Author: admin

She turned from the mirror, still brushing her hair: ten, eleven, twelve. Clothes put away, bed as tautly made as a soldier’s; big fat, faded Pooh-Bear, showing his advanced years, propped on the lone pillow; Mother’s seascape behind the bed the only splash of real color on pale peach wallpaper. Not to complain about the watercolor, but all her friends had puffy pillows, bedspreads and drapes in bold colors, and rock groups’ posters on their walls.

One July morning back in the early ‘80s my father appeared in brand-new sweats and running shoes. Without a word to anyone he headed outside and trotted off down our drive.

Mayflower By Claire Shao (age 8)             “Sir, we had a pair of mischievous youngsters running around; and now they are seasick. Hmm! I can’t believe it! I told them to behave. Sorry Captain!” John Clarke’s...

I couldn’t believe the news our PE teacher, Mr. Stewart, had just told us. For the next two weeks, we would spend our PE classes learning to square dance. Square dancing in PE!! What happened to kickball or dodgeball? Mr. Stewart couldn’t look Dude, Jim, and me in the eye when he delivered the bad news.

I found Mike’s and Norm’s names etched deeply into the black granite. It was after midnight when I found a bench and sat down exhausted from the search and the emotions that evening had brought. I put my head in my hands and wept.