Belly-up Beetle

(re-run) Curtis drove a1969 vintage Volkswagen Beetle. George, his wing man, brought the weed. They’d met their dates at a party. Stacy and Camille went to San Leandro High. Curtis and George went to Castro Valley. Curtis liked Camille. George got Stacy. They all partied at a friend of a friend’s house in Oakland until… Continue reading Belly-up Beetle

Pepper Might’ve Saved my Life Today

(re-run) When I got back from the beach walk where I froze as Pepper smelled every bush and tree along the way, I went inside, put a pot of water on to heat, gave each dog a treat and took Daisy outside to play ball in the front yard. After I’d thrown the first ball,… Continue reading Pepper Might’ve Saved my Life Today

Worst Thanksgiving Eve Ever

I had to go to the doctor’s office the day before Thanksgiving. My finger was infected. I was lucky to get an appointment. I had eleven people coming for dinner the next day. I had no sitter and no luck of getting one, and no local relatives, so I loaded the three kids in the… Continue reading Worst Thanksgiving Eve Ever

Grizzly Bear!

(re-run) An Amazon robot punctured a can of Bear Mace, sending 80 employees to the hospital before Christmas. It reminded me of this true account as told to me at a holiday party by a friend’s daughter’s boyfriend’s father figure. His name is Bob. In 2008 you take your wife, Liza, and your teen-aged kids… Continue reading Grizzly Bear!

Just Sing Hey Jude

(re-run) What’s the song you sing when you are in a bind and need to calm yourself down, without the benefit of drugs? You are going into surgery, you have run out of gas along the side of the highway, you are waiting for a phone call from your tardy teen? For me, it’s a… Continue reading Just Sing Hey Jude

Sully, A Famous Face

(re-run) Living in Northern California, I don’t run into celebrities too often. Once I met J. K. Rowling, the Harry Potter author, when she was touring the U.S. to promote her third book. Otherwise, I’d heard that Carlos Santana came to visit his restaurant, Maria Maria, every now and then, and that some famous ball… Continue reading Sully, A Famous Face

Guardian Angels on Call

(re-run) My two-hour drive from the beach back to suburbia can become longer if there’s an accident along 101, a two-lane (on each side) highway. Once I got past Gilroy, the garlic capital of the world, where the highway grows to four lanes each way through San Jose, I felt confident that I was going… Continue reading Guardian Angels on Call

T is for Trusting your Gut

(re-run) The news the other night reported how many people have died taking selfies. At Yosemite, by the ocean, in a college bell tower, anywhere and everywhere. What I don’t get is, didn’t they know how stupid they were being? Did they think they had a guardian angel? Did the selfie arm in the air… Continue reading T is for Trusting your Gut

DUI Date

(re-run) Lesley was a college freshman at UOP in Stockton when a big football-player-type guy asked her on a date. Lesley had already met his roommate, so she thought she was safe with Chad and said yes. Chad took Lesley to a party, but when his roommate came up to say hi to Lesley, Chad… Continue reading DUI Date

Belly-up Beetle

(re-run) Curtis drove a 1969 vintage Volkswagen Beetle. George, his wing man, brought the weed. They’d met their dates at a party. Stacy and Camille went to San Leandro High. Curtis and George went to Castro Valley. Curtis liked Camille. George got Stacy. They all partied at a friend of a friend’s house in Oakland… Continue reading Belly-up Beetle