Category Archives: Lesson 5

?Coughing and hacking like an old crock, I stopped to catch my breath. I sat back on an old chair and looked around the basement, taking stock of what I’d sorted out- not much, and what was still left to go through- way … Continue reading →

On the first day of my visit home, my mother criticized my marriage, and it turned into a terrible fight which ended with my leaving in the middle of a storm. I hadn’t been home for a few months. I … Continue reading →

“Hello Nancy. It’s so nice of you to find some time in your life to come visit me.” Her voice was level. Pleasant. It always was at the beginning. Thunder rolled in the distance. Visiting was never gentle. I looked … Continue reading →

Miguel, who is 16, nearly 17, is half awake when he hears the soft squish-squish of combat boots below the window next to his cot. He arches himself up on his elbow and peeks out. In the moonlight, he spots … Continue reading →

Chris slipped through the heavy metal door and vanished into darkness. The air lingered, thick with dust and the bite of concrete. He blinked once, adjusting to the dim light, then advanced—heel to toe in his combat boots—and the warehouse slowly … Continue reading →

Tugging at the canvas sack released a plethora of mold spores and dust, triggering a massive sneezing fit. This trip to clear out the basement started as most decluttering trips do: the direct result of not being able to find … Continue reading →

It was Saturday and I promised myself that I would clean out the basement. I have been dreading this and put it off for years.It had become a dumping ground for every old piece of furniture, clothes that were out … Continue reading →