Wedding

The first time, I froze in a stall as the bride’s mother barged in looking for someone else, who was probably crying somewhere else. I took a deep breath, and returned to my table, where the rest of the guests sat neatly paired up. The second time, I stared at myself in a dimly lit […]

Children of an Idle Brain

In English, we use the same word for “sleeping hallucinations” and “fantastic goals.” They are both “dreams.” They are both suspicious, both frequently denied consideration. I want to go to Africa. That is a wide-awake dream. I’ve wanted to go since I saw “Out of Africa” as a kid. The main character was my hero: […]

Weeds

In the spring the whole world explodes, and when things get going and grow, the weeds come, too.

This is the crankiest time of year for teachers. The weeds are growing. This time of year, we worry about what the students have done, if it was the right stuff, and if we told them the truth.

Physical Evidence

At a certain point, you were supposed to have a line across your back and this meant you were a mature female, and not a child or the elephant man. It also meant you were wearing a bra. Later you would strive to hide any evidence that you were, like most western women, wearing a […]