In a life with many valleys and a few mountaintops Alvin has met many people he thought were normal and others he thought not.

He’s not among the quick and not among the dead. He’s somewhere in between he tells anyone who stops his wheelchair in the halls

First time seeing this doctor, a specialist. Took a month to get an appointment. The waiting room’s packed. I grab the last seat

No Supper for a Year My wife looks out the kitchen wind… and tells me the starlings are bac… the same big flock as yesterday strolling around our yard

First leaves of autumn. Slow parachutes this morning almost at the curb. Donal Mahoney

Before dawn Bill stoops under crimson leaves of the low-hanging Japanese Maple

All lives matter now unless they’re inconvenient. No room in the womb. Donal Mahoney

The uncommon is common in America today. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, Seinfeld

When Normal Norman takes his seat in Room 220 in Dumbach Hall to hear the eminent Dr. Engelhard… recite Beowulf again, Norman knows that he can suck

Heaven’s Sake or maybe Hell No. Even if we weigh a ton our body’s not a problem

I wish he had never come out from behind the stove, that spider I stepped on at 4 a.m. He was a big one bothering no one.

A moment ago, in a flicker of pique, with a wave of the hand, I dispersed them. Glorious birds,

It was stupid of Walt not to show it to Joan before they got married but he was too shy. He had no idea

Last night my recliner broke. I used the lever to lean back and I went way back, almost heels over head. A shock. I hate going to the recliner store

She was about the doing not about applause canning tomatoes in summer baking pies in fall quilting winter away