It was an early morning in the town of Garden City. The sunrise had already begun and the empty winter branches of rounded-shaped trees were like black veins in the eye of a bloodshot sun. There were no clouds above my town to project the colors of dawn—there was only a soft pink hue extending across the horizon with fringes of purple at the edge of its reach. Morning was in full swing and the night before was at its end.

After a long night in the city, I drove home Continue reading →

I take bets with my best friend on professional fights. We never bet with money and we never collect. We bet food, and depending upon the odds or the fighter, our bets range from classic favorite sandwiches, to hotdogs with unlimited toppings.
The bets swing from simple chicken dishes to, to fish or sushi rolls, and on occasion, we will go as far as surf and turf. And after each bout, we talk about the fight and meeting up to settle our debts.

We lost track of who owes what a long time ago—but the bets continue and the meals we wager have become Continue reading →

The 2:00AM dialogue:

The lights were somewhat low, but almost golden, and flickering above the sawdust floor in a downtown bar. We sat at an old wide-planked table, which was round, with a plastic tray of peanuts that were spilled on a single sheet of paper towels. The emptied shells were scattered at the feet of our barstools. The deep mahogany walls matched the country-western theme and the crowd had begun to thin..
The music was somewhat loud and it was not my Continue reading →

1)

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.
Or so they say.
The line or path that I have followed throughout my life has been anything but straight.

My path has twisted and turned. It has swerved unexpectedly, and sometimes, my path has led me to a dead-end.
Leaving me no other choice than to turn around and try again.

 My path has painfully gone Continue reading →

Man on the 6:46 train out of Pennsylvania Station tried to push passed me . . .
I suppose he wanted to push through so he could find a better seat. He wanted to get through the train doors before anyone else and have better options of which way to go, like left or right, isle seat or window.
Either way, he would still have a seat and the train would get him home at the same time as everybody else.

I have seen this man on the train before. He does the same thing every time. He comes dressed in a suit and tie. He is somewhat middle-aged and heavyset. He carries a brief case and he is Continue reading →

As I write to you, I am looking through my office window.
And I do this often.
I am watching the sunrise above the rooftops and above the telephone poles with wires that run and connect one house to the next. I drink from my coffee mug and take my moment of silence so I can ease into this last day of the week.

There is a slight wind picking up. The trees are swaying and the birds are beginning to chirp as morning takes its place. Much of the Continue reading →

Above all else, I must not forget who I am or where I come from. I cannot ignore the various truths that detail my character; however, I must embrace all of my characteristics in order to grow.
And in order to grow, I cannot deny who I am or pretend to be someone other than me.

True—I am similar to others in many ways. But it is also Continue reading →

She smiles sometimes and I believe this defies you.
To you, this is the worst kind of smile
because it proves you’ve lost what you once stole,
and that makes you angry,
doesn’t it?.

She smiles, and I wonder if you believe her smiles are real,
because after all; how could she smile if you are not around,
am I right?

But I was wondering . . .
Do you think you would regret the things you did
if she never walked away?
Or would your lies somehow turn clean
and the past would be the past.
You could go on being you
and she could go on being exactly what you need her to be
. . . . by any means necessary Continue reading →