I woke up to my phone ringing. It was 2010 and I was on my twin extra-long bed in my brand-new college dorm. I rolled over to see who was calling so early on a Sunday morning. It was my stepsister, which was odd because we rarely called each other. She was sobbing over the Read the full article…

DESCENT INTO THE SEVENTH CIRCLE I always looked forward to the drive out to the San Joaquin Valley in springtime. The orchards on my way to the facility for incarcerated juveniles were in full bloom, white and pink blossoms formed a gossamer carpet which invited one to stay in its shade to avoid the certain Read the full article…

“F***!” I shouted to an empty apartment. The blanket of white through my frosted windows told me instantly that my red car was gone. It was the second day of the blizzard. The roads became impassible during my nap between shifts. Public transit halted and parking restrictions tightened. The note I’d left on my windshield Read the full article…

Not infrequently, as I sit in the ICU pondering a dilemma, my mind wanders to thoughts of my family and friends. It’s been happening less so this year, in the COVID world that has thrust itself upon me, as thoughts compete for nanoseconds in my racing mind. My nephew L.J. will be two years old Read the full article…