Minneapolis, MN I’m delivering mail when a raven-haired woman on a bicycle emerges from behind an apartment building. She takes a quick glance behind, almost as if she is being pursued, and starts down the stairs. These are low, gradual stairs that I could go down easily with the wide tires of my mountain bike, … Continue reading The Bicycle Thief
Shooting into the Flock
On Good Friday, I learned that Running Wild Press would be publishing City of Crows in 2024. Easter is always a time of inspiration and renewal for me, so it seemed fitting that I should hear the news on that particular day. I decided to write the memoir when my wife was pregnant with our … Continue reading Shooting into the Flock
No Mow May
Last week I purchased a new lawnmower at my son’s behest. The lithium battery-powered mower I had been using finally crapped out for good. I should have returned it the day I bought it because it never was worth a damn. It had some safety feature that killed the engine if you went over the … Continue reading No Mow May
A Hole in the Ice (Part 2)
Here's part two of my short story, "A Hole in the Ice." Thank god, the ice is long gone here in Minneapolis. In terms of weather, May in Minnesota is shaping up to be a much better month than April. The government says 1 million Americans have died of Covid 19. I tested positive on … Continue reading A Hole in the Ice (Part 2)
Minneapolis Skyline
I was very happy when I first moved to Minneapolis seventeen years ago. I recall a sense of elation as I stared at the distant cluster of downtown skyscrapers while running around what was then called Lake Calhoun. I had discovered a place that felt like home, a new home without all the baggage from … Continue reading Minneapolis Skyline
Men in Black
My wife announces that she is going to bed and I tell her goodnight. “You guys should get to bed too,” I say to my sons who are lounging across from me on the couch. They groan. “You’re back to school on Tuesday.” The teacher’s union voted to end their strike over the weekend. The … Continue reading Men in Black
A Hole in the Ice (Part 1)
“A Hole in the Ice” is a short story I wrote before the pandemic started. I’m still ice fishing and in that time I’ve figured out some things. This season, I caught a lot of crappies out of Lake Nokomis that I filleted, fried and ate. It was a gratifying moment to see seven-year-old Theo … Continue reading A Hole in the Ice (Part 1)
Don’t Squeeze the Charmin
A squad car pulls up next to the apartment building I’m approaching. I nod to the two officers and they smile back. One of them seems familiar. It’s below zero out. “Well, I suppose you don’t mind letting us in.” It is the same cop. He’s a white guy with salt and pepper hair. There … Continue reading Don’t Squeeze the Charmin
Life on the Plains
Life on the plains can be very dull. You stare at the nothing sky, the nothing horizon, the nothing wind blowing in your face, and you wonder if anything can ever happen. You cannot imagine paradise because you were born into a wasteland. The land has been skinned like the exterminated bison left to rot, … Continue reading Life on the Plains
The Man of the House
My youngest son and I have a joke we share. Before I leave for work, I tell him he is the man of the house while I am gone. This started last spring when his kindergarten class was quarantined and his older brother still got to go to school. Now I say he’s the man … Continue reading The Man of the House
Crow City 