The Lonely Shoe I was walking into a medical office building and to my left, on a metal bench, sat a single athletic shoe.  I thought that was a strange sight, you know, just a single shoe, all alone, in the middle of a bench, without its’ mate so it could be worn by someone without causing an awkward limp.  It looked brand new, not a speck of wear and tear on it – a Saucony brand running Read More

Ollie and The Kid “Did you read the assignment, and prepare, as I told you?” “Yes colonel.  It was hard —stayed up all night reading about WWII.  Hardest thing I ever did.  I had no idea how damn close we were to losing out country then.  That was a shit war of hell.” “That’s for sure, Jerome.  But tell me, what was the most interesting fact about your reading?” Read More

The Last of the Mohicans I never read this classic novel, set in 1757 during the French and Indian war, set in upstate New York and written by The American Novelist James Fenimore Cooper.   However, now, it seems it may have become a part of me now, and I am curious why. Recently, a few weeks ago, a friend of mine who was born in Europe and emigrated the legal way to the United States, told me Read More

Independence Day, July 4 Most Americans understand that Independence Day, July 4, 1776 was the day the Second Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. It’s a day of celebration, cookouts, beer, loud music, family gatherings and at least in the past — fireworks.  However, at least in my state, fireworks are extremely dangerous due to the high fire dang Read More

Respect.  I give Ollie space and respect, and he does the same for me.  Tomorrow is that third Sunday in June that I pretend doesn’t exist anymore. I am off work and not sure what I will do, maybe meet a friend for coffee, but thankfully I will be having some night hospital duties to keep my mind busy and not entangled in a jumbled cauldron of remote but pleasant memories filled with swollen pride as w Read More

Ollie Comes Back “Come to the Alpine Haus Bar, 6 pm.  Come alone. Bring some paper or a computer or whatever you writer-types use.” “Who is this?” No one calls me on a Sunday, unless I guess it’s an emergency and I’m on call.  Seems everyone is quiet on Sunday, and maybe that’s what we should be on Sunday:  quiet and reverent.  And of course, emails are frowned upon.& Read More

Watching the Chef It was mandatory that I eat a juicy steak immediately.  Unfortunately, I picked a time that was jam-packed with proud parents who took their brand-new college graduates to dinner.  Since this city is home to a famous Military Academy, these families probably traveled from states all over the country to watch their kids graduate, and ooh and ahh to the Thunderbirds who always fly Read More

Hard to Believe:  327 posts and 787 comments It’s hard to believe, but my first post on this site was 5/6/2013 and it was called The Spiritual Elk Encounter. I was told that a writer needed a platform, so readers could be introduced to his style of writing, and perhaps be coaxed into buying some of his work.  But when I first started this little project, I had no idea it would last this long, an Read More

An Old Friend and a Cast Iron Skillet Ok, well by definition, he’s not old because he graduated from high school with me some years ago, and as my readers know, I’m not old because I will never let the old man in. So last week, my friend “R” who lived down the road from me for four years out in the country prior to our graduation from high school, came to visit my humble abode for the second time, a Read More

I wanted to talk to Ollie today, but It seems he is busy observing Memorial day somewhere. Arlington, or maybe Normandy, it’s hard to predict him, let alone find him. I always have questions, but rare that he gives me details. I have many patients who are veterans and sadly, some have passed. It has been an honor to know them and to honor their sacrifice for this beautiful country and its freedoms. I Read More