He Met Her at Work

(re-run) Troy had the best job for meeting women. He was a parks worker for the city of Clayton, which contracted with the county for a workforce from the Work Alternative Program. In other words, drunk drivers and those with misdemeanors could work off their time instead of paying fines. He was their supervisor. Katie,… Continue reading He Met Her at Work

Prom with an Older Woman

(re-run) Alan was a sophomore when he got asked to junior prom by an older girl. He rented a tux from his date’s father, Mr. Cohen, at the local men’s shop in Monterey. Alan’s dad had to play chauffeur in his 1962 Chevy Bel Air, since Alan didn’t have his driver’s license yet. When they… Continue reading Prom with an Older Woman

Cut Loose on a Saturday Afternoon

(re-run) “I like the way you dance,” he said to me that Saturday afternoon. Margo and I had gone to Vino Godfather, a cool little winery in an old Victorian house on Mare Island in Vallejo. The island used to be a naval base, judging from the abandoned barracks on the way to the winery.… Continue reading Cut Loose on a Saturday Afternoon

Uncle Frank and the Jar of Coins

(re-run) I grew up with three uncles, one in Colorado, another on the other side of the state, and one near my home town in Des Moines, Iowa. Uncle Frank was older than the other uncles, but since his daughter, Nina, was my age, I hardly noticed.  He was married to my grandma’s younger sister. … Continue reading Uncle Frank and the Jar of Coins

Feeling Better

(re-run) I have some down days every year, but mostly I don’t. I know I’m lucky. I have also aligned my life to feel better. Coincidentally, a relative’s therapist told her the five things she needs every day to get out of her funk. Nature – I grew up outside in Iowa. As kids, we… Continue reading Feeling Better

Wasabi on a First Date

(re-run) Garth and Gladys had the same hair dresser.  She was coming in as he was going out. He asked for her phone number. She gave it to her hairdresser to give to him. There aren’t too many eligible men in their seventies, especially one that still had his hair! Garth took Gladys to a… Continue reading Wasabi on a First Date

The Racist, the Ficus Tree, and my Garage Sale

(re-run) When I was six, the one black boy in my elementary school was my classmate. His name was Teddy. This was white-white-white Iowa in the 60’s.  My first grade teacher, Mrs. Van Cura, got angry at the class one day for misbehaving and said, “Whoever doesn’t behave will have to play with Teddy at… Continue reading The Racist, the Ficus Tree, and my Garage Sale

At Face Value

(re-run) Mark was a good-looking bartender at an upscale restaurant, full of confidence. He’d say his face was his moneymaker and that you need to use what your mama gave you. Mark went onto Bumble to find a date. He waited until a woman messaged him (that’s how Bumble works). Her photo showed a good-looking… Continue reading At Face Value

Say What in Santa Cruz

(re-run) Jennifer met Brad at San Leandro High school in the Bay Area. She wasn’t allowed to date, but she was allowed to go to junior prom. The next year Brad asked Jennifer to Senior Ball. It was in San Francisco, and afterward, they went to Pier 39 with everyone else in their limo. Brad… Continue reading Say What in Santa Cruz