On Rainy Nights I Smell Shoe Leather

On Rainy Nights I Smell Shoe Leather

Photo by George Sheldon / Shutterstock.com Mothers should smell of homemade chicken noodle soup or Chanel No 5 or windowsill pies. I remember you in the wet dog scent of inexpensive saddle shoe leather or plasticy, slick jelly shoes or porridge served in the front...
Some People On December 28

Some People On December 28

Photo: Emelissamn / Shutterstock.com Another day of pruning, another fake-out rain. Never halfway to average here in L.A.Donner Pass is snowed in again. Screen door open to the risk of traffic on the Five.If the dog doesn’t chase that dove, the cold might scrub...
Laura Palmer Slept Here and So Did I

Laura Palmer Slept Here and So Did I

“Mt Si Motel” by Steven Miller is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 August, 1992. We were a clean-looking 30ish couple arriving at the Mt. Si Motel in a shiny yellow Miata with Ontario plates. The motel manager quickly sized us up as High Probability Twin Peaks...
NO BODY THE NEWS KNOWS

NO BODY THE NEWS KNOWS

Cars test brakes for dogs.Walkers retract their leashesa measured three paces ahead.Heaving groomed cheststhey’re nosy; otherwise quiet.Glance into dingy windowshawking razors, Lotto, looseys.Move like they belong. Theirwalkers record these morningslike a safari, art,...
Midtown Minute

Midtown Minute

Photo: Kamira / Shutterstock.com The first time I was in New York, I was fifteen, my brother was eighteen, and we had two suitcases plus four unexpected hours before a flight. We left our bags in this girl Megan’s hotel room—a camp friend of his, long story—and...