Category Archives: Fiction

The Caliber of Avocado

Posted on September 21, 2016 by sputterpub

There was a family wedding last month. My 35 year old nephew tied the knot with his girlfriend of six years. The bride is 29 and of Thai descent. She grew up in the LA basin, so that’s where we … Continue reading →

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Immediate Nostalgia

Posted on September 14, 2016 by sputterpub

Angie never married. At least twice a year she declares that’s a good thing, supporting her statement by adding that she makes a better girlfriend than spouse. Doug and his wife don’t have children. They raise purebred long-haired dogs. Doug … Continue reading →

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Body

Posted on September 7, 2016 by sputterpub

I was a bright child. I think I scared my parents a little. They were always reacting with a mix of surprise, delight, and wariness to my ideas. My father, a natural introvert like me, was more comfortable with my … Continue reading →

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Shock

Posted on August 31, 2016 by sputterpub

It was called Shell Shock at first. Then Battle Fatigue. Or Combat Stress Reaction, technically. It didn’t acquire the big syllables until late in the 20th century. PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Until a couple of decades ago, only soldiers … Continue reading →

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Bonafide Bitch

Posted on August 24, 2016 by sputterpub

I think I’ve always been a dog person. I remember Lassie and Rin Tin Tin. Among my early books was one called Champion Dog Prince Tom, about a runt cocker spaniel who made it big in obedience trials. When Dad … Continue reading →

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Carless

Posted on August 17, 2016 by sputterpub

They finally took Bertilda’s car. Her conservator showed up with a colleague and official papers. I happened to be in my front yard and was recruited as a witness or interpretor. The conservator’s name is Leah. She’s a plump black … Continue reading →

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Delightful

Posted on August 10, 2016 by sputterpub

We all know we’re going to lose Bertilda soon. Some of us are trying to feel somber or even sad about that. Most of us are not succeeding. The wheels of bureaucracy turn slowly, but she’s in the machinery now. … Continue reading →

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The Curse of the Parent’s Pet

Posted on August 3, 2016 by sputterpub

Can a good parent have a favorite child? Or does the existence of preference count as a mark of parental failure? Don’t apply the question to mega-families, where the older kids end up rearing all the little ones who come … Continue reading →

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The Carburetor

Posted on July 27, 2016 by sputterpub

My BFF is eccentric. Actually, that’s putting it mildly. She’s high-functioning or they would have locked her up long ago. She describes herself as a 5½ year old adult. Mel maintains that she was forced to become a grownup during … Continue reading →

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El

Posted on July 13, 2016 by sputterpub

She prides herself on a good memory. El thinks she was naturally endowed, but that’s no cause for pride. She can’t understand people who brag about 20/20 vision, or cavity-resistant teeth, or double-jointedness, or a high IQ. As far as … Continue reading →

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