Harkness placed his aluminum ladder on the concrete patio near the rear of his house, steadying it as best he could. The house was a simple raised rambler, a long, tall rectangle with no additions. He had reminded Rosa of this at breakfast, trying to fend off her demands that he not clean the gutters [...]
Archive | Long(er) Reads
RSS feed for this section
Prunes at Gunpoint by Nick Antosca
n a month, Diana Lerzer turns 29. She’s always regarded 29 as that age: the age at which systems break down and maintenance becomes crucial. Years ago at Emory, her boyfriend said she had the metabolism of a flying squirrel, or the Human Torch. This was true: For nearly 29 years, her metabolism has let [...]
First Impressions by Douglas Silver
Gary threw a fit when the contractor began to fill our pool. I was halfway out the door, set to go antiquing before picking up the kids from school, when I heard him shouting like a madman. I ran out back to find him bunkered down behind a chaise. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “Nothing. Nothing’s [...]
Water by Ames John Gigounas
Everything is heaped on the floor and he is a captain in the middle. Pen and notepad, college-ruled; he never wrote on wide, even in school, irritated by the distance between the lines. He works his fingers through the mess and selects Japanese language discs. He writes that down, noting Mint Condition, starts a pile [...]
Come See For Yourself by Sara Lippmann
Today while my parents are at church Billy picks me up and takes me to the Adventure Aquarium. It’s not far from Philly, we’re practically floating in the Delaware River, but it’s a thrill to cross state lines, to holler out the top of his sister’s Suzuki as we rumble over the Ben Franklin Bridge. [...]
Habitat For Humility by Julie Innis
revention means never having to say you’re sorry,” our real estate agent, Simone, tells us as she hands Josh the number for her fence guy. Josh gives me a sheepish look. House hunting with Simone has reduced us to guttural utterances, coded glances, emphatic eye rolls. Admittedly I’m touchy on the subject of “Prevention.” Marriage, [...]
