The door to Hank’s hog-and-waffles, the last of its kind in the Mission, swung open and two large, heavyset men wandered in. They looked up and down the darkened restaurant, and evidently satisfied, sat down at the counter. Hank meandered over and asked them what they would like. “I dunno,” the larger of the two … Continue reading
The Dying (with apologies to James Joyce) Lily, the gardener’s daughter, was being run off her feet. Marshaled to help with the catering, she had brought one guest after another (men, mostly) into the massive kitchen, served them champagne and showed them where to leave their coats (in the pantry, converted into a closet). She … Continue reading
I have watched her like this on many evenings, envying her ability to quickly master her toys, while mine lie confused and listless. She effortlessly works her way around the computer keyboard, games twinkling with passion, I watching intently over her shoulder. We are joined at times like this, sisters together, our intensity … Continue reading
The salt in his sweat was burning now, spearing his right eye with a intensity. The rivulets ran down the side of his face, viscous and globular, settling into his eyes. Still he held his gaze skywards, drawn to the burning sun, trying to match the intensity of its heat with his gaze. The … Continue reading
Gael applied the smile to my face with his usual cynicism. While I appreciated his skills, it tired me to listen to his tirade about the mayor’s excesses, the homeless, and how we’d been robbed in the elections. I had heard these stories many times before, in our village, on my travels, in this deeply … Continue reading
The Jogger with the Dog The rumor was that someone attractive had appeared in the condo complex; a woman with a little dog. Doug (Douglas) Graham, who had only been in San Francisco for a month himself but was already at home there, had begun to take an interest in the new arrivals. Sitting in … Continue reading
As part of an exercise in writing short stories, I’ve been attempting to transcribe Chekhov (considered by many to be the foremost short-story writer ever) into modern-day Silicon Valley. A great exercise, which can be applied to any of your favorite writers. A sample follows below: Chekhov – A Murder “The evening service was being … Continue reading
