A.G.E's Joint

Wouldn’t you like to ride in my beautiful balloooooon? Emily sang the song again as she got ready for bed. Grandma always played it when she was her house. They would dance around the fireplace and sing along with the record. She kept dancing in the car when Mommy picked her up and now as she put on her pajamas. They had pictures of balloons on them, too. It seemed like such fun, climbing into a big basket and floating over the ground. Tomorrow was Christmas. Daddy had asked her what she wanted and she said she wanted live at Grandma’s house. Why? So she could sing the balloon song over and over again. It was better than listening to Mommy trying to get Charlie quiet. He would grab at her necklace or hair and pull. That wasn’t all. Every time Emily wanted to cuddle with them on the sofa, he would poop or do something else gross. One time they were at the doctor’s office and he peed right in the lady’s face. Laughing, the doctor told Emilyall boys do that. She wondered when the pi

Walking slowly in the dark room, the wall felt weird, kind pebbly and wrinkly. Something was wrong, no light switch. Where was I going? Fear rose inside. A light appears in the doorway. Soft music surrounds her. It was some band she had heard on the radio in Mommy’s car. “I don’t want this night to end…” Relaxing, she floats on the melody, while the harmony colors the surrounding air. “ It’s closing time, leave with me again” “Ooh, Jimmy!” Emily sat straight up in bed. It sounded like the cat next door. Wonder what time it is? Crawling out of bed, she went to her window to see. It was cold. Looking down, she found her pajama top had scrunched up over her tummy. Oops. Had anyone seen it? It didn't matter, tummies were fine to show. The waistband on the pants were loose, and she pulled them up. The rest of her wasn’t, though. “Owww!!” That wasn’t a cat, it was Mommy. Quietly, she made her way down the hall, running her hands along the wall to guide her in the dark. T

Another week, another prompt that comes up short in the story department. Of course, that’s not my fault. Sometimes the well is dry. But it does give me a chance to talk about the most divisive issue of our times. No, not whether Donald Trump is an incompetent boob or that Congress is in the direct pay of big business. No, something that is much more important our day to day lives. Does pineapple belong on a pizza? I can hear the puritan heteropizza snobs now. Abomination! Heresy! What kind of soft-headed, perverted picaroon eats that? There are bible verses against mixing meat and fruit, aren’t there? Why if we allow that, what’s next? Tuna? Barbecue Chicken?...VEGGIE? It does explain California Kitchen, doesn’t it? I like them and this is how I was seduced by the juicy tartness. I left the nest when I was 21. I had re-enrolled in school and was making enough money with my part time job to afford a basement in old house. The neighborhood left a bit to be desired, to s