Remembering Everything
When I walk into a room and actually remember what I went in for, I feel like I just won the lottery. The older I get and the more things I have going on in my life, the worse it is. Today was a case...
View ArticleThe Wheelchair
Jack had loved cars since he was young. Now that he was retired, he especially loved the cars from his youth—vintage or antique cars, they were now called. The biggest and best antique car rally was...
View ArticleA Real Town
For many years, our family ran a summer theatre in the only theater in town. In its beginning days, it had been a vaudeville house. There were only a few in the whole valley, and our town had had two....
View ArticleAced the Test
One day before we started class this week, a student asked me if I ever got bored teaching the same courses year after year. He said he wanted to be a teacher but wasn’t sure if it would be interesting...
View ArticleValentine Hero
Ben arrived home from work, tired and ready to take a break. It had been a long day. Besides that, it was Valentine’s Day, and he looked forward to enjoying a quiet evening with his wife, Tanya. They...
View ArticleThe Belligerent Neighbor
Grant was excited to move his family to the country. His property was only ten acres, but he was happy to have some room to garden, raise a few animals, and have open space between houses. He and his...
View ArticleWrestling Up
With high school wrestling ending for the year, my thoughts returned to my high school senior year competitions. Over half of our varsity wrestling team were seniors—all good friends. But one...
View ArticleWrestling Up (Part 2)
For a tough team competition against one of our greatest high school rivals, Coach asked me to wrestle at 185. I had been wrestling at 167, more than twelve pounds above my weight, but our 185-pound...
View ArticleThe Septic Tank
Lane and his wife had purchased the old farmhouse several years earlier. They had lived in it since then, but now the toilets and sinks were starting to back up. Lane wondered if the lines were...
View ArticleA Little Dynamite (The Septic Tank Conclusion)
Lane found his septic tank so full of a solid mass that he could hardly penetrate it, even with a metal bar. When the pump tank driver was leaving, he facetiously told Lane it would take dynamite to...
View ArticleThis Vacuum Sucks
Fred ran a small family-owned vacuum sales and service shop. He was essentially the only employee, unless one of his family members came to help. Over the years, he gained many loyal customers who...
View ArticleMeeting New People
When all of our children were still at home, my family ran a local theater. Besides a following of locals who liked to come to our shows, tourists on their way to Yellowstone supported us. However, our...
View ArticleLocked Doors and Strange People
I had just arrived home from work late one night when I received a call from Jared, a new neighbor. “Daris, do you have a long ladder?” “Yes,” I replied. “Could you bring it over as fast as you can? My...
View ArticleEngine Valves and Proper Teaching
There were times when I felt like our high school mechanic’s teacher took advantage of us for free labor. He was always purchasing old cars for us to work on. Granted, it gave us experience, but...
View Article“Interesting Things”
On the first day of my classes, after the required roll call, I take the time to have my students introduce themselves. Many of my colleagues have told me they think that is a waste of time. But I have...
View ArticleMother and Son
My mother has been gone for a couple of years, and I miss her. As I was thinking about her this Mother’s Day, I considered how different we were in so many ways. The main thing in which I felt she...
View ArticleFinding the Girl
Mike loved dancing. He had taken a dance class and learned many dance styles, everything from Rumba to Swing. At the university he attended, there was an evening dance called “Swing Kids” that did all...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Lost Phone
After all my students exited the classroom, I saw a cell phone sitting on the desk. Because of where it was and the stickers on it, I knew it had to be Tanya’s. She was always using it before class...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Best Father’s Day
Shanae was anxious for her husband to get home. When he walked through the door, she was there to greet him. “Jacob, I have something important to talk about. Lydia is having some complications with...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Home Building Store
As my hair has begun to turn gray, I have noticed that people treat me differently. First off, there is the immediate senior discount at restaurants. I’m not sure that’s just because of my gray hair....
View Article