Suprise Me

Pocahontas. I was born on the outskirts of London in 1947. I can’t claim to be a cockney as to claim that accolade, I would have to have been born within the sound of Bow Bells. I was born in North Woolwich, which is around eight miles from Bow bells. According to tradition to be… Read More

Parking, never a problem for me at college, but work at Lockheed was different. Read More

"Although my father was Jewish, our family never celebrated Passover or Chanukah, never had a menorah in the house, never attended a Seder. As a child I never felt deprived of the things my non-observant father never taught me about being Jewish. But I do now." Read More

“We are your bad conscience,” said one of the leaflets. “Everyone wants to exonerate himself from his share of the blame … But it cannot be done: everyone is guilty! guilty! guilty!”" Read More

My mom sewed my dresses when I was in elementary school. We would go to the store, usually J.C. Pennys and she and I would pick out patterns and fabric for the dresses. Read More

Where did I go wrong? Now the breakfast dish is left on the counter, The ice cream bowl from the night before put in the sink with no water. The peanut butter knife put in the dishwasher, but not rinsed. I tell him – he needs to rinse dishes before placing them in the dishwasher.… Read More

(Please note: I am actually reading, and wish to comment upon, other Retrospect writer’s stories. But for some reason, since early August I am unable to reply to anyone’s stories but my own, no matter where I log in from. I also can’t even reply to other writer’s comments. All I get is a 503… Read More

We never had a gun in our home while I was growing up. My first experience with guns came when a classmate (middle school age?) invited me to come along on a bird hunt in the desert outside of Phoenix. Since I was not trained, I was not allowed to use, or even carry, one… Read More

Flowers on the Windshield  After more than a year together I knew our marriage wasn’t working.   As we had no kids,  no communal property to speak of it,  and little contention between us,  it was a relatively simple divorce.  The grounds Alan and I agreed on were irreconcilable differences – which I guess is… Read More

We spotted three girls across the street. When they saw us they giggled, whispered among themselves, and waved shyly. Read More