It was Christmas morning; my father was holding my trousers while he imitated a barber and made snipping noises with scissors. Even though they were my Sunday best trousers, they had patches on the knees and backside; a product of being a member of the poorest family in our … [Read more...]

Collective nouns have long been a source of literary interest. We’re all familiar with a herd of cows, a school of fish and a flock of birds. Then, there are some that are lesser known: a gang of buffalos, a convocation of eagles, and a pod of whales. In today’s world, we are … [Read more...]

I saw a bumper sticker on a van recently that said “In case of the Rapture, car’s yours.” Trying not to dwell on the missing “the,” it reminded me of when my mother believed that the Rapture was upon us. My mother had just finishing reading 88 Reasons why the Rapture will be in … [Read more...]

SPIT BATH! On the way to Aunt Betty’s two things always happened: All the kids got a spit bath from mom, and dad read the riot act. Don’t touch anything, don’t run, don’t ask for anything, don’t cause trouble, don’t move and don’t speak unless you're spoken to. Nobody goes … [Read more...]