On Telescopes and Temptation

I thought, seriously, of blowing my paycheck on a reflecting telescope. A couple of us had gone to Sam’s Club on our lunch break. One of the writers in the department needed to pick up some bulk food for a Christmas party. We wandered the cavernous building, and I felt somewhat exposed and endangered; IContinue reading “On Telescopes and Temptation”

On Christmas Shopping for my Grandmother

Today, I bought Christmas presents for my grandmother. Buying presents for my grandmother is difficult because it is pointless. Anything important is lost upon her, anything useful would go unused. Her birthday, which falls on Christmas Eve, is even more difficult; she understands that the day is someone‘s birthday, but she cannot recollect that itContinue reading “On Christmas Shopping for my Grandmother”

On a Shortage of Christmas Tree Stands

My sister called. I couldn’t tell if she was laughing or if she was crying. There’s a Christmas tree stand shortage in Raleigh. She’d bought a tree at Lowe’s. She needed a stand. They were out. She went to Target. She went to Wal-Mart. She went to Kmart. She went to the grocery store. Someone,Continue reading “On a Shortage of Christmas Tree Stands”