My childhood friend from Iowa called the other day. As we were comparing notes about our dysfunctional childhood households (hers with physical abuse, mine verbal), she mentioned the immigrant caravan at the border. “What are going to do about that?” she said. “Let in the women and children,” I said. “I’m not sure about the… Continue reading The Benefits of a Hard Childhood
Category: high school
Two Dates, Two Dolls
He was tall and lanky. She was short with a great smile. They were the leads in the school play at Des Moines Tech high school in 1947. They flirted on and off stage. They even had a kissing scene. Joanne knew Bill was the one. Bill asked her out. On their first date, he… Continue reading Two Dates, Two Dolls
Kavanaugh Hearing a Trigger Event
My high school girlfriend’s little sister from Iowa told me this on Facebook Messenger yesterday. Because I had come out about my rape, she wanted to tell me about her date rape at age fifteen. This is verbatim and hard to read, but the world needs to know that this happens. “I really need to… Continue reading Kavanaugh Hearing a Trigger Event
Asparagus, Anyone?
The farmhouse was next to the highway, close enough for me to hear the train come by every night, and far enough away from the tracks to get used to sleeping through it. No houses could be seen from any window — just trees, sky, and lots of cornfields. It was a peaceful place, sometimes… Continue reading Asparagus, Anyone?
What Roe v. Wade Means to Me
If you are a guy, chances are you won’t want to read this. Same as if you are a pro-lifer. But let me tell you, I got upfront and personal with what it was like in America before abortions were legal in all fifty states. No, I didn’t have an abortion. But my friend in… Continue reading What Roe v. Wade Means to Me
Get Some Facetime
As I stepped into the waiting room at my chiropractor’s office, three women and one guy were looking down at their cell phones, sitting in a symmetrical pattern amongst the u-shaped chairs. Feeling giddy from my fifty-five minute massage I said,” Well, this looks like a blog post to me! You’re all on your phones!”… Continue reading Get Some Facetime
A Lasting Love
Maurice was a sophomore at Riordan Catholic High School for boys in San Francisco. He played tenor sax in the marching band. His buddy Dave was dating a girl named Sheila from Mercy Catholic High School for girls, and he suggested that Maurice date her older sister, Colleen. The foursome went to the football game,… Continue reading A Lasting Love
