It was late and we were driving on a narrow country road.  Victoria was looking down at her cell phone, texting.  Off to my left I saw some elaborate Halloween lights.  Suddenly blinded, I was aware of two sets of headlights coming directly toward us. (more…)

They flew overhead all day long, the sun glinting off their wings.  We must have been right on their flight path since they came repeatedly, even into the night.  “Honk” “Honk” “Honk!” (more…)

The waitress placed the mushroom, egg, and pecorino risotto in front of me.  I inhaled the intoxicating woodsy aroma.  The man at the table next to us leaned over conspiratorially and offered, “I had the risotto too . . . it’s to die for . . . it’s absolutely to die for.

His choice of words floored me.  I had literally just gotten off the phone with my sister, who shared that our childhood friend had died at the tender age of 44.  My fellow diner’s casual expression has continued to resonate in my head as I celebrate my 48th birthday this week.

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My chin rested in the optical machine.  The doctor had me read from the eye chart and puffed air into my eye.  I, a glasses virgin, waited with trepidation for his diagnosis.

Over the last few years, I had taken to squirreling away reader glasses in every corner of the house.  I had complained indignantly that the font in restaurant menus was too small.  But now, I was tired of tolerating my world as a blur. (more…)

My best friend escaped into ‘Never-Never Land.’  As the role of Mrs. Darling, she spent 4 months in 40 performances of “Peter Pan in the Park.” Her days and nights were surrounded by pirates, Indians, fairies and magic dust. (more…)