Meet the Melvins
(Here's an excerpt from an upcoming Tales From a Roundabout) Joe Melvin revved the engine of his Ford pickup truck with the transmission in neutral. Tears streamed down his cheeks. It was past 11:00pm on a Wednesday and the only lights around were from his headlights...
Everybody Has a Price
Yesterday, I read a story about an influencer who was offered $50K to tweet nice things about one of the current US presidential candidates. I don’t know which is more amazing. That one can earn a living as an “influencer” or that a 140-character endorsement can get...
Constant State of Misery
My dog is making it hard to write this morning because he is under my desk making pouting noises. He feels he should be supervising the HVAC repair man that is currently in our basement. The more I think about it, maybe I should have let him supervise. He just let out...
Back to School
I’m going back to school. Not to college mind you. After eight years at Indiana University, I was handed a degree on the condition I don’t come back without a 48-hour advanced warning. No, this is adult education. I’m in a six-day intensive training program. When I am...
Shopping For Pants
Sunday, I tried to buy pants. It seems simple, doesn’t it? What could be complicated about that? You go in and try them on. Pick the best fit. Pay and off you go. But alas, this is 2023 and nothing is simple anymore. First, I went to a store that we’ll call “Macy’s”...
Chocolate, Vegetables, and Self Control
They’re sitting there. Just outside my office door. Two steps beyond, in a pantry/utility closet. Three bags of Halloween Candy. They’re calling me. “We have chocolate. And caramel. And nougat (whatever that is). And did we mention chocolate?” We’re two weeks away...