Category: <span>Encounters</span>
Encounters, Human Nature, Parenthood
Unwanted
I get mail. Lots of mail. Mountains of mail. Amazing credit card offers, museum membership renewals with special perks, nonprofits begging for donations, and of course of course of course, catalogs: clothes, home interior, gardens and landscaping, computers and electronics, kitchenware, books, toys, sporting gear, plumbing and electrical supplies, restaurant […]
Dirty Job
“Hmmm, it smells good. What is it?” asks David, my general contractor.“It’s a plant-based cleaner. Pretty strong stuff,” I respond as the short stocky man sprays our garage floor with Simple Green and scrubs it with a broom. Only a few minutes ago I was fuming with anger, holding back […]
The Screaming Banji
“HELLO” says a booming voice behind me. I jump, on full alert. Adrenaline rushes through my veins. Who the F*** is in our kitchen? Without a thought, in a move rehearsed a thousand times at the dojo, I turn around into a fighting stance, ready to strike the intruder. No […]
Gray Ham And Eggs
“Hello?” says the voice on the phone. “Hello,” I repeat. “Could I speak to Gray-ham, please?” “May I ask who’s calling?” “My name is Cedric. I play squash at the Country Club and…” Toot. Toot. Toot. She hung up. For the third time. How can I ever move up in the […]
Encounters, Human Nature, Laughs
Golden Chicken
In January 2020, I had a troubling dream. Mai and I were walking on the San Francisco waterfront and stumbled upon a group of passersby watching the Bay. Some pointed fingers to the water; others were talking to each other nonchalantly. Intrigued, I turned my head and spotted a giant […]
Free Energy
Dressed in black, the black man wore dreads and black sunglasses. Next to him laid a black duffel bag, a black rolling suitcase, and a black garbage bag. A straw hat covered his head. He was rubbing the ground in circular motions while mumbling and putting his hand in and […]