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

A bitter Christmas morning after a foot of snow last night. I shovel the sidewalk and make my way to the bird feeder. Before I can fill it, the wrens

They were always close Mom and Faye No father around Mom painted flowers Faye planted them

There’s a moral to this story. Police in St. Louis have arrested a teen for felony auto theft. They asked her why she did it. She said the owners didn’t

You can’t vote for him and you can’t vote for her and you can’t vote for the others you’ve never heard of. The others may not be as odd

Tornadoes in the parlor, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, t… churned every hour Dad was home. He never worked and with good reason.

Phone rings. Wilbur answers it. “This is Grace. Is Thelma there?… “No,” says Wilbur. “She’s out won… “You mean wandering about?” ‘No, she used to wander about. No…

No one goes to the patio now except at night when Ann goes out to spread old bread and sunflower seed on the small table for birds

The teacher tells the third grade the order of the seasons cannot be changed. Summer, fall, winter, spring arrive in order, then start over.

This senior citizen whose face is Rushmore still squats with pigeons on the steps of the Rogers Park Masonic Templ… She wears a shawl this snowy day

On holidays I hear from Paul, who’s 80 if a day, who may have won his war on poverty without help from his friends. He won’t accept a cent.

Two men running for office disagree about everything but have one thing in common. They won’t release their tax returns.

What we are not who we are matters to the world. Who we are not what we are

Years ago my wife bought three wall clocks, atomic clocks they’re called. They require no batteries and you don’t plug them in.

Far from the city way out in the country a hot afternoon in high summer as we drive down a bumpy road bouncing one mail box past