Jaclyn Smith was famous for her part in Charlie’s Angels. Fans of many backgrounds were captivated by her beauty and talent. Many are surprised to learn that Jaclyn Smith married three times before finding her partner and starting a happy life. The role in Charlie’s Angels propelled her to popularity. She received a Golden Globe nomination for her work. After the show, she worked in films but always wanted a family. Though her marriages failed, Jaclyn believed in marriage as a prerequisite to have children. Her first husband was actor Roger Davis in 1968. This partnership lasted till 1975. Later,…
Author: World Wide
Another community drop-off was planned. Toys, blankets, and holiday smiles draw deputies for picture ops and charity. Officer Morales arrived as usual, polite yet serious. Wearing sunglasses. Carrying clipboard. Going about. He met Micah then. 4 years old. Brown cowlick, Velcro sneakers, small voice. He tugged on the deputy’s pant leg with a package of green plastic toy grenades, junk from a donation bin but treasure to his young hands. Morales kneeled and asked, “You like those?” Micah nodded. “For my dad.” Oh yes? Is your dad in the Army? The boy looked down and up. “No more. He left.”…
I never imagined walking around the Washington Monument with a garbage bag and grabber in the mornings. But here I am. I arrive every day before the tourists—knee brace, old army hoodie, busted ankle slowing me down—and work. Bottles, cigarette butts, and plastic wrappers are irrelevant. I’ve seen worse international junk. First, I did it for myself. Helping clean an iconic place makes me feel useful. But I soon noticed the stares. Some may have nodded in admiration. But others? I caught them whispering, staring at me like a sad charity case. One man said, “Bet he’s doing community service…
We were performing a routine supermarket run. My chatty daughter Suri sat in the trolley and described everything she saw like a nature documentary. Anyway, we line up behind this man—maybe late 60s, gray hair, cardigan like my grandpa. Suri squints and shouts, “Mommy, that’s an old person!” Wishing the ground swallowed me. I immediately apologized, “I’m so sorry, she’s just very curious—didn’t mean to be rude.” He only smiled. Not faked either. He added, “Well, she’s not wrong,” leaning closer. I’m old. Each of my 68 birthdays taught me something new.” Suri blinked, “Like what?” He laughed and replied,…
Nights were terrible. Cold, lonely, and too long. At least I had Rusty. Rusty was my last dog and pal. My only family. We had been through everything together, and he always snuggled up next to me, keeping me warm and sane. A police officer stopped in front of us that night as I held him tight on the pavement. I tightened. Cops usually caused me trouble. He asked, “You okay?” I was surprised by his soft voice. I nodded, petting Rusty’s ears. “Just getting through the night.” Rusty was his focus as the cop crouched. He extended his hand,…
Seeing the police cruiser in front of our house froze me. Despite no flashing lights, my stomach constricted. Two officers appeared in my yard. Reluctant to leave, I grabbed the doorknob. My son Isaiah was there. My hubby was away. As a Black household, I didn’t need to worry about what could go wrong. I inhaled and opened the door. “Isaiah?” Shaky voice wasn’t my goal. Isaiah ran up the stairs with the biggest smile. “Mom! Have you seen? A white officer with a buzz cut approached me. “Ma’am, your son is a hero.” Hero? I struggled to understand what…
He was a little baby wrapped in a threadbare blanket in a basket near my fire station the night I found him. The frigid wind howled during my shift, lamenting the small soul lost to fate. Only a week old, his cries were feeble yet determined. Joe, my partner, and I glanced, exchanging wordless words. “We’ll call CPS,” Joe responded calmly. I had a strong sensation that this baby was intended for more. maybe just for me. After months, no one claimed him, so I applied for adoption. He raged through every hurdle like a small lion, so I named…
We thought she was gone. The fire had consumed most of the second floor when we got the call. A supposedly vacant warehouse. The shell is full with neglected boxes and poor insulation. Not everything inside was lost. He emerged first from the smoke. Duffield—helmet #31, the mustache-wearing guy who never speaks but always arrives. Minute passed. Then 3. As the chief was ready to call him back, he emerged coughing and covered in soot. And cradling a tiny, shivering kitten under his jacket. Though singed, shaking, and insane, she was alive. After toweling her, he sat with her the…
I promised to return before their birthdays. Mateo clung to my leg, Jasira half-asleep with her thumb in her mouth, and Amari pretending to be brave despite his shaking lip on the porch in mismatched pajamas. My ex-wife stayed home. She couldn’t watch. We rarely chat except about the kids, but when I told her I was deployed again, she nodded and muttered, “Don’t tell them too much.” So I didn’t. I knelt and said my usual. Be kind to Mom. Aid your sister. Brush teeth. As if on a long work trip, I kept it light. I hid the…
