What Happened Between Me and the Uber Driver

She got out of the car and loaded my suitcase in the trunk, a whoosh of stale cigarette smoke and ash exhaling with her, as if the car itself were trying to get a fresh breath of air. Debra, the Uber driver, slunk in behind the wheel, her head down, shoulders slumped. My goal was…

How I Learned to Soar

The nest is empty.  Our last fledgling is settled into college dorm life and has already slept through his first test, while his mama-bird, blissfully unaware, awoke to her to-do-or-not-to-do list, none of it involving him. I've been preparing Stone his whole life--and myself all year--for when he would be washing his own socks and…

2 Stories About One Boy

I want to tell you about the day I had with my teenage son, home sick from school, second day straight, because we had a heck of a time getting along.  I'm hoping I'll find some understanding as I write. The first story: I'd confiscated his phone last night because he'd gone to bed with…

What Happened Between Me and the Uber Driver

She got out of the car and loaded my suitcase in the trunk, a whoosh of stale cigarette smoke and ash exhaling with her, as if the car itself were trying to get a fresh breath of air. Debra, the Uber driver, slunk in behind the wheel, her head down, shoulders slumped. My goal was…