CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE (flash fiction)

Sharon looked out the window hoping to see that godforsaken Trans Am, but all that drove by were the humdrum sedans usually reserved for rental fleets.It was after 10 and Billy should've brought Garry back by now but her ex-husband had a history of tardiness, so this wasn't all that unusual.When she was done with the dishes she heard the gravel in her driveway mushed by the growls of Billy's 455 engine, and it wasn't long before a little body popped...

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AND THEY WONDER WHY (poem)

I spent many a late night in diners and this is my ode to those great 24 hour joints where anyone can walk through the door... Back when I was seeing the waitress, I met a ghost at the diner counter. I dunno, it was three a.m. or so -- that nevertime where tired cranky and mellow become one weird sensation. Anyway, as I jotted some meaningless notes into a notepad full of lost ideas, I felt a presence next to me. He had the entire counter to himself,...

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THE LIZARD KING MEETS JACK (flash fiction)

This is a tale that coulda prolly happened. Somewhere in the late '60s, it's a tale where the beatnik met the hippie...With his tight leather pants and a swagger to embarrass Mae West on a bad night, the Lizard King entered the Waldorf elevator and saw Jack, one of his literary idols."Hey man, you're Jack Kerouac..." the shaman-like guy asked, mellow and low.Thift shop chic and effortlessly handsome, Jack was in the Big Apple to deliver his latest...

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STARING AT HER STARING AT HIM (flash fiction)

He went everyday to the museum to see those dark beaming eyes, that long lustrous hair and her half unsure smile.On or off his meds, this manic routine had by now had become a fixture of his life.Oh sure, there was always some artsy liberal couple on a first date talking about such nonsense as Warhol and color blocking to ruin his time with her.But they were superficial.Someday somehow he knew he'd meet his exotic beauty and take her here -- but...

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JUST YOUR AVERAGE GUY AT A JERSEY DELI

I live deep within the heart of 'Soprano-Land' (the show was even shot on my block a few years back). In any case, being EYEtalian and all, I've never particulary gravitated towards the show beyond the casual level. I guess it's because I can't wear a suit without looking like I have lye and a shovel in my trunk. Don't get my wrong, I watched it, sure, but didn't really live and breathe it the way many fans have. I bring this up because today at...

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