NOCTURNAL CREATURES Leaning back in my chair with eyes raised to the sky I could see all the way to forever. It was around midnight in the South Pacific. We were steaming for Sydney from Honolulu passing the strings of islands that make up archipelagos that dot that part of the world. I leaned back … More Nocturnal Creatures
Now there’s a loaded question, eh? I found a poem I wrote during a particularly difficult period after my first, or inaugural, winter drive to the left coast in 2012. I’d returned to find my house empty of wife, furnishing, personal belongings, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. This poem reflects the dark nature of humans, certainly my … More What’s Hiding in You?
Once in a while I get to relate my experiences from my Navy days. I’ve a lot of stories. I spent twenty three years in the canoe club, many years on submarines at sea. I enjoyed my time at sea and under water. I realize it takes a special person to tolerate those conditions. I … More Some Stories are Hard to Tell. Here’s One.
I met Eddie in the first grade. He did something for me that was so sweet and comforting. He reached out to me and during our few years together in grade school we traveled easily together. Of course all of our journeys were behind the tenement buildings and triple-deckers of our neighborhood. How we met was my … More Eddie Coombs
Today is going to be a warm day here in Maine. It’s going to get up to 83 F. A scorcher! (Pronounced “Scotchah”) I went out early to mow part of the lawn before the heat drove me down for the day. I saw a baby grasshopper playing in the grass. Of course I mowed … More High Heat and a Baby Grasshopper
Since I’ve made the Fourth of July a day of mourning for myself I suspect this might be a good way to be “up”until then. More on this later. Right now I want to celebrate a song I’ve listened to before but not until today have I listened really hard. Have any of you heard … More Happy Third of July!
It’s difficult sometimes to make up one’s mind. In light of all the things I’ve done over my lifetime I think I would rather be a mule. I haven’t come by this choice easily. I’ve thought it over on occasion whenever the tune “Swinging on a Star” has rambled across my brain. “Would you like … More Decisions! Decisions!
See…now if everyone had a gun do you believe the world would be safer than if no one had a gun? The second amendment leads us into the situation where everyone is allowed to have a gun. I can’t come up with the strategy to change a constitutional amendment but I can pretty well use … More Circular Firing Squad
GUNS AND NO GUNS Our population seems to be divided into two groups when it comes to guns. I’m sure we could divide further into subsets but for the sake of this commentary two groups is plenty. One group is fearful of being harmed. That group’s primary emotion is fear and it is strong. The … More Don’t Shoot – I’m Just the Piano Player!
Content warning: Blood and guts and stuff about an execution. MY UROLOGIST CAPTURED SADDAM HUSSEIN I’ll keep his name to myself. I don’t want to get into a jam with anyone in case this whole story is bogus or in case it is true and I misrepresent parts of it. My urologist joined the Air … More Something to Kill the Time
Playing Fair and Being Kind 