Saying Good-bye to the Family Dog

My son got a puppy on his twelfth birthday, a miniature dachshund, red in color.  He wanted to name him Schnitzel. Somehow he ended up with the name Wiener Dog. Nobody called him that except the vet. To the rest of us he was Wienie.  This made for some hilarious comments: Time to take Wienie… Continue reading Saying Good-bye to the Family Dog

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

A Date with Jesus

(re-run) Gina was from a big Italian family, So was Vito, her same age. The families were good friends, and when they were both fifteen, Gina was in love with Vito. But they never dated, and once Gina left for Berkeley to go to school at Cal, she didn’t see Vito for several years. When… Continue reading A Date with Jesus

Chuck’s Dumb Dog Doo Date

(re-run) Chuck had two Keeshond dogs named Baron and Zoe.  Baron was a little bit spastic. At any rate, Chuck mentioned to a friend that he needed to find new homes for the pair, and the friend offered to take the dogs. Chuck had over half a bag of dog food left. He didn’t want… Continue reading Chuck’s Dumb Dog Doo Date

Memphis Sugar Mama

(re-run) After Robert’s family came to America, Robert went to college in Memphis. He met an older woman, Devon, in a liquor store. She had on a mink jacket and asked him out right there amongst the bottles of high-end scotches. She looked good for her age. She drove a Cadillac since her daddy had… Continue reading Memphis Sugar Mama

Dance with Me, Young Jeremy

(re-run) Each dance bar in Omaha ended the night with its signature song. One bar closed with Last Dance by Donna Summer, another used Shout from the Blues Brothers movie (by the Isley Brothers) as its sign-off song. But my fave dance bar closed with the song New York, New York. It seemed an odd… Continue reading Dance with Me, Young Jeremy

Plain Jane

My middle name is Jane. I don’t love it. There was a commercial in the 70’s for hair dye, I think. I remember the line,” Don’t be a plain Jane.” After that I disliked both my middle name and my hair color. There was another commercial in that decade that said, “Boys don’t make passes… Continue reading Plain Jane

Desperado

Another first date during my time in Omaha, Nebraska, was with a tall, thin but attractive man who was a few years older and reminded me of James Taylor. Kevin took me to the standard dinner and a movie and then wanted to show me his house. It was a summer night, and after the… Continue reading Desperado

So This is Retirement?

(re-run) I took social security two years ago. Don’t buy into the hype that it’s better to wait. I won’t start losing money on my decision until I turn eighty. By then I’ll have Medicare and won’t be paying $22,500 a year for health insurance. “How’s retirement?” you ask. I am busier now than ever… Continue reading So This is Retirement?