During semester break, I volunteered for senior dinner delivery. Just drop off the meal, check in, and go on. No stress. No deep talks. Or so I thought. Her name was Lita. Ninety-five, quiet voice, pink cardigans, and a tiny dog named Poppy who perched proudly atop her walker like a palace. I was only asked to open her yogurt once. “My hands are on strike,” she winked. She was absent one Tuesday when I arrived. I knocked again and she said, “Come in, sweetheart.” I entered and paused. Lita faced the dog at the kitchen table. Complete chat. “I…
Author: World Wide
I never imagined saying, “I just ran in for a coffee.” It seems naïve, like a remark made in a crime show before a detective dismisses it. That morning, it was supposed to be 10 minutes. I was going to see a former acquaintance who had popped in my inbox with a strange message and a location. “We should talk,” it said. A pin was dropped in a coffee shop I hadn’t gone to in years. And like an idiot—or someone with something to prove—I went. I parked my white Kia in front, in full daylight, with busy foot traffic.…
I said “Goodbye, Dad” at his grave and left the cemetery. I saw an old woman beside a newly excavated grave on my walk. Her dark spectacles and cane showed she was blind and lost. Excuse me, I replied gently. Do you need assistance? “If it’s not too much trouble, I’d really appreciate if you could walk me home,” she said. I couldn’t refuse. As we went, I discovered her name was Kira. She was 67 and had buried her spouse days before. Her boys left her off at the graveyard and promised to return in 30 minutes. She waited…
Sarah put her career on hold when her children were born because her husband insisted she take care of their enormous house and children. Sarah kept their house clean every day, but Harry believed he was more important because he worked. He discovered one morning that Sarah had washed his “lucky shirt,” which he intended to wear. The man burst with wrath! “You sit at home all day doing nothing,” Harry shouted. Is it too hard to recall anything simple? You do nothing at home but blah blah blah.” Harry, stop. The youngsters watch. “You scare them,” Sarah added. Oh,…
My neighbor Brian never ceased complaining about my pond, which borders his property. He often complained that it attracted flies, soaked the ground, and fostered frogs that croaked all night, keeping him up. I was frightened when I returned from visiting my sister in another state. My lovely pond was full. Another neighbor said a crew was sent by a business to drain and fill it. It was paid for. She couldn’t stop them, and I was crushed. My grandpa dug that fish-filled pond! My granddaughters liked swimming in it every summer since it was clean. Brian was the only…
Rachel became sugary when Dad proposed to her. She continued, “You’ll be my right hand at the wedding. More than anyone, I trust you! She behaved like family for the first time in two years of college living with them. She appointed me maid of honor and had me arrange the dress, cake, and flowers. I believed we’d reached a turning point. But she gave me a pale pink envelope in the bridal room minutes after the wedding. She grinned. “Just something I need you to handle.” An itemized bill was inside: Maid of honor dress: $380 Alterations: $95 Shoes:…
A simple party became a disastrous occurrence in this narrative. One thoughtless word may change lives. What happens to someone who publicly humiliates someone and then discovers the truth? Explore this captivating story with an unexpected finale. One of those evenings when time stopped. A big table with a white tablecloth held magnificent delicacies. Rare wine and quality cigar scents permeated the air. The visitors were laughing, clinking drinks, and chatting. I felt strange in this bright throng. We were meant to celebrate our first wedding anniversary today. My spouse planned a big party instead of a quiet celebration for…
When my husband, Alex, left me after 35 years, I felt more than pain—I felt emptiness. We shared a lifetime, had two children, established a house, and supported each other through struggle. Now I was alone, sad, and felt like my world had collapsed. When he packed his luggage and departed without saying a word, I stood at the window, frozen. I felt like I was witnessing my life from the outside: a family-devoted lady now superfluous. The children had left, the house was empty, and I was alone for the first time in a while. I didn’t understand how…
I was waiting at the terminal for my delayed flight when a lost-looking youngster passed me. I made sure the child knew where he was going because there were no parents nearby. I inquired whether he was okay with a polite grin. He shook his head, crying. “Don’t cry. We’ll find your parents. Are you carrying tickets or documents? With large, wet eyes, he nodded and gently unzipped his bag and gave it to me without saying a word. I PALED when I noticed a huge stack of rubber-banded $100 dollars inside. At least 10 grand, probably more. My expression…
