As I rest on the curb on the shady side of a gas station, a young Black man in khaki shorts, a pink polo, and tortoise shell glasses approaches. His elbows are locked with his hands in pockets. “Hey there, sir. Where you coming from?” he asks. “Los Angeles,” I say. His face tells me that wasn’t the answer he was expecting. He careens to … Continue reading Countdown Story #7: Friendship, AR
Two birds make a regular appearance at the feeder just outside my front window. Cardinals. The large, red male abruptly lands, then precariously stands atop the dangling cage as he leans beyond his feet to manage a bit from the diminishing suet. He hollers endlessly, chirping as as he swings from the chain, his weight shifting, his footing anything but steady. He pecks at the … Continue reading Togetherness
Love, Not Hate When I was a kid, I was pissed off. Red-faced most of the time. Anger was my default emotion and served as the stand-in for most other feelings. Frustration, sadness, embarrassment, intimidation, even happiness or appreciation were all expressed through anger in some weird way or another. Safe to say that years of therapy have helped me manage this tendency. Which doesn’t … Continue reading Carrboro to Hillsborough
I had barely walked into Espressarte and I could tell it was different. No music, no fancy lighting or artwork, no distracting decor. Just a barista behind the bar weighing scoops of coffee to the nearest bean while three mesmerized customers studied her every move. They watched as one might watch a street artist etch a name onto a piece of rice, or a sculptor … Continue reading Espressarte (Roma Norte)
Tom Griffen 
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