Hard Life Story by Dick Johnson (Graphic Sex Warning) Tommy held the window open so Mandy could climb inside the old brick building. It was sometime in the 80’s and Tommy was going to get laid for the first time. Her parents were at the flea market in the park across the street. They wereContinue reading “It Stank!”
Tag Archives: Hard Life
A Long Walk
Poetry by Ralph La Rosa This winter night two fugitives from Jackson Prison rob his store out in suburbs where he lives, blind and bind him, knock him out, stuff him on their Dodge’s floor, and drive him north for Canada. They startle him awake before the border, yank him out, unblind his eyes. He’sContinue reading “A Long Walk”
Honor Thy Father
Poetry by Ralph La Rosa Ray’s father groaned: In the store, below the petty cash drawer. Bring it to me. Hurry. Before they all come home. Ray raced to the store and back— to lightning’s cracking thunder to hail stones pelting limbs of acorn-bleeding oak trees and shivering rooftop tiles. As green wood hissed inContinue reading “Honor Thy Father”
Shots Ring Out
By Matthew Senn My daddy was a paranoid man. Had every right to be too, ‘course. He’d always figgered someone would come lookin’ for ‘im one day. Never went into much more detail than that. One mornin’, he hears some shots ring out. He was a corn farmer then, our patch a land went fromContinue reading “Shots Ring Out”
Anger, Lust and Greed
By Scotch Rutherford June 8, 1980 Max was up before the sun. It was a habit he couldn’t shake. Three tours will do that to you. The hooker from the night before was asleep in her clothes next to him. He had that clammy feel on his skin, like he was covered in hair gel.Continue reading “Anger, Lust and Greed”
The Wheels Go Round and Round
By Melissa R. Mendelson “Come on, Ben. Wake up.” He kicked the young boy’s shoulder. “Get up.” “Oh, come on, Henry. It’s early.” He rolled across the floor and pushed the thin shirt under his head closer to him. “Let me just sleep.” “You’ve slept enough. Come on, Ben. Let’s go. We got work toContinue reading “The Wheels Go Round and Round”
Follow The Stream Back Up
By Charles Jacobson On a bitter January morning, when Richie and I should have been trudging through the snow to our IT classes at the University of Minnesota, our backs were jammed against a freezing curb, wrangling a junkyard transmission into a ‘53 Packard straight-eight. The massive car was jacked up on blocks. The UltramaticContinue reading “Follow The Stream Back Up”
Suicide Squeeze: Colton Lacombe’s Return to Baseball.
By Jason P. Reed Stepping into the batter’s box at Bengal park had a way of transporting Colton Lacomb to Little League in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he first made a name for himself. Never mind that he was a 21 year old freshman. And never mind that the pitchers he faced clocked in theContinue reading “Suicide Squeeze: Colton Lacombe’s Return to Baseball.”
The Education of a Young Gentleman
By Charlie Jacobson And I eat men like air.—from Plath, Sylvia. “Lady Lazarus.” 1962. *** “Charles!” “Uh?” “Richie has a flat.” I rolled out of bed and stumbled after my mother into the kitchen. She thrust a receiver into my hand and lit a Chesterfield. I grunted. “Richie?” “Git your ass over here.” The lineContinue reading “The Education of a Young Gentleman”
Christmas Crime
By John Haymaker Christmas morning held no real surprise for twelve-year-old Xavier. He knew what his elder brother Drake wanted and knew how he’d get it. He wanted a Christmas tree – a real one, not the ball of tumbleweed their step-father Fred suspended from the ceiling like a chandelier each year. Painted white andContinue reading “Christmas Crime”