She should have known when she saw the fedora balanced on the edge of the open casket. She didn’t want to be there. Not because she didn’t like wakes or funerals—who does? But because she never liked the guy—the one in the coffin—her father-in-law. Oh, I guess you could say
The two fools were at it again. This time in Portugal, April 1992. Many years ago, the two fools were on a two-week car trip through Portugal. They had left the walled city of Óbidos and were heading north toward Coimbra and Aveiro. They had no reservations, save the
Ahh! The good old days! Now all you Gen X, Y, and Z’ers, you may find this tale a bit hard to believe, but it’s no fairy tale, it all really happened. Once upon a time, many years ago, there were two fools. They were nice fools but clearly didn’t
I looked for you the other night; I thought for sure you’d come.I had a conversation with you, but, alas it was with one. K.A.T. Do you remember when you’d take me downtown and your friends would stop to say, “Is this your baby sister?” and I’d look up and
I got an unexpected call the other night. My nephew, who lives in Colorado, wanted me to know about arrangements to have my sister’s ashes spread in a spot she loved in Colorado. She was my only sister. Obviously, I must have had her on my mind, because I woke
A memoir of an alumna of the class of ’65 I rubbed my thumb over the inscription. There it was: my maiden name in the center of a delicate gold Maltese cross; a graduation bestowal for every graduate of an Academy of Notre Dame in the world, we were told.
“Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart.” Haruki Murakami from Kafka on the Shore Nothing terrible happened. It was just a nap, but she often remembered it in her longing to re-experience the sublime sensual moments of that afternoon long ago—when her world was
For Erin Your dedication, determination, and caring continue to inspire me “Oh no, no. Not today, please not today,” Maggie said aloud. The Florida summer heat had baked the inside of her 2006 Toyota Corolla, and the wonky air-conditioning was on the fritz again. Her guilt-ridden ex-husband Kyle had given
On Monday, February 11, 2019, I had the opportunity of meeting Katharine Smyth, the author of All the Lives We Ever Lived, Seeking Solace in Virginia Woolf, She’s written a moving memoir of her father and how she grieved in the aftermath of his death. Before you think I have
About two weeks ago, still emerging from the fog of flu, my daughter tells me that she mentioned to a member of her gym that I was writing a book about her. The man responded that he was a writer too and was kind enough to give my daughter his
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