Merry Christmas Amy
I spent half of 2013 on crutches as I recovered from reconstructive knee surgery that came with a lengthy period of rehab. That May we celebrated our 26th anniversary with a long weekend at our favorite place, Fripp Island SC. I could only walk very short distances but I could pedal a bike. So on […]
On Your Left!
I heard them coming. The crunch of rubber tires on dried leaves, the click of a rear derailleur, the gentle whoosh of spokes beating the air; there was no need to look over my shoulder because I knew I had company. I held my line and waited. Surely one of them would offer up […]
Eyes Up!
A handful of shimmering leaves, shades of green, yellow, and gold, twisted through my field of vision. Moistened by the midnight rain, they fluttered to the road, clung to the rocky shoulder, and twirled into the mist. A feathery blanket of fog melted into the valleys while sunlight sparkled on the peaks of the Blue […]
Ollie Who?
“So who’s been to the Panama Canal? Can I see a show of hands?” I looked around cautiously. Of the 20+ folks in the room; myself and the lecturer were the only ones with our hands down. The lecturer, an imposing gentleman with the memorable name of Myles Standish, shrugged his shoulders and announced […]
The Smile of a Stranger
After the rain broke, I took a short bike ride on the Swamp Rabbit trail. I slowed for an approaching cyclist at the intersection of Wardlaw Street. A kid on a beat-up ten speed bike (an old Schwinn) came flying down Wardlaw. He jammed on the brakes, skidded onto the SRT, stood on the […]
A Tale of Two BBQ’s
Hudson Denney has just handed me perhaps the most memorable bite of BBQ I’ve ever had. It’s beef brisket; tender as a poem by Byron, more complex than a fine Bordeaux, redolent with spice, smoke, acid, sweetness, and cherry wood overtones. Hudson can tell I’m impressed by my wicked smile. I’ve been coming to […]
A Honey of a Smile
Patrick Square’s Farmer’s Market was buzzing with activity yet the sky behind Liydia Vdovichenko had grown menacing. The threat of a thunderstorm was in the air yet she wasn’t fazed. There were shoppers with money in their hands and she had something precious for sale. Honey. Made by her family’s bees, gathered by the […]
“At This Performance”
Tears had formed in the eyes of Eric Ruiz and there wasn’t a tissue within 300 feet, and I suddenly felt stupid for not being prepared. But I didn’t think I would need tissues. After all, Eric plays a character capable of murder, one so intimidating that an entire community cedes to his demands, […]
I’ll have St. Pete with a Squeeze of Lime
The rain pelted against the house, sounding like rocks tossed by an angry neighbor, waking us well before our six am alarm went off. I trudged out of bed, turned up the heater then returned with two cups of strong coffee and crawled under the blankets. A strong gust lashed against the windows as my […]
The Ripple Effect
“Mom? It’s John. Just calling to say we’re home now.” We had spent an entire week with my mother. We cooked for her almost every day, took her out for oysters, looked through old photos, sat with her in the kitchen and shared coffee, and listened as she told stories of her childhood to […]