most of them… Continue reading Just One Basketball Hoop

Let’s tie this thread up…. I said child, child staring into the streetlightMessed up child lonely boy tonightKick the wall turn the street and back againOh boy you’ve been forgotten The old man began silencing the TV at night, then sitting at the kitchen table with a calculator, counting his money just like Scrooge–how much… Continue reading After the trauma….

“I Guess you want to go show off your bike to your friends.” Not exactly, dickhead. But I smiled and rode off. But instead of the playground, I went to the deserted elementary school I had just left a few days ago. There, I sat down and cried like never before. Real body-shaking, dripping tears,… Continue reading Strike 3 (part 3)