He rolled over, stiff and cold from where he’d collapsed the night before. The abandoned house, trashed from its misuses by the other druggies, left a fowl stench in his nose, making him gag. Sid Clayton slowly sat up, hurting and dope sick. He knew he needed to find another fix soon or he’d really…

My dog and I walk lazily along the lake’s sandy shoreline. Screaming her warning, the crow flies in circles below the tree branches. Looking closely, her fledgling chick’s on the ground, a snake gliding towards it. A couple walk to a park bench overlooking the water. They sit so uncomfortably close. Then the young man…

A rat swallowed his wife’s diamond earring. Upset, the husband hired a man to find and recover the jewel. When the man arrived, he found there were more than one-hundred rats trapped in the cellar. He also saw one rat sitting alone and not interacting with the rest of the mischief. He quickly captured it…

The morning air was brisk as he sat in the old rocker on his porch, rifle on his knees and a tin cup filled with warmed coffee. It wasn’t unlike the countless mornings Seamus Dolan had seen in the many years he lived in the cabin on the edge of the redwood forest overlooking the…

Nine in the morning and the manager twists the knob on the door, officially opening the bank for that day’s business. James Atherton stands patiently waiting and is the first through the door once it’s unlocked. “Hi,” the pregnant teller smiles as he approaches the counter, “How can I help you?” “I need the services of…

The Great War, better known today as World War I, came to an end 100-years-ago today at the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the 11th month. The latest figures, which are still being debated show that 116,708 U.S. soldiers died with another 205,690 having been wounded. My Grandpa Bill Shaw, having enlisted while…

My friend, Stella Bailey, who writes free verse poetry at ‘Simply Stella,’ wrote “Masterpiece of Emotion.” It really spoke to me and I envisioned this response: When sleep comes not easily, Scotch poured and at Baldwin, My fingers lightly on the keys, Playing a concert for none. Perhaps… Another one listens at this hour, too.…

Some how I became turned around; not lost, but extremely confused. I sat down in the shade of a rock overhang and sipped from my canteen, waiting for the feeling to leave, but it refused. Above me, circled a murder of crows, crying and calling to each other, also in confusion. Suddenly, they went silent…

Can you say, “Jus’ like Jim Acosta?” I knew you could! It’s a rather common occurrence for me — getting placed in ‘FB jail’ from time to time. That’s where I am after opining that CNN’s Jim Acosta physically battered the woman trying to take the White House Press Corps’ microphone away from him upon…

Here’s a compilation of all my thoughts as posted on Facebook throughout the night of the 2018 mid-term elections: “We need less democracy and more Republic.” “This nation has slipped so far from the Constitution that it shows on election night.” “That supposed ‘Red Wave’ has left Nevada drowning in a sea of ‘Blue.’” “Bread…