A Letter to Kurt Vonnegut, Never Received, on Account of His Death

written and sent March 30, 2007 Dear Mr. Vonnegut, I will not take much of your time, as we understand there is not much time left to be taken. I want to thank you for being a voice to me since I first encountered your works a few years ago.  You see, I discovered a…

The Reluctant Sailor, Chapter I: Soft Mad Children

written August 11, 2004   Chapter I: Soft Mad Children                                                                      September 11, 2001- April 23, 2002   The anti-beginning was on a Tuesday, but of course nothing has been the same since then. An English Lit. class was begining soon, at 9:30, and I was on Western Illinois Universoty’s campus more than an hour early. …

“Crazy in My Happiness”

written June 2010 In my Navy days my home was the size of a pine box.  I know what you’re thinking; I’m slyly comparing my past shipboard sleeping arrangements to the grave.  But in this case I was envious of the dead- at least they did not have to endure other sailors’ toxic socks and…