The Racist and the Ficus Tree

When I was young, 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 recess.”… Continue reading The Racist and the Ficus Tree

The Widower

They found each other on Match. They had both lost their spouses. Don said he was looking for a good Catholic widow. He was involved with the arch diocese in Oakland.  Sue was a recovering Catholic but thought maybe he was a solid guy. She agreed to meet him for coffee. He was good-looking and… Continue reading The Widower

The Third Date Rule?

After Sue became a widow, her adult children were protective of her dating online. They had her send them a profile photo, an address, and phone number for each guy she dated. One of them was an anesthesiologist named Don. Sue’s son’s friend knew Don since he was in the medical field. Sue felt safe… Continue reading The Third Date Rule?

A Tongue Twister

Donna met a guy named George through a group of friends.  She was about to have open heart surgery, so she didn’t feel much like flirting. George was average looking but persistent. He kept texting her before and after the surgery.  She thought he was into her, but then he insisted that she call him.… Continue reading A Tongue Twister

Her Date with a Cad

Against her better judgment Svetlana met up with a man from Match, and he met her expectations of a cad. A cad is a man who is aware of the codes of conduct, which separate a gentleman from a ruffian, but finds himself unable to live up to them.  Cads are capable of disguising themselves… Continue reading Her Date with a Cad

Cornhole, some Critters, and a Ghost on her Phone

Yesterday was the annual singles’ club party/picnic at one guy’s lush estate in Hayward.  I picked up my girlfriend, and we let the GPS woman’s voice direct us down Five Canyons Road to a bunch of turns until we finally found the place. I’d been there many times before but always as a passenger, never… Continue reading Cornhole, some Critters, and a Ghost on her Phone

If It’s Cloudy It Must Be a Cleaning Day

re-run Weather affects my mood. If I wake up to a sunny bright day, I want to get out, go exercise, go shopping, rake my yard, buy a fountain.  If it’s raining, I want to cook some soup, make cookies, and read a book. If it’s cloudy, I want to organize my office, wash the… Continue reading If It’s Cloudy It Must Be a Cleaning Day

Shop Till You Drop

We had already hit two thrift stores and were heading for a third. Then I remembered that Vicky wanted to go to the ones in Carmel. I turned onto Forest Avenue and took the winding highway 68 through the Monterey pines. It would lead to the new roundabout that would send the traffic north to… Continue reading Shop Till You Drop