San Bruno avenue, six shops in eight blocks. Those Vietnamese ladies thrive on the pedicure trade.

Flash’s hackles stood brushlike but he kept his head bowed just enough beneath the bigger dog’s stare to delay the inevitable fight. Flash, Mal thought approvingly, would pick the time and place.

At night, I wake up, and Daddy's in the bathroom with a hanger in his mouth....

…assume...

Your mother is a great and dying bird. Once, she tended her grand feathered nest. Once, she preened.

I knew nothing about the letter at first. When I came in that morning and smiled and said good morning, it was a genuine smile and a heartfelt good morning. But the letter, which had arrived the previous afternoon, was already doing its corrosive work of

"Then why? Why?" she choked. "Why are you so... so mean to me?"

Clear as my conscience may be, you still haunt me as the brown settles to black sit there and recommence as if nothing had ever happened, your hands conducting the orchestra of your purity.

Uncounted hens and piglets/ die at my demand. The killing floor// runs red for me. I am/ monstrous to creatures small and great,

During what's called "Children's time," one day at church Sarah slides her left foot halfway out of her tiny ballet slipper to show Davie her toenails are painted the same soft pink as the inside of her shoe. "Look," she says. "My…

"Sorry, I need to confirm the results." Sal turned to Paul. "Is it true that you got stood up?"

I thought, what are we talking about? Botox?

Frowning, loosening a purple tie, Tony pushed through the golden revolving doors of a skyscraper. He drifted into the crowded midtown street as if in a daze. He was roused to his senses as his cell phone sent out the melody of his wedding song.

“He looks funny again,” the twins would say. “Cow looks funny, Mummy.”

You may think you've tasted envy, but yours was just a sour sip of wine at a civilized wine-tasting. Mine is bottom-shelf, well-brand gin in a biker bar with miss-the-urinal piss stains on the floor.