We lived near the bottom of a long hill, a hill that kept going forever. From the top of the hill came stories, evasions, mysteries that were never solved. I would sometimes look up the hill and wonder. Our own house was embedded into the hill. We sledded down our side yard in winter, mowed … Continue reading The Hill
1970
Swim Lesson
I jumped out of the car and ran across the driveway, my sandaled feet slipping over the loose gravel. My Great Aunt Dotsie was taking down her stiff towels from the line. My Uncle Tommy was already counting for hamburgers and hotdogs, pretending not to see my younger sisters. The tiny yard smelled of charcoal … Continue reading Swim Lesson
A Ghost Story
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single ghost in possession of a haunted house must be in want of a scare. Block Island is the black sheep of the northeast Atlantic. I grew up going there two weeks every summer with family and cousins. Leaving it after the two weeks gave my heart … Continue reading A Ghost Story
Jilda, the Dancing Nude
Our backyard was big enough. It offered thick grass, a vegetable garden with chicken wire and a stack of firewood against the clubhouse. In the corner of the backyard sat a picnic table that sank into the soil on one end, a dog pen for John Doe and a tree stump with mint. As we … Continue reading Jilda, the Dancing Nude
The Hill
We lived near the bottom of a long hill, a hill that kept going forever. From the top of the hill came stories, evasions, mysteries that were never solved. I would sometimes look up the hill and wonder. Our own house was embedded into the hill. We sledded down our side yard in winter, mowed … Continue reading The Hill
Circa 77 