I stopped writing for a while, not because I didn’t have anything to say, but because it seemed pointless. Why bother writing if I couldn’t get anything published? And I couldn’t. I probably still can’t. Years ago, I finished a manuscript I love but have been unable to launch into the world. I have two…
Invisible
The original Ms. Pac-Man ghosts are Blinky (Red), Pinky (Pink), Inky (Blue), and Sue (Orange). I know, because I used to play the game a lot. I was a poor college student, and I needed to get the most from my quarters (especially since I was stealing them from my laundry-money stash). Ms. Pac-Man, newly…
Island of Misfit Manuscripts
When I was very young, I looked forward to the Christmas special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Back then, I was most interested in Rudolph and Hermey the Elf, lovable characters rejected by the Establishment because they didn’t fit an expected mold. I’ve grown up. The part of the show that sticks with me the most…
Autumn Leaves
My parents met in 1953 at the Garden House Hotel in Hurleyville, NY, where they were both employed for the summer. My father was a program director/performer in charge of entertainment. My mom, who’d done everything she could to get out of spending the whole summer in the Catskills away from her friends in the…
Probability of Winning
My brother talked me into joining his fantasy football league last year. “You’re ready,” he said. “And you’ll love it.” On the face of it, those are funny statements. Up until maybe ten years ago, I knew nothing about football. Other than the marching band, nothing anyone did on that field made any sense to…
