I was eight months sober when I entered the contest. It was a benefit for children or refugees or some poor subsection of humanity which yearned for assistance. They wanted you to make a donation to enter, that was the catch. I gave five dollars. I suspected the more you gave, the better your chances
When I was 19, I secretly fell in love with a boy. He was 17. I first learned his body as I watched him walk across the campus green when he didn’t know I was looking—his curly dark hair, his camo jacket with all the pockets, his baggy jeans. I learned his face second, when
To me, Julia, sitting in the armchair, gun held in her right hand, propped up by the armrest looked younger than she had in years. She stared at the couple, who sat on the opposite sofa; daylight squeezing through the closed blinds, casting a beam across their ashen faces. “What’s his name?” Julia asked breaking
“I have a surefire solution,” he said. “And, if she doesn’t like it, she’ll tell me in my dreams.” ****************** Born in the fall, between September 23 and October 22, he lived a cRaZy quilt kinda life, which his Libra zodiac traits tried – that’s tried – to harmonize like its symbol, a level beam
On the 29th Day of Christmas Stephen Ground gave to me… The night they brought Billy home, Matt couldn’t sleep. Not unusual – Christmas at work was stressful, and he drank too much coffee – but when Martha woke to feed Billy at two, four, and six, Matt was watching Home Alone on repeat in
On the 28th Day of Christmas Sherri Turner gave to me… It all seemed so familiar: the bushy tree, the presents wrapped in red and gold, the twinkling fairy lights. Holly laughed. Of course it did. Kevin always picked the fattest tree, he knew she loved red and gold and they’d had those lights for
On the 27th Day of Christmas Raffi Boyadjian gave to me… It was the last class before Christmas Break dismissal as I sprinted to the room. The bell had already rung and the large wooden door was swinging shut as I squeezed through. Ms. Rampus always locked it after the bell and if you weren’t
On the 26th Day of Christmas Jayne Martin gave to me… Christmas Eve and the Target parking lot is packed. I screech to a halt in a handicapped space because screw it, a mental breakdown should count. His kids were supposed to be with his ex for Christmas until “Mom” high-tailed it to Panama at
On the 25th Day of Christmas Roger McKnight gave to me… “I’m only 22, but longing for home,” Vet Tech Cranny Barlow said uncertainly to a middle-aged customer across the counter. Both glanced out at a beginning snowstorm sweeping Minnesota’s stubble cornfields. “Me and Carlo here. We’re both good to go.” Denise Mannery had emerged
On the 24th Day of Christmas Erik Bergstrom gave to me… They were walking down their quiet city street, their arms interlaced, two days before Christmas. It had yet to snow. They were both seventy-two years old this year; Hazel a retired teacher, Ernie a part-time woodworker. They’d come through another year and were happy
