The Bouquet That Came After the Funeral
The delivery boy stood on my grandmother’s porch holding yellow mums like they might go off in his hands. “Mrs. Ackerman?” he said. “Delivery from… Read more
The Shoes in the Parking Lot
The sole of my left shoe let go of the leather with a sound like a page tearing, and I stood in the middle of… Read more
The Nine Dogs at Mother’s Gate
Nine dogs were already at the gate when I pulled in, and not one of them barked. That was the first thing that bothered me…. Read more
The Bagger They Called Not Fit
Verlene called me before Bradley even got his coat off. “Renae, you need to come down here,” she said, and her voice had that flat,… Read more
The Town That Remembered Walt Kessler
Les Hartman has run Hartman Funeral Home in Millbrook, Ohio for twenty six years, and in all that time I had never heard him say… Read more
The Son I Gave Up Writes Home
The Letter The envelope came on a Tuesday, tucked in between the Farm Bureau newsletter and a flyer from the hardware store in town, and… Read more