I stopped the car just past the man, and we got out. On the ground next to the wall, two white shoes stuck out from underneath a large sheet of black plastic. When Laura had found the woman on her way home, the woman had been lying in the mud completely exposed to the cold. She was barely conscious then. Now it appeared she was completely unconscious. Laura pulled back the plastic. Sure enough. Out like a light.
I was walking down the street en route to my house. Part way there I saw a sight that, to be honest, isn't that uncommon here. A man was lying on the side of the road, struggling to stand up. I didn't have to get close to know his condition. He was drunker than a … Continue reading Unintended Consequences
Introduction The melted snow in our yard left a mess of mud behind. Dead leaves, twigs, and apricot pits littered the ground. We were glad the snow was gone, but the brown death it had for so long covered was finally revealed. Then it began to rain. Puddles collected. The yard looked like chocolate soup. … Continue reading Places Where Flowers Bloom: Meeting the Landlady
Bazaar workers shouldn't have to work all day long for peanuts. Their fingers, toes, and noses shouldn't freeze from the cold trapped in all the concrete and metal shipping containers that surround them. They shouldn't try to milk you for every last cent. Yet they do. A service called Drunk Taxi—no joke—shouldn't be a thing. … Continue reading All The Things That Shouldn’t Be But Are
I caught a glimpse of God today. He was looking out at me from behind the chubby cheeks of a five-year-old. They were smudged cheeks, and her teeth were rotten, but I knew it was him. So I did the only thing I could. I rummaged around for colored pencils and a few sheets of … Continue reading Glimpses of God