After the TV mavens had their say the gnomes crept out of their cave… spoke and returned to their caves. Thunder struck, hell broke loose and the mavens came back on TV

I learned a murmuration is a flock of starlings whirling and turning in the sky, changing directions in a second, flying back again, blackening

This was the first Christmas Billy was old enough to speak when he saw his gifts under the sparkling tree. His parents were waiting

From my stool in the diner I watc… the old woman with elm tree arms command the big booth in back and roar for a menu, take a half hour to read it

It’s one thing to work in an office because your skills say you must. It’s another to want to hang out with

They’re the oldest couple my wife and I know and we’re no pups either. Peter out for a walk leans on his cane often

A little boy from the city down on the farm for a day wanders away to look at the sheep and finds a bull

Ten years later he still mourns the death of his friend, Bill, such a smart man he could talk to

Father the chameleon was lime gree… the first day I saw him peering in… my crib smiling and he remained lime green until kindergarten when a nun called the house and sa…

She’s been making quilts for half a century and he’s been making poems that long as well and every now and then he brings a chocolate shake to her place

Let’s not worry about it, Dearie, life gets better, life gets worse. We’re no different than the seasons of the year except we’re luckier than most having

You had to have a Schwinn to lead this pack of boys riding bikes full speed baking under the Chicago sun laughing after senior year

That my parents were Irish immigrants is probably the most significant factor in my writing life. The English expelled my father from Ireland around 1920 at age 18 or so for running gun...

It’s a kindergarten soccer team and Jack’s the biggest kid. His father is the coach. The team is undefeated but there’s a problem