Long Distance Relationship
04.07.2008 Atlantis was flying south over Idaho and would be over the Kansas before long. Fifteen seconds of reaction control should be enough to ensure they ended up where they belonged. It was a rough guess at best but maybe that would be enough. Florida was about to get really interesting.
The Boss' Son
07.11.2006 If Wayne thought he had seen too many movies before moving to New York, it was nothing compared to the young master Sandaman.
Random Call
02.23.2004 I knew it was a girl, and that she sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn't quite put the voice together with anyone in particular.
Barcelona
01.05.2004 There seemed to be some debate as to whether the traditional way took place at the beach or at the hotel so it was settled that both would be tried and "traditional" would be defined by our preference which worked out fine.
Weapons Inspection
01.27.2003 "It ought to be declared a bloody war crime," Robert said quietly.
Star Power
01.06.2003 When Jack Ryan shows up at the door of a Columbian drug lord with that trademark smile of his, I see the man who I call every June. Some people can't help but to always see the star instead of the role, but I don't even see the actor; just visions of my father over and over and over again.
Bang The Big Red Gong
09.23.2002 'Tell the Major we'd like to see our representative at the American Embassy,' I said as politely as possible.
Personal Philosophy
08.26.2002 Rand leaned across his desk and picked up his nameplate which he began to polish with his tie.
Realigned Expectations
07.29.2002 I longed for a copy of the New York Times, like I used to read before I was detained but considering how hard they were to get in the city after they went underground, I figured it was beyond any reasonable expectation to think that one might be snuck into my cell.
The Visitors
06.24.2002 'So are you telling me that the French used to have their own territory,' he asked with skepticism.
Coinage
05.27.2002 I realized one day that the large cup in which I stored all of my change could no longer hold another nickel.
Tell Me The Reasons Why
05.20.2002 'Danielle, we can work out the toilet paper issue,' I pleaded.
Shared Window
04.29.2002 Pulling himself out of bed, he opened the glass and leaned through, waving his arms until the other occupant saw him.
It Happens
04.22.2002 I was interrupted in my efforts though by an irate rancher, shotgun in hand, who demanded me off his property and away from his mare.
On The Runway
03.25.2002 The plane that had been taxing quickly along a series of runways and overpasses suddenly stopped and the entire cabin lurched forward in their seats from the inertia.
The Random Visitor
03.04.2002 I'd just poured myself a large glass of scotch when the only woman who could get me out walked through my door.
The Mentor
02.11.2002 My typing slowed from a rhythmic tapping to almost nothing before I turned slowly to look at the kind of guy who would say something like that.
Made
01.28.2002 I couldn't help but to think of the stories of the Soviet Union I'd grown up with where factory managers did much the same when talking to the local Party boss.
Poor George
01.21.2002 The fact that he was a manager was one of those flukes that occur only with in the confines of corporate America.
The Irish
01.07.2002 I spun the little red stick, mixing the scotch & soda, and looked up at him carefully.
Got To Go
12.31.2001 We never knew where the planes came from nor did we have any idea where they were going, we just knew that Stephen never wanted to be near one and that I wanted to be on every one I saw.
Yeah Kid, There Is A Santa
12.24.2001 Like most other kids I knew that Jesus had something peripheral to do with Christmas, but I wanted to be in on the action. I wanted Santa.
Cell Phone
12.10.2001 It seemed as though the bar was split down the middle with people like me sitting opposite of people like James but for the most part none of the others like me seemed to have much of a problem with their friends.
Guitar War
12.03.2001 I finished my song and watched her for a minute as I sipped from my then cold cup of coffee to see what her intentions were, much the same as Kennedy did upon discovering that the Russians had dropped a few nukes off in Cuba.
It's Over
11.26.2001 There was nothing I could do to stop her, after all she was in another country and not one that was involved in the NAFTA agreement.
Lonelyness
11.19.2001 My father was the newest manager at the town's poultry processing plant, a step down the career ladder disguised as a promotion, and the rest of the "union yes" kids resented my management level dad and, by proxy, me.
Chevy Impala
11.12.2001 Bobby left her with something that he didn't fight about nearly as much as he did the Impala; he left her with a daughter.
Peter's Day Off
10.29.2001 What's the point of drinking if you can't taste the alcohol?
Hanging Old Glory
10.22.2001 I could only wonder what the big guys behind the counter thought upon seeing a kid approach with long hair, a distinct odor of alcohol, and about a hundred feet of rope.
Relationship Report Card
10.15.2001 Clara made a lot of lists and had perfected them.
Pocket Lint
10.08.2001 I was hoping that they might have some balls and hold a match, he who bled first ordered the drinks, but it seemed to be decided via telepathy.
Jen's Wedding
10.01.2001 The organist had already started the wedding march and the bridesmaids had commenced their trip down the aisle ahead of the bride by the time Wade decided to make his appearance through a side entrance with his date following closely behind.
Beach Front Property
09.24.2001 Emily asked me not to mention anything about her being there but I knew that he was going to be going to the store after work and that if I didn't say something she wouldn't have anything to eat.
Scotch & Soda
09.17.2001 We were playing for drinks but I didn't have any money so he was going to end up paying for them whether he won or lost and we both knew it.
Five Bad Days
09.03.2001 It had been a bad day at work, as was usual lately. It hadn't actually been a bad day, but rather a series of them starting with Monday and ending with the day before.
Summer Barbeque
08.27.2001 At eleven, when the grill was done cooking and people started to leave one by one in search of the next thing to do, the ritual hot tub was started up and people started to strip and jump in.
The Break Up
08.20.2001 When I flipped the bolt and opened the door I could smell the alcohol on her from two feet away and she looked like a wreck.
The Mango-Man
08.13.2001 I wouldn't so much as say that he's a bulldog when he wants something so much as one of those little yapper dogs that won't shut up until you give in. That's Mike.
Pub Quiz
08.06.2001 My aunt used to rub her lucky rabbit's foot while playing bingo, and though they refrained, I had an overwhelming sense that, were I so inclined, they might rub the lucky American's head.
Forgotten People In Boston
07.30.2001 Now, he sat stooped over on a gray seat in a C train heading north sitting next to a woman in her mauve dress suite who looked nonplused to be sharing a bench with him.
Alien Abduction
07.23.2001 The only part about the whole ordeal that those boys down in Hollywood seemed to nail was the blinding flood lamp. When that thing went on I thought I was passing out because the light you see before you fall over is pretty much the same.
Buen Pastor Funeral Home
07.16.2001 My sister didn't even want me there, or such is what she would tell me on the rare occasion that we would talk on the phone.
A Phone Conversation
07.02.2001 When we knew her, prior to her newfound motherhood, she had been about as gay as we were from Texas.
The Flying Dachshund
06.18.2001 I was so furious after my encounter with it that I had to put a name to my enemy. In a set of encyclopedias – the 1967 edition – that I'd picked up in college for twenty bucks, I learned about that-which-drove-me-mad.
Love In Dallas, Texas
06.04.2001 Though it was nice that she didn't also drop it on me, along with my four pairs of boxer shorts, a couple of shirts, a pair of pants, and numerous un-matched socks, it was sad that even though our love was over, the dresser continued.
A Brief History Of Me
05.21.2001 Those were the days when my only identification said A.A. and I placed it on the bar with pride.
Flight From Penn Station
05.14.2001 To anyone else on the street, it must have looked like a police parade on fast forward being led by an unlikely drum major.
She Didn't Know Why
05.07.2001 When the ledge gave way, the boots that had made it a comfortable place to stand restricted her movement enough that it was impossible to attempt a recovery.
Love At The Water Cooler
04.30.2001 As she passed my desk I could feel the heat of a soul that burned so brightly in the land of even fluorescent lighting. I wanted her, and I was sure that she was well aware of it.
The Cat Situation
04.23.2001 I almost begged the shaggy haired bastard. Why did every vet look like an ex-hippy even if they couldn't be more than in their late twenties?
11 O'Clock News
04.16.2001 “I could never throw my mother off a building,” a shocked Paige said. She stood at the waitresses’ station propping her arm up on the bar as she smoked one of my Chesterfields.
30,000 Feet
04.09.2001 At first I thought she was snoring. It was the flailing about that clued me and, well, just about everyone else into the fact that something was wrong with her.
Faker
03.05.2001 Something had clued him in, though, or he wouldn't have been standing in hysterics over me like he was. The poor bastard. The interview had gone so well too.
The Abridged Atlas Shrugged
02.19.2001 1,000 pages distilled into 1,000 words. What could be better?
A spudWorks Screenplay II
01.22.2001 SPY BOSS: So you know what it is you have to do, comrade?
SPY: Da. I will infiltrate the Goddard Space Flight Center in Washington D.C. and discover what advances the Capitalist pigs are holding back from the International Space Station.
Things Could Be Worse: IV
11.29.2000 The bench he sat on was hard, but if he balled his tie up in just the right way, he could make a pillow and lie down a little.
Things Could Be Worse: III
11.22.2000 Steven attempted to stare him down but realized he wasn't going anywhere so he took a vocal queue from the man who had just put Jack in his place.
Things Could Be Worse: II
11.15.2000 Half way to the door, his boss's voice rang out in the air-conditioned silence of the office. "Hey, and Jack? Buddy? Don't steal any pens or your letter opener. It's just petty. You know?"
Things Could Be Worse: I
11.08.2000 He still didn't know why he was on his death march.
A Seven Day Journal
09.11.2000 She got into Jesus somewhere along the line and has become a real pain in the ass. Maybe there's a support group for people like her... or for people who have to deal with people like her.
Nipple Photo Shoot
06.21.2000 So the shoot came and went and I never heard anything about it, then one day, about two weeks later she showed me some Polaroid transfers on a paper towel. My only response was "Are those your nipples?".
Flight From Phoenix
06.14.2000 Being the kind of guy I am, I always get the window seat. Flights over America are far too interesting to not study every detail. There are, however, people who are less than thrilled to be stuffed into a cattle stall-like seat in coach.
Bar Poetry
06.07.2000 I'm really drunk and really low
Good thing this isn't rock 'n roll,
It'd really blow
04.07.2008 Atlantis was flying south over Idaho and would be over the Kansas before long. Fifteen seconds of reaction control should be enough to ensure they ended up where they belonged. It was a rough guess at best but maybe that would be enough. Florida was about to get really interesting.
The Boss' Son
07.11.2006 If Wayne thought he had seen too many movies before moving to New York, it was nothing compared to the young master Sandaman.
Random Call
02.23.2004 I knew it was a girl, and that she sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn't quite put the voice together with anyone in particular.
Barcelona
01.05.2004 There seemed to be some debate as to whether the traditional way took place at the beach or at the hotel so it was settled that both would be tried and "traditional" would be defined by our preference which worked out fine.
Weapons Inspection
01.27.2003 "It ought to be declared a bloody war crime," Robert said quietly.
Star Power
01.06.2003 When Jack Ryan shows up at the door of a Columbian drug lord with that trademark smile of his, I see the man who I call every June. Some people can't help but to always see the star instead of the role, but I don't even see the actor; just visions of my father over and over and over again.
Bang The Big Red Gong
09.23.2002 'Tell the Major we'd like to see our representative at the American Embassy,' I said as politely as possible.
Personal Philosophy
08.26.2002 Rand leaned across his desk and picked up his nameplate which he began to polish with his tie.
Realigned Expectations
07.29.2002 I longed for a copy of the New York Times, like I used to read before I was detained but considering how hard they were to get in the city after they went underground, I figured it was beyond any reasonable expectation to think that one might be snuck into my cell.
The Visitors
06.24.2002 'So are you telling me that the French used to have their own territory,' he asked with skepticism.
Coinage
05.27.2002 I realized one day that the large cup in which I stored all of my change could no longer hold another nickel.
Tell Me The Reasons Why
05.20.2002 'Danielle, we can work out the toilet paper issue,' I pleaded.
Shared Window
04.29.2002 Pulling himself out of bed, he opened the glass and leaned through, waving his arms until the other occupant saw him.
It Happens
04.22.2002 I was interrupted in my efforts though by an irate rancher, shotgun in hand, who demanded me off his property and away from his mare.
On The Runway
03.25.2002 The plane that had been taxing quickly along a series of runways and overpasses suddenly stopped and the entire cabin lurched forward in their seats from the inertia.
The Random Visitor
03.04.2002 I'd just poured myself a large glass of scotch when the only woman who could get me out walked through my door.
The Mentor
02.11.2002 My typing slowed from a rhythmic tapping to almost nothing before I turned slowly to look at the kind of guy who would say something like that.
Made
01.28.2002 I couldn't help but to think of the stories of the Soviet Union I'd grown up with where factory managers did much the same when talking to the local Party boss.
Poor George
01.21.2002 The fact that he was a manager was one of those flukes that occur only with in the confines of corporate America.
The Irish
01.07.2002 I spun the little red stick, mixing the scotch & soda, and looked up at him carefully.
Got To Go
12.31.2001 We never knew where the planes came from nor did we have any idea where they were going, we just knew that Stephen never wanted to be near one and that I wanted to be on every one I saw.
Yeah Kid, There Is A Santa
12.24.2001 Like most other kids I knew that Jesus had something peripheral to do with Christmas, but I wanted to be in on the action. I wanted Santa.
Cell Phone
12.10.2001 It seemed as though the bar was split down the middle with people like me sitting opposite of people like James but for the most part none of the others like me seemed to have much of a problem with their friends.
Guitar War
12.03.2001 I finished my song and watched her for a minute as I sipped from my then cold cup of coffee to see what her intentions were, much the same as Kennedy did upon discovering that the Russians had dropped a few nukes off in Cuba.
It's Over
11.26.2001 There was nothing I could do to stop her, after all she was in another country and not one that was involved in the NAFTA agreement.
Lonelyness
11.19.2001 My father was the newest manager at the town's poultry processing plant, a step down the career ladder disguised as a promotion, and the rest of the "union yes" kids resented my management level dad and, by proxy, me.
Chevy Impala
11.12.2001 Bobby left her with something that he didn't fight about nearly as much as he did the Impala; he left her with a daughter.
Peter's Day Off
10.29.2001 What's the point of drinking if you can't taste the alcohol?
Hanging Old Glory
10.22.2001 I could only wonder what the big guys behind the counter thought upon seeing a kid approach with long hair, a distinct odor of alcohol, and about a hundred feet of rope.
Relationship Report Card
10.15.2001 Clara made a lot of lists and had perfected them.
Pocket Lint
10.08.2001 I was hoping that they might have some balls and hold a match, he who bled first ordered the drinks, but it seemed to be decided via telepathy.
Jen's Wedding
10.01.2001 The organist had already started the wedding march and the bridesmaids had commenced their trip down the aisle ahead of the bride by the time Wade decided to make his appearance through a side entrance with his date following closely behind.
Beach Front Property
09.24.2001 Emily asked me not to mention anything about her being there but I knew that he was going to be going to the store after work and that if I didn't say something she wouldn't have anything to eat.
Scotch & Soda
09.17.2001 We were playing for drinks but I didn't have any money so he was going to end up paying for them whether he won or lost and we both knew it.
Five Bad Days
09.03.2001 It had been a bad day at work, as was usual lately. It hadn't actually been a bad day, but rather a series of them starting with Monday and ending with the day before.
Summer Barbeque
08.27.2001 At eleven, when the grill was done cooking and people started to leave one by one in search of the next thing to do, the ritual hot tub was started up and people started to strip and jump in.
The Break Up
08.20.2001 When I flipped the bolt and opened the door I could smell the alcohol on her from two feet away and she looked like a wreck.
The Mango-Man
08.13.2001 I wouldn't so much as say that he's a bulldog when he wants something so much as one of those little yapper dogs that won't shut up until you give in. That's Mike.
Pub Quiz
08.06.2001 My aunt used to rub her lucky rabbit's foot while playing bingo, and though they refrained, I had an overwhelming sense that, were I so inclined, they might rub the lucky American's head.
Forgotten People In Boston
07.30.2001 Now, he sat stooped over on a gray seat in a C train heading north sitting next to a woman in her mauve dress suite who looked nonplused to be sharing a bench with him.
Alien Abduction
07.23.2001 The only part about the whole ordeal that those boys down in Hollywood seemed to nail was the blinding flood lamp. When that thing went on I thought I was passing out because the light you see before you fall over is pretty much the same.
Buen Pastor Funeral Home
07.16.2001 My sister didn't even want me there, or such is what she would tell me on the rare occasion that we would talk on the phone.
A Phone Conversation
07.02.2001 When we knew her, prior to her newfound motherhood, she had been about as gay as we were from Texas.
The Flying Dachshund
06.18.2001 I was so furious after my encounter with it that I had to put a name to my enemy. In a set of encyclopedias – the 1967 edition – that I'd picked up in college for twenty bucks, I learned about that-which-drove-me-mad.
Love In Dallas, Texas
06.04.2001 Though it was nice that she didn't also drop it on me, along with my four pairs of boxer shorts, a couple of shirts, a pair of pants, and numerous un-matched socks, it was sad that even though our love was over, the dresser continued.
A Brief History Of Me
05.21.2001 Those were the days when my only identification said A.A. and I placed it on the bar with pride.
Flight From Penn Station
05.14.2001 To anyone else on the street, it must have looked like a police parade on fast forward being led by an unlikely drum major.
She Didn't Know Why
05.07.2001 When the ledge gave way, the boots that had made it a comfortable place to stand restricted her movement enough that it was impossible to attempt a recovery.
Love At The Water Cooler
04.30.2001 As she passed my desk I could feel the heat of a soul that burned so brightly in the land of even fluorescent lighting. I wanted her, and I was sure that she was well aware of it.
The Cat Situation
04.23.2001 I almost begged the shaggy haired bastard. Why did every vet look like an ex-hippy even if they couldn't be more than in their late twenties?
11 O'Clock News
04.16.2001 “I could never throw my mother off a building,” a shocked Paige said. She stood at the waitresses’ station propping her arm up on the bar as she smoked one of my Chesterfields.
30,000 Feet
04.09.2001 At first I thought she was snoring. It was the flailing about that clued me and, well, just about everyone else into the fact that something was wrong with her.
Faker
03.05.2001 Something had clued him in, though, or he wouldn't have been standing in hysterics over me like he was. The poor bastard. The interview had gone so well too.
The Abridged Atlas Shrugged
02.19.2001 1,000 pages distilled into 1,000 words. What could be better?
A spudWorks Screenplay II
01.22.2001 SPY BOSS: So you know what it is you have to do, comrade?
SPY: Da. I will infiltrate the Goddard Space Flight Center in Washington D.C. and discover what advances the Capitalist pigs are holding back from the International Space Station.
Things Could Be Worse: IV
11.29.2000 The bench he sat on was hard, but if he balled his tie up in just the right way, he could make a pillow and lie down a little.
Things Could Be Worse: III
11.22.2000 Steven attempted to stare him down but realized he wasn't going anywhere so he took a vocal queue from the man who had just put Jack in his place.
Things Could Be Worse: II
11.15.2000 Half way to the door, his boss's voice rang out in the air-conditioned silence of the office. "Hey, and Jack? Buddy? Don't steal any pens or your letter opener. It's just petty. You know?"
Things Could Be Worse: I
11.08.2000 He still didn't know why he was on his death march.
A Seven Day Journal
09.11.2000 She got into Jesus somewhere along the line and has become a real pain in the ass. Maybe there's a support group for people like her... or for people who have to deal with people like her.
Nipple Photo Shoot
06.21.2000 So the shoot came and went and I never heard anything about it, then one day, about two weeks later she showed me some Polaroid transfers on a paper towel. My only response was "Are those your nipples?".
Flight From Phoenix
06.14.2000 Being the kind of guy I am, I always get the window seat. Flights over America are far too interesting to not study every detail. There are, however, people who are less than thrilled to be stuffed into a cattle stall-like seat in coach.
Bar Poetry
06.07.2000 I'm really drunk and really low
Good thing this isn't rock 'n roll,
It'd really blow