I was a salesman at the time. I was a 21 year-old in a suit and tie and carrying a briefcase. My industry was tough and rejection was all too common. At best, my love life was complicated and my need for female attention was at high demand. It was mid-day and the warmth of summer had nearly vanished. The autumn winds of October were cool, but the city was still warm enough to allow for lighter clothing.
I was a young man in New York City. I was tired of bad sales calls and Continue reading
You want to know why I cry?
You want to know why I wanted to be involved or why I do what I do?
I sat in the small bathroom of an upstairs suite of an old hotel that was transformed into a drug rehabilitation center. The decorations were something from the 70’s. The suite had a blue rug, white walls, and wood colored furniture. The main lobby was also outdated with wood paneled walls and Berber carpeting. The couches were old. The pictures on the wall were perhaps left behind from the days when the treatment center was a temporary home to happy hotel guests. In its exchange, the hotel became a temporary home to people like me. This was a place of recovery for drug addicts and alcoholics.
I was 19 at the time and fulfilling my Continue reading
I hate the fallout of friendships.
I hate the unmovable and imaginary line that splits down the center of the room, leaving us with the idea of, “You’ll stay in your half and I’ll sat in mine.”
I hate the cold war and the dirty looks between old friends who can no longer stand the sight of each other. I hate the lingering resentment and I hate it when memories appear to shine light on our foolishness.
It is right to Continue reading
I was thinking of the late night spots of my younger days. Better than the murder burgers in 24hr fast-food restaurants, I was thinking about places where crowds of after-hour people gathered to find good food. We crowded at these eateries and restaurants before granting the overdue ending to a long insatiable night. I had my places, which I preferred over the others.
I had my favorite dishes.
By the time the meal was finished, the sun would begin to poke its way through the membrane of the horizon. Reconstructed from darkness to sunlight, the morning sun lifted as the birds chirped. If I were lucky, I would Continue reading
I have a memory from when I was very small. I stood at the side of a small lake with patches of green Lilly pads. Surrounding the outer-edge of the pads were thin blankets of small leaves, which grouped together like tiny green sequins. The sky was slightly gray but the winds were very warm.
I stood between a clearing of tall, marsh-like grass. I Continue reading
I am a firm believer in man’s ability to improve.
First and foremost, if I am to improve,
then first and foremost,
I must be willing to improve.
By any means,
I must be willing to withstand the breaks,
the falls, and setbacks.
If I am to improve, then I must improve
and understand the consecutive steps
that come with change.
Continue reading
Somewhere in another world—or maybe it was another lifetime, on nights like this one, my family would gather for the holiday. This dinner or, “Seder,” as it was called was pretty long. We called this day Pesach in Hebrew. Others know this holiday as Passover.
It is truly amazing how years seem to fit between times like now and then. As I write this to you, I am sitting in a room, far away from the dining rooms of my youth. I am far away from the traditions of my childhood and distant from Continue reading
She moved into the room. Her blue, silk collared shirt was unbuttoned beneath the jacket of her dark gray pants suit. She stood barefoot in the doorway—the twinkle from the candlelight glimmered in her eyes. Her blonde hair was cut to shoulder length, which was tossed over to the left side of her face. Her lips appeared moist and shiny in the dim light and her mouth was slightly open, revealing the slight hint of a brightly white smile.
He watched her from the bed. His body was undressed and halfway beneath the covers. His back was propped up on the Continue reading
Today was happily spent off the grid. Other than this note to you and a morning entry in my journal, I did not touch, think about, or utilize anything that involved technology or social media.
I have lived in my surroundings and within my comfort zone or things I utilize to keep me comfortable for a long time now. For as long as I know, I have stayed as I was. I used the only tools I ever knew to keep my sanity, as well as protect my emotions.
At times, I limited myself to the Continue reading
We all find ourselves on the wrong side of excess.
It starts out like a good idea . . . . doesn’t it?
But then the good idea turns and by the time we find out
it’s too late.
The morning after . . .
Eyes open slightly with face buried into pillows. The sudden awareness of pain surged up from the top of my neck—my head was heavy and the only smell was the remnants of last night’s remedy.
The sunlight that moved through the bedroom from underneath the curtain was too bright.
I knew that outside, life continued. There was no rest for the weary. At least, not in my case. I could still smell the alcohol and the aftermath of a drink that was thrown in my face.
To the best of my recollection, this was done by a girl who I apparently Continue reading
