Man, that was some dream. I’m walking down the street with my Uncle Fred. As we passed by a newspaper stand, I could see the year was 1921. A newspaper headline read Yankees Win World Series! I could tell it was night in the city, but there was so much life. Hustle and bustle everywhere. […]
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Say My Name
I never knew my maternal grandfather, Therald Jonas. He died in 1949, well before my birth. He was an alcoholic and alcoholism led to his death. I have always felt a strange closeness to him. More than just blood or DNA, but a feeling he is trying to reach out to me. Perhaps it’s because […]
Listen Young Fella
My great uncle Oliver was killed August 15, 1942, eight days shy of his 41st birthday. He was a merchant seaman during WW2 when his ship was torpedoed by a German U-Boat in the North Atlantic. His body was never recovered. He left behind a wife and twelve-year-old son. I have always felt his presence, […]
No Time To Smile
On November 22, 1963, I was 8 years old and a 3rd grader at Hart Elementary School in Stamford, Connecticut. Mrs. White was one of my favorite teachers, a fairly plump, white, motherly figure with a head full of greyish silver hair. Every day, all day, she always sported this warm welcoming smile. It didn’t […]
In Other Words
My mom, I love her to the moon and back. But who doesn’t love their mom, right? She’s 88 years young, still sharp as a tack, and never let’s an opportunity to lecture pass her by. Small in stature, but erect in presence, her feisty Jamaican side can bite you in the ass if you […]
The Move
I was 7 years old at the time, you know the age where you’re going along for the ride and trusting that dad and mom have everything under control. All I know is that we were leaving New York City and moving to, I don’t know, somewhere else. I was told Stamford, Connecticut. I’m like, […]
Birthday Boy
May God lead you into another year filled with his good gifts abundant blessings, and faithful love – Unknown My phone just pinged, startled me a bit, its 1:10 in the morning! My best friend, my brother from another mother, just sent me a text. It read, “Happy birthday you’re 65!”. […]
Let The Games Begin
I know I can’t hug I can’t get to close to you But I need something Together we see this through Stay present and let it come Maybe you find what you need – James Softball in the summer, as American as hip hop, fake news, and apple pie, right? Well, maybe a slightly different […]
A Fourth of July Story
Winston Churchill called it the “worst journey in the world”. He was referring to the World War II Artic route ships would follow to provide necessary war supplies to the Soviet Union. It was commonly referred to as the Murmansk Run. From 1941 to 1945 there were approximately 40 such runs that followed the 1,500-mile […]
Less Talk More Poop
We know what is right Hey you what does the fox say One heart at a time Lift someone up everyday I am you and you are me I do remember that boy – James Many years ago, on a family road trip, can’t remember our destination, we had to make the normal rest stop. […]
In Search of James 