Dad

Dad turned 75 this year. It’s been a hard 75, filled with successes but also with pain both physical and emotional, all honestly earned. Dealing with his declining health has been difficult but it has afforded me the opportunity to frankly assess my relationship with him, my attitudes toward myself, and, with apologies to Dan […]

The Cat that Crawled Out of the Storm Drain

The black cat crawling out of the storm drain that morning of August 2006 was scrawny, filthy, and collarless. Morning paper in hand, I stood motionless as the cat, yowling loudly, loped toward me. Most rational people, upon seeing such a creature, don’t crouch and say, “Come here, kitty…” But as some will no doubt […]

Royalties and Vigilance

Royalties. Such a wonderful word. One thinks of wealth. Bonus is a great word, too. A welcome something extra. And when those two words appear together, as in somebody wanting to pay you royalties and a bonus? Well, that’s nearly irresistible. Such were my thoughts last May as I read a letter from a natural […]