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Grassy Legs
One day, last summer, I was sitting on the bathroom floor during bathroom time monitoring the littles. Every now and then the kids will climb or plop in my lap to give me a hug which I love. One day a little girl climbed into my lap gave me a hug and then got up. when she got up, she looked at me with complete seriousness and asked, “why do you have grass on your legs?” I was confused because there was no grass on my legs and after a moment, I started to laugh and I said “oh this”—and I rubbed my hand on the dark poky hair on…
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Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal, MO My mom and I left for Hannibal MO one night after work, the night sky had already taken hold—it was a cool winter evening that was trying to give way to spring. It was the weekend of the two-year death-versary of my dad. Is that a traditional term for the day someone dies—probably not but a little bit of comedic relief helps to deal with my grief. That weekend is still a bit difficult for mom and me, after two years it is still fairly fresh. We travel that weekend as a way to remember him together and as a way to keep ourselves pre-occupied, so we are…
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From Puppy-Dog Eyes to a Quiet New Hope
I’ve been thinking about dogs again — something I honestly didn’t expect to happen this soon. If you’ve ever loved a dog deeply, you know how complicated that feeling can be. I used to have a dog — a puggle — who passed away a little over two years ago. I had him from the time he was about eight weeks old. When I was around eleven when my parents decided they wanted a puggle, so we drove out to pick one up. While we were there, I started playing with the other puppies. One of them — the runt — was so stinking adorable I couldn’t stand it. I…
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The Night I Locked My Keys in the Car During a Kansas Downpour
One night, when I showed up for my closing shift at the liquor store around 6 p.m., it was pouring down rain. I gathered all of my things to take inside with me: my purse, water, snacks, cigs, etc. I got out, locked my door, and shut it behind me. Just as it closed, I realized my keys were still inside. Great! I thought to myself. What a great way to start my evening. I was not a happy camper. Anyway, I went inside drenched, said my hellos to my co-workers, and proceeded to tell them what had just happened. They shared some sympathy, finished up their shift, and off…
