They’d met by sheer accident. Torrential rain & a deserted bungalow were the perfect catalysts. ‘You shouldn’t be alone at this hour’ Kurt whispered. ‘It’s not by design’ Ursula murmured.

He had expected more -- at least his grandfather's classic Packard touring car.

One rainy day I walked to an out-of-the-way section of town where the buildings were old, and the streets were cobblestone.

I found the knife in a fishing box in the closet. The box was made out of varnished wood. My father’s father had made it.

They sat on the couch, and he tried to unbutton her buttons, but she fended him off.

Now when she speaks to him, he no longer responds with an interrogative but rather a cheery, "You're absolutely right, dear" or "I'll get right on it," or "What a great idea!"

oh, sure i’m still running around like a heads-up/off/prophet/profit/fit trying to cut off my very own de/(con)instruction and all other sordid a•void•able & available/a-Babel towers of post &toastmodern doom/daze

We didn't wear shoes in the summer, except for Sunday school and church. The soles of our feet were black and tough as shoe leather.