Author Archives: Al

Girlfriend Is Better – II

Posted on December 12, 2023 by Al

            Kathleen McNeil had luxurious, long, wavy black hair, usually free or in a ponytail. I found it irresistible. I would slowly, reverently stroke it, which she found soothing. At least, she let me continue.             I had been moved from the … Continue reading →

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Girlfriend Is Better – I

Posted on December 11, 2023 by Al

            My first girlfriend had dark, curly hair, barely reaching her shoulders. Five years old, she sported black Shirley Temple-esque wavy ringlets. In my memories, she wears a white button-up shirt with rounded collar, and a plaid dress. A few freckles … Continue reading →

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North Woods

Posted on November 18, 2023 by Al

A young couple cavorts through forest and meadow as spring erupts around them. Each has escaped England, and then together eloped from the Bay Colony, beyond barely civilized Springfield. So this must be mid-seventeenth century, in the Berkshires of Massacheusetts. … Continue reading →

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I Can See Clearly Now

Posted on November 17, 2023 by Al

My paternal grandfather, Al, died when I was in the third grade. Born and raised in Miles City, Montana, he’d been through many incarnations in his 76 years. Deputy Sheriff in Custer County, banker in Omaha, steel worker in Seattle, … Continue reading →

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Trust, But Verify…And, Why Unions?

Posted on November 16, 2023 by Al

No question each of us should learn all he can about his body. It’s all we have, and without it working well, life is shorter and messier. Some guys pay more attention to their cars or computers than their body. … Continue reading →

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I Can See Clearly Now – IV

Posted on November 14, 2023 by Al

For medical school, we were told to buy a microscope. With my thrifty father, raised in eastern Montana during the Great Depression, I headed downtown to a store specializing in lab equipment. He steers me to the “Used” section, where … Continue reading →

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I Can See Clearly Now – III

Posted on November 13, 2023 by Al

In 1960, I joined a summer swim team, at age 11. We practiced Monday through Friday, June through August. Swimming laps for over an hour in chlorinated water left our eyes red and blurry when we got out. In addition, … Continue reading →

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I Can See Clearly Now – II

Posted on November 10, 2023 by Al

The year before, I had not missed one day of school. A model student, I rarely had disciplinary encounter with the dreaded Assistant Principal, who was reputed to have drilled holes in his paddling board. When I went up to … Continue reading →

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I Can See Clearly Now – I

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Al

My paternal grandfather, Al, died when I was in the third grade. Born and raised in Miles City, Montana, he’d been through many incarnations in his 76 years. Deputy Sheriff in Custer County, banker in Omaha, steel worker in Seattle, … Continue reading →

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Re-Building the Cuckoo’s Nest

Posted on November 7, 2023 by Al

One thing I learned working on the jail ward at LA County Hospital: do not attack a police officer with a weapon (or even your fists). They and their cohorts will ALWAYS respond with overwhelming, unrelenting force. They are armed, … Continue reading →

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