by Dede Montgomery It was the moment she called me “mother.” I was upset and blurted out, “Mom, I’m your daughter.” She hesitated, and then answered slowly. “Oh, yes.” Too quickly I butted in. “Mom, you know I’m your daughter.” I commanded, rather than asked, selfishly realizing, at 56, I still needed a mother. “Yes, […]
by Sara Etgen-Baker In the two days since my arrival, Granddad and I exchanged only a few predictable, cursory words. “Here’s your cereal; no milk, right?” “Right, Granddad. Thanks.” “You sleep okay?” Although his silent house had kept me awake, I respectfully replied, “Yes sir. I did,” followed by, “How ‘bout you?” “I’m old: I […]
by Ariela Zucker Nine o’clock at night and all is quiet. I doze in my hospital bed when suddenly the monitor I am hooked to with many leads starts flashing an angry red. Startled I look up at the heartbeat counter, it shows a big red 0. Before I manage to move, five people show […]
by Sara Etgen-Baker As a small child, I loved walking backward and did so every chance I got. One day, I even challenged myself and walked backward almost the entire distance from my house to my elementary school. I’d walked forward along that route hundreds of times. But when I walked it backward, suddenly everyone […]
by Carol Ziel I want to be a Gorgeous Lady of Wrestling, to show up for work in a spangly sequined leotard, full of feathers, glitter, and bangles. I want to have a name like Spanish Red, Mathilda the Hun, Thunderbolt, Beastie, or Lightning. I want to be part of the drama between good and […]
by Ariela Zucker This morning I look at the old oak tree towering over the yard and realize that the snow is receding. At the bottom of the tree, I can see a small heap of stones. It is there that we buried, my cat, Sheleg (snow) last October. She died before the snow came […]
