A.G.E's Joint

  The trip was her idea, a way to get some "we time" between work and kids' stuff.  Jimmy's mom not only offered to take the kids, but she had paid for the reservation. Everything was going to be perfect. Kathy had found the perfect place in the mountains where they didn't have to worry about being quiet.  The drive up had been easy, with no traffic on the way in. The only problem was missing the turn to the Inn. But that was quickly fixed and they turned off the small sidestreet. The driveway was lined with wildflowers and the turning trees indicated summer's end.  They got out of the car and looked at the building. They knew it was going to be special.  Behind the desk was a small, blonde woman.  "You must be the Morris', we've been expecting you."  She handed them the key and pointed toward the stairs. "The Millhouse Suite is at the top of the stairs. Enjoy your stay."   Running up like a couple of kids, they started laughing whe...

Salted rim Bitter fruit There should be two But only one in front of me Stood up again Hung out to dry By the paper in front of me.  Dark screen Glows bright Attorney call Second paper doubles down On the first. I have no home.

 If the real thing don't do the trick, Fake roses will Don't bring me those It's all a ruse To get someone To give something up After all, Love is blind And lust is Helen Keller As you can tell, Valentine's Day has never been my strong point. It isn't my wife's either. I guess that's why we are going on 38 years.

 Susan couldn't sleep. She stared at the naked image in the full length mirror. The dark hair was increasingly flecked with gray, but still long and soft.  The body was thicker, belly like a bag of potatoes, a butt like one of those rivet strips to let blind people know they've come to a curb. But the shape that set men on fire was still there. The breasts were the most surprising. Soft and a little wrinkled, they still held their shape. For 55, she couldn't complain. She smiled. The weekend at Hilton Head had been his idea. She'd gone along with it simply because she was tired of staring at the same old walls. Walking along the beach, a young woman jogged by in a bikini and his eyes followed. Would it all end like Julie Andrew's character in the movie "10", with her being dumped for the Delilah? There was only so much she could do to keep her looks.  The answer came as they stood on the dock, watching the harvest moon rise over the bay. He slipped a chubb...

  Hair- Not combed. Tshirt and Jeans Diner food. Homemade blueberry ice cream Celebrating 37 years As the moon rises over my left shoulder It is me being myself. 

"Am I Beautiful ?" He snored in the bed behind her, his scent permeating the room. The image in the mirror stared back. Nobody had watched me before. Now, I am watched. The hair was increasingly flecked with gray, but still long and shiny. She'd become thicker, no doubt about that. Belly like a bag of potatoes, butt like one of those rivet strips to let blind people know they've come to a curb. But the shape that drove men crazy was still there. The breasts were the most surprising. Soft and a little wrinkled, they still held their shape. She smiled and thought of last night. He'd come up behind her last night on the dock. She had been smoking, thinking of Julie Andrew's character in 10 who had been dumped for the Bathsheba on the beach. And here they were in Isle of Palms , away from the city that was so distracting. Was he thinking about doing the same? There was only so much she could do to keep her looks. As the chubby arms surrounded her, he ...

The damp handkerchief couldn’t keep up with the rivers of moisture pouring down his face. Savannah, the land of sweating and gnats. Heat rose from the faded pavement, something he never liked. Nothing had a clear view, just a shaky look. Only place he’d been to worse was New Orleans. At least here you might catch a breeze. A halfhearted attempt to squeeze the cloth out didn’t help. Laundry was going to be gross this week. Kathy would hold it by one corner and wrinkle her nose as it landed in the washer. Oh, well. Can’t be helped. A feeble attempt to wind dry it was made before putting it back in his pocket. It had been a productive trip. Somebody at the VW store had mucked up their inventory system. It turned out to be an idiot using an unsecured site had downloaded a a virus. He’d seen it before. Floor traffic gets slow and the sales folks get bored. The fix ended up being two software patches and a quick code rewrite. A reboot later, and everything was working properly. Before ...

"Jimmy, you awake?" He stirred at the soft touch and turned towards his wife. "Am now." "I just want to say I'm sorry for acting like a bitch tonight." A slow smile came across his face. His hand stroked the side of her face. "I think we apologized pretty well a little while ago." He softly kissed her. She smiled, then her face fell in doubt. "Do you still think I'm pretty? I mean, I never lost..." "...the baby weight? Jimmy kissed along her muffin top and across her belly button, then went up to the locket between her breasts. Kissing it deeply, he laid his head over her heart. It was beating fast. "You are more beautiful after Emily. I thank the Lord every day for that child." Kristy giggled. "I wonder if she heard us?" "Probably. She loves 'happily ever after stories', you know." Kristy held his head tight, kissing the bald spot. "Well, she got her ...

..Do you hear what I hear?   Kristy turned off the radio. If she heard another carol or hymn, she’d scream. Bah, humbug. Scrooge was right. Happy this and miracle that. It really was just another day to pick your pocket. Looking into the living room, she sighed at the scraggly tree with Emily’s preschool ornaments, Jimmy’s tacky “Redneck Christmas” wreath, and only a couple of wrapped presents. She knew she should be grateful for what she had, but it was too much, the bills, the arguments. Now he’s late from work again. Was he seeing someone else? I wouldn’t be surprised, she thought as she grabbed another beer from the fridge.   “Mommy, why did you turn it off?” The little girl asked, twisting her red curls around her fingers.   Popping the can, she took a long drink sat down at kitchen table. His plate sat unused across from her.   “I don’t know. I’m just tired of Christmas.”   Emily rubbed Kristy’s back and put butterfly kisses in her tous...

It was one of the older beach shacks, a weathered gray stack of sticks sitting squat on the bluff near the inlet, four rooms and a screed porch overlooking the ocean. The white Adirondack contrasted with the dark green paint of the screened in porch. A man, the picture of moral desolation, sat in the chair looking over the churning water. Seaside sounds quieted his rage and focused his thoughts. It was gracious of Jack to let him stay at the beach house. They had their differences over the years; the respect for the man was always there. Guilt and shame have a way to loosen these kinds of favors. It wasn’t every day your daughter twists the knife into her ex and made you pay for it.    Atlanta to Kiawah had passed through his mind in a blur of tears. A case of Wild Turkey had been liberated from the reception, another case of a friend looking the other way. Somehow, he kept it between the lines and the State Patrol was none the wiser. A case and a half was left...

After a brief spin, Bart set Holly gently on the floor and handed her the cane and the small bouquet of flowers he had picked up from the street side vendor. Her thin arms gathered him into a long hug, burying his face into her highlighted hair. Laughter echoed down the long room, but few noticed. “Oh, man! I wish I got that greeting every time I arrived somewhere.” She gave him a peck on the cheek.   “So we finally meet!” Straightening her top, she kept giggling. “Although I wish the circumstances were a little better. I can’t thank you enough for putting me up.”   “I know what having obnoxious relatives are like.” He said taking her larger suitcase. “I certainly would have more help when Amy died. Let’s get out of here before anyone thinks we’re crazy.” A woman with perfect hair and six inch heels veered into their path, engrossed in her cell phone. Holly leaned in to get out of the way and looked up into grey framed face. Lavender and salt permeated his sen...

No story this week.   Yeah, I know. It's disappointing when a topic just doesn't lend itself to a riveting tale of crime and romance. You would think I would be able to take a woman of history and spin some fantastic tale of rescue or some such. Do I look like some kind of superhero? Or, I could write about my wife, Kathryn and how we met. It wasn't like I was on the Stairway to Heaven. She was dating my best friend, then called me out of the blue several years after they broke up. We were birds on a wire, ready settle down and that was it. That was thirty years ago.   Thirty years? Great Scott! And it isn't even a tender subject like a lot of my friends from high school. They time warped from one relationship to another. And now I am at an age where some of them are like Fast Eddie. Of course,  that could spin some sad tales of fallen women... Women who behaved badly...   And made history. Eh, I'm rambling. Where are my meds? ~...