Month: January 2010

The Rabbi stood behind his pulpit and surveyed the crowd. He had the eyes of a man of wisdom – a man of age. But his face, framed by a full beard and healthy masses of dark hair, appeared youthful. His body, sheathed in a tight layer of white skin, was strong and healthy. But his eyes,… Continue reading Day #18: Eulogy for a Woman Born Only Yesterday

With a scratch, the ink was laid into the paper. “A Manifesto.” The author leaned back, reflecting on the possibilities. He would write a manifesto, a screed, a call to arms. First, he had to begin by stating the problem: “We are an ancient people. Our traditions and cultures have survived for thousands of years.… Continue reading Day #17: Manifesto

Due to an offensive comment on the Dr. Rajiv Chaudry story (which I discovered I could not delete), I have added comment moderation. I was hoping not to have to do this. When commenting, keep in mind that this is meant to be a fun blog. Yes, there is a political tint to parts of it… Continue reading ADMIN: Comment Moderation

Zachary Yarba sat at his desk, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. A small desk lamp illuminated his workspace. The darkness outside was just beginning to lift. As his brown eyes scanned the pages of the book in front of him, his hands scribbled away at a small notebook to his side. Occasionally, he would run his fingers through… Continue reading Day #16: The Cult

The modest house at 1953 Pine St. in Elk Grove was like any other house on the block. A ranch built in the post-war period, it had the same off-white aluminum siding as all of its neighbors. A tidy and perfectly squared-off lawn led to a small staircase, a tiny porch, and a plain white… Continue reading Day #15: The Perfect Weapon

It’s funny how things connect. Looking back and seeing the progressions is easy, it is what I do. But looking forward is impossible. Take me as an example: I was born a poor African in the old Portuguese colony of Sao Tome & Principe – a dot of a state off the coast of Africa.… Continue reading Day #14: Specialists

“What the hell are we doing back here?” My wife’s jet black air surrounded a soft face, that at this moment was burning with anger. Her question wasn’t unexpected. “What were we supposed to do?” I demanded. We were unwrapping our stuff from the trip. “Were we just supposed to wave goodbye as everybody headed… Continue reading Day #13: Family

I just cleaned up Howitt (I was up a little late) and I made a number of small but important changes to Waking Up.

It is December 31st, 2009, and, of course, I’m travelling. I’ve got a long connection in Denver Airport. It is New Year’s Eve and I don’t have my family, and so I decide to take a seat in the closest Airport bar. I drudge into the bar, with its modular sports-themed decorations. I sit at… Continue reading Day #12: Howitt