The cop stopped me as I was closing the bakery for the midday rush. Polite but serious—serious enough to make your stomach knot before you even understand why. He displayed a picture of a young girl, about seven or eight years old, beaming and beaming. He inquired, “Have you seen her around here?” I spent more time looking at the photo than I should have. Because I had actually seen her. Not lately, though. Not here, either. Clear across town, a week ago. She had been holding a shabby plush bunny as if her life depended on it while sitting…
Author: Travel
It had felt strange all day on my birthday. No arrangements, no texts, not even a clumsy “happy birthday” from Adrian, my lover. When my sister Kiona called, panting, pleading with me to “swing by her place real quick,” I was honestly just going to order takeout and mope. I didn’t even bother taking off my sweatshirt. I reasoned that she might require assistance moving furniture or anything like. However, I was shocked when I pushed open her door! Everyone was present. Coworkers, family, and folks I hadn’t seen since college. Adrian took center stage, beaming like if he hadn’t…
Josiah, my 5-year-old son, and I were seated alone at Waffle House when he noticed a man outside. He had all he owned in a little, frayed bag, and his face was haggard and his clothes were ragged. Whispering, “Mom,” Josiah pulled at my sleeve. “Who is that?” I looked over. “My dear, I believe he may be homeless.” Josiah’s tiny face furrowed in perplexity. “What is meant by that?” I said quietly, “It means he doesn’t have a home.” “And he may not be eating either.” It only required that. Josiah sprung from his chair and went to the…
After Mom died, everything quickly became chaotic. Growing up, my brother Nico and I were the quintessential “us against the world” siblings, and I always felt like he had my back. However, the moment the attorneys intervened? He changed, man. Nico suddenly became very friendly with Mom’s former lawyer and pushed for a “updated” will that none of us had ever heard of. He was essentially left in charge of everything, including the house, finances, and even the small family cottage upstate. He grinned as if it were a done deal, and I just sat there in shock. The others…
That morning, I wasn’t even meant to be there. At Glencross Tech, I’m the janitor who cleans coffee stains that no one else likes to touch and emptying garbage cans. They had a large company meeting that day. I made an effort to keep to myself, softly cleaning in the back corner. At that point, I was noticed by Mr. Cavanaugh, the CEO himself. “Maybe if our janitors worked as hard as our developers, we wouldn’t have rats in the break room,” he added, laughing into the microphone in front of everyone. Everyone in the auditorium chuckled. Awkwardly, some. A…
By chance, I discovered it. We had just finished a lengthy, tumultuous Sunday lunch at my parents’ house, one of those get-togethers where everyone shouts over one another and someone inevitably breaks down in tears of joy. I noticed it while I was clearing the table: a clean white sheet nestled next to the napkins with the owl print, beneath the corner of a placemat. I initially believed it to be a grocery list or a haphazard to-do list. However, my heart truly skipped a beat as I lifted it up. “I cherish you. Being able to see oneself through…
Have you ever had the instinct that something isn’t quite right? Yes. Last Thursday, I was that way. Liora, my best friend, informs me that she is ill. Like, feeling “curled up in bed with tissues all over the place.” I’m like, “Girl, don’t even worry, I’ll drop off some soup,” of course. “No!!” she texts back right away. Very dramatic. said that whatever plague she had, she didn’t want me to get it. I initially dismissed it. until I opened my BeReal at random later that evening. Can you guess whose post appeared at the top? Liora. All decked…
Some consumers live their lives complaining, you know? Mr. Halvorsen was that person. Like clockwork, he would stumble into our café every Thursday morning, order the same black coffee and scrambled eggs, and scold me about everything from the music to the weather to the speed of the ceiling fans. The other servers obviously detested serving him. I didn’t blame them, to be honest. However, I felt strangely protective of him for some reason. I would simply listen, smile, and refill his coffee. He would occasionally babble for twenty minutes at a time. At times, he appeared to be a…
Cats are puzzing and independent animals, which often makes us to wonder why one might decide to leave home and not return. While their behavior may seem unexpected, there are popular reasons behind this behavior. Here, we’ll discover some of the most popular reasons why a cat leaves and doesn’t return, and what you should do. 1. A sense of adventure Cats have a powerful exploratory instinct. Even if they’re comfortable at home, they sometimes feel the need to going out and discover new things. This can take them farther than predicted, making it difficult to return. Tip: If your cat has…
