Sleep Strike

I’m not going to sleep until you sleep with me.  Not.  Won’t.  Can’t make me.  It’s a sleep strike.
I’ll negotiate.  I can be reasoned with.  I’ll cut a deal.  I’ll give in, but only if you’re willing to bargain.  I’m not asking for much, only for your love and passion.  All you need to do [...]

Paris ‘03

A stretch of cobble accents the maze-like streets though Le Marais district in Paris.  Stifled by heat wave, but enamored by presence, I transcend the physical discomfort to seek out just one more perfect café . The red wine is served chilled and the cheese sweats when brought to your table, but I don’t mind. [...]

renaissance woman or feminist reject

Here’s a thing I love to do: hang clothes on the clothesline. In fact, I just ran another hundred feet around my backyard, randomly stringing line from tree to tree, so I can now dry all of the laundry instead of just the easy stuff like sheets and towels. In Indiana, we often [...]

Letter to a Friend

Dear Wes,
Being in LA always makes me want to write, and since the last thing you said to me as I walked out the door was “write me a letter” I am addressing these scattered thoughts to you.
Riding a bus over a long distance is always interesting to me, even if I spend most of [...]

Saint Louis

I was walking St. Louis alone late one night. All the bars had closed and even the last hearty hopefuls had found their way to the door. There was no one on the street, but there were lights in many windows. The blue flicker of television leaked out from behind a few [...]

War Story

This is true. This conversation took place in flight June 25, 2005. I transcribed the following on the same day.
His name is Wes and he is 23 years old. On his third and last tour to Iraq, he was captured by “insurgents” in Fallujah. He is now detained at Camp Pendleton in San Diego. In [...]