Non-believer

Heading north on Highway 101, and as we crossed the bridge spanning Big Lagoon in Humboldt County, I saw rather a large man in a ghillie suit standing chest deep in the water, partially obscured by reeds. When I saw him, I recalled how as a child, I’d seen an elk swimming, head and antlers …

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A Foodie’s Fantasy

“California’s idea of dining-in is eating outside,” I kept thinking each time seeing a restaurant serving guests in their table, chair and tent-covered parking lots. It was stated in jest and mostly in my head. Having said it once to my wife was enough after she told me to ‘knock it off,’ which I did. …

Four Passings in July

July 2020 has been a rough month, as a number of friends and acquaintances have died. On July 3, Dorothy Chubbuck passed away in Roseburg, Oregon. She was what we kids called a ‘track mother.’ Her son, David and I ran track when we were in high school and this is how I came to …

Five Word Sentences

Five words at a time. Pounded out in short sentences. Staccato, pointed, sharp, and quick. If you think it’s hard. Then you think too hard. It’s about language and control. Hold back on the emotion. Grasp each word in perfection. Going home is not easy. Seeing home decaying is harder. It is time for goodbye. …

Her Left Foot While Sleeping

Pencil and watercolor, 8 x 11 1/2

Beautiful Defacement

It was as if I had 'an itch that I couldn’t scratch.' How many times have I heard that, said this, thinking I knew what it meant. Today I learned, as I scrambled out of the house, half-wild and needy, heading into the lower hills jus’ to the west of us for some quiet time …

Debating Ernie’s Sexual ID

In recent days, and every since the Internet decided to celebrate Ernest Hemingway’s birthday, I’ve seen several articles detailing how his suicide was the final outcome of a man dealing with a sexual identity crisis. A number of scholars are citing letter that he wrote over the years to his many wives. It makes me …

Injurious

“You are so accident prone,” my wife says. “No, I’m not,” I reply, “I jus’ move so fast at times that I become clumsy.” “If you say so,” she smiles sweetly, “But I’ve never seen you move fast once.” “Pffts,” I press through my tightly pursed lips. The injuries, though not severe, take a toll …

Overheard while social distancing: "They oughta call COVID-19  'the common core virus.'" "Why's that?" "Nothings adding up."  

Fire Tower Talk

Early morning dialog. “I have been off work because I won't wear a mask, so I took a job as watchman for a logging outfit,” he said, “I am getting paid to camp out. You never know what life will bring. Good place and job to get my guns sighted in.” “That is so cool,” …

Drywall, Dirty Wookies and Electrical Storms

Work, work, work. Been out in the garage busting through drywall in order to put in a new electrical outlet. I don’t get to do the work as Mary has someone she’s had do work at her old job, coming out to install it. Ain’t gonna see me crying about not having to do extra …

So, if we become a cashless society, how will I be able to tip a stripper?

Visitors, Mopping and Love

It’s been a strange day for sure. Sat out back for a couple of hours after my son brought over his wife’s childhood friend’s dog, Bailey, for us to sit while they went to Donner Lake for the day. Bailey has not been happy with the arrangement and has been laying at our front door, …

At Chapter Twenty-five

I'm wanting to quit reading this book, ‘Big Sur.’ It's hard to invite a man, syllable-by-syllable into your head, then read in his own words, how he is drinking himself into an early grave. Makes me want to break out into a high flying semper fidelity fit. That sounds like a bunch of hypodermic needle …

Birthdays, Burgers and Strikers

Woke to hearing my wife say ‘Happy birthday.’ Made me smile until I remembered how horribly I treated her the day before, having gotten angry over something trivia; the removal and exchange of a blind from one bedroom to the next. I can be a very thoughtless man at times. Sadly, no birthday cards in …

With all the unrest in the US, Canadian's must feel like they're living above a meth lab.

The Rebounding Photograph

True story... “Look at what I found in my book,” Mary said. Half asleep, I rolled over and looked. It was a photograph of our son Kyle, sitting next to Chuck E. Cheese. “Cool,” I said, smiling, as I turned over with the idea of falling back asleep. As I drifted off, my brain suddenly …

Evening Time Journaling

1843 hours -- Soon the sunshine will be removed from the sky and replaced by a multifaceted star shine. That is how most days close when there are no clouds in the sky. And I was honored to sit, looking up, seeing the first twinkle from the vast and coming darkness, so my day is …

Noon Time Journaling

1233 hours -- Sitting in direct sunshine, dry heat of middle day on my freckled back, I find myself quickly exhausted, a sign, perhaps from God Himself, telling me I’m getting old or am already there. I need to be moving, not seated, not at rest, if I’m to remain outside in this summer’s blast, …

Try as you might, you can't Febreze all the odor out of bullshit.

Life Glue

we are all human a shard pot, dropped, cracked red is our life glue

Morning Time Journaling

0927 hours – Been up over an hour, drinking coffee, trying to clear my head of the ragged dreams from the dark. Listening to my wife’s music selection, from Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together,” to “Ventura,” by America, and then something by Dave Gates and Bread, followed up with a show tune from 'Jesus Christ …

In Kerouac’s Fire

"Yes the cross-sawed redwood log turns into a coal and looks like a City of the Gandharvas or like a western butte at sunset." Jack Kerouac, Big Sur the city burning resin redwood log aglow fire bombing past

Diary of a Mad Writer

Been picking at the idea like one picks at a week old scab, that I should give up writing stories. I don’t drink enough to call myself an alcoholic, through you shake my family tree and several or more would fall out, never spilling a drop, nor am I an addict either to pill or …

"2020," written by Stephen King, film directed by Quentin Tarantino, and narrated Samuel L. Jackson.

Hand-me-down

Left my computer for half-an-hour, the god-damned blinking cursor pounding in my eyes giving me a headache. Sat outside for a quarter hour, until it got too hot for me; only 98 and not yet noon. Wonder what it’ll be like by three or four, zenith of the sun and the heat. Wife has me …

Singer Taylor Swift has made a career out of singing about her poor choices in men, and now she wants us to vote for Joe Biden.

Ronson

It’s been a generation, perhaps two ago, and while I didn’t make a lot of money, I had enough to treat me and Adam to few soda pops and comic books from the Woodland Villa. I was nine, maybe 10-years-old, when I decided to take Dad’s wooden Ronson Shoe Shine Kit down to the Klamath …

Bugged

The showers ended Sunshine and grass remain Mosquitoes alive

I don't cuss, but I do speak fluent Marine with a hint of trucker, logger and construction worker.

Crying in my Sleep

My pillowcase was such a mess and my pillow beneath it so damp, that I had to tumble it in the dryer and wash my case. You see, I’d been crying off-and-on throughout the night and morning while having the same basic dream. Checking all the doors and windows each night before bed, making certain …

Payday candy bars should change its name because it's offensive to people who refuse to work.

Author and Perfecter

Awoke early this morning wondering:  “If God were to write the opening paragraph to my biography, what would He have to say?” Fell back to sleep with this still on my mind. When I woke again, the thought remained. It hung with me while mowing the lawn, then like a bolt outta the blue, this …

Ask me about my attention deficit disorder or pie or my dog, a cat. I have a bike. Do you like TV? I saw a rock. Hi.

Broken Haiku

reach out, reach out with hope in your heart and you will never walk alone

Two-twenty-three

For the second time in as many weeks, I woke up a 2:23 am, first on a Monday, then this morning, a Saturday. I could easily assign some strange interpretation to this because I was born at 2:23 am, three minutes after my twin, who did not survive entry. But I won’t. I’m jus’ letting …

Born Again

The trip to the north coast of California is a long one, at least eight-hours, if you stay within the speed limit. Ham Piper knew this, but after several cups of coffee and getting stuck behind a slow moving log truck and two RV  ‘wienie-wagons,’ he found he had to stop for a pee. He’d …

Set-Backs

This is day 115 of social distancing, face-masks and self-quarantining and a lengthy week of minor set-backs. It started last Friday with my son and daughter-in-law’s vehicle breaking down jus’ over the Nevada-California stateline as they were heading for a visit to her family in the So-Cal area. Two motor belts and a radiator later, at …

Last night our neighbor came home drunk. He stood at his door banging on it for over five-minutes. Problem is that he lives alone. So I finally went over and told him he wasn't home. He left.

Think it’s About Race?

This is convicted terrorist Susan Rosenburg.  She sits on the Board of Directors for the fundraising arm of Black Lives Matter. She was convicted for the 1983 bombing of the United States Capitol Building, the U.S. Naval War College and the New York Patrolmen's Benevolent Association.  She was released from prison after serving 16 years …

West of West

A friend came to me and asked, “What do you think of Kanye West for President?” “Not on your life!” I answer. She frowns at me as if I said something wrong, “What does that mean?” “It means,” I say, a bit too defensively, “Did you see what he and Kim were wearing in that …

Worthless Words

‘Laziness,’ that’s what I call my current affliction, it the only way I can describe my activity this morning. Nine-twenty and I’m jus’ rolling myself over to get outta bed. Of course, I turned off my alarm before it went off at 8:00 and even before then, I reset it from 7:00. By the time …

Not to brag or anything, but I'm very skilled at forgetting what I'm doing -- while doing it.

In defense of alcohol, I've done some pretty stupid stuff while sober, too.

Bought some marijuana-infused toilet paper. My asshole has the munchies now.

BBQ and Boogie Rock

A short tale about today's society... Cain thought God was a fruitarian, offering Him what he had grown. “I made you in My image and like you, I eat meat.” Cain was butt-hurt. Then his brother, Abel appeared with his meat offerings. Digging the smoky aroma and that tangy sauce, God blessed Abel while pigging …

Joozers

Bib-over-all's have been a staple in my life for as long as I can recall.  As the name implies, they're designed to be worn over top of regular cloths to protect them from getting dirty and torn. It’s rare now, to find someone wearing them as an ‘over-all,' in a work environment. I certain don't …

Simply and Wonderfully

As I sat on my side of the bed this morning, pulling on my bib-over-all's, I had a sudden flash back to a day, shortly before Grandpa Bill passed away. It was the end of summer, my brother and I were playing in the field next to the house. He was sitting in the shade …

Keepin’ it Real

It’s official – I’ve entered my sixtieth July. Don’t know if I should laugh or cry. Gonna take my time writing for the next thirty-one days. And I plan to stick to subjects that are not of the ‘supernatural/horror’ realm. Rather, I wanna touch on things that are of this world, true life, or as …