The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

Lea

Lea half walked, half ran to the corner. The end result was reminiscent of a limping gazelle. She didn’t want to flat out run – she just wanted to make sure that she’d get to the bus stop before the bus.

The trouble was, of course, that the bus stop was across the avenue. If the light turned green, Lea might be forced to watch the bus pull up as cars and trucks and other buses separated her from it. That was the worst. Because not only would she have missed her bus, she’d have been there as she missed it, and she would have looked like an idiot missing it because of her limping gazelle impression.

 As it turned out, luck was on her side. The pedestrian walk sign was a steady white. Lea steadied her gait. She played with the metro card in her hand as she studied the people at the bus stop. Three. That was good. The bus hadn’t just left.

Nick

The plus side to public transportation is the free entertainment you get along the way. Even just waiting for the bus, there’s interesting stuff going on. Like the girl making a beeline for the bus stop – looks like she can’t make up her mind whether she

The Jump

There’s nothing for it, but to jump.

Peering over the edge, I almost hesitate. It’s a long way down.

Behind me, some of my friends, well, I say friends but…they’re gesturing wildly, their lips are moving but I can’t make out what it is they’re saying.

There’s a silence in my head, a kind of calm that washes over me.

I’ve pictured this so many times.

I’ve been wanting to do it for a while.

I wonder

Jack and the Pirate

Jack landed hard on the deck. He lay still, momentarily stunned by the impact.

 A wave of nausea hit him, as he tried to regain the use of his lungs. It was slow going.

He heard her approach. Deliberate steps. Light on her feet, never mind the occasional pitching of the ship.

 He flipped onto his back, the better to breath, and her face now entered his field of vision. She shielded him from the sun and, though it probably wasn’t intentional, Jack was grateful.

 She stood looking down at him for a beat. Then she

Just A Dream

It was just a dream. I say this because I hate stories where, in the end, you find out none of it really happened. So I’m letting you know. It was just a dream. But still.

Somehow, I was back in sixth grade. There was a school trip to some museum or other. We had just come out of the building. The sun was still out, it was probably nearing summer, or not yet winter.

The museum was near the water. It might have been a river or bay or the ocean, even. But there was a low wall, with a substantial ledge, and quite a drop to the water below. Looking down, I could see the water slapping against jagged rocks, the spray bursting and falling.

Then we were on the ledge, my friends and I. You know how dreams are, you just sort of end up in places. You don’t really travel.

So we were on the ledge. Sitting. Our backs to the water.

My Uncustomary Book Review!

I recently found a website called “The Uncustomary Book Review,” which reviews books in a whole new way (hence, the title).

Reviewers on the site tell what first attracted them to the book they’re writing about, pick a few favorite quotes, mention new words they learned about while reading the book, and lastly, they briefly discuss some of the thoughts they had while reading.

The idea really charmed me and I’m now happy to report that my first book review is live on the site!

You can find my review of The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien here.

The title may ring a bell for you since I recently blogged about the book.

I assure you, it’s quite a different kind of review.

Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments (here or there).

Can You Choose the Genre of Your Life?

I met a guy the other day. Let’s call him Ben.

We got to talking and he told me a bit about himself:

He’s 23 years old. When he was 19, he started dating a girl, she was 17 at the time – a month into the relationship, her father found out and made them get married. After the wedding, the girl totally changed, she made Ben’s life hell, and after three years and a kid, they got divorced.

It’s been a year since the divorce. He wants to be an engineer, but that isn’t a realistic option for him right now. Instead, he’s stuck in a dead-end job.

His ex still has it out for him. He has a kid to take care of. Wonderful kid, but still. Ben’s in a pretty crummy situation. He’s just starting his life and he’s got all this baggage.

But you know the funny thing? You’d never know it by looking at him. And it’s even harder to believe after talking with him.

Source: Krzysztof Poltorak via fotocommunity

He’s happy. He’s at peace. Not in the least bit cynical. He still believes in the beauty of marriage, and would love to get married again one day.

Ernest Hemingway

“For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn.”