broken story: Archive

Nothing Serious

Everyone knows they’re going to die. Someday, we all will. That part of life is inevitable. Somepeople are comfortable in this fact; many are not. What they usually don’t think about—unless they’ve got a lot of time on their hands or know that it’s coming soon—is what they want doneafter the fact.Most girls fantasize about their wedding day: what gown they want to wear,...

Dec 15th

The Mexican Mummy

My first memory of, well, anything, was walking up to the San Gabriel mission with my mother and grandmother. The mission was too old to stand up on its own, and so there was scaffolding all around it. In my opinion, it was held up by stilts. My mother said we were going to see a saint. As we were not raised with religion, this meant little to me, but I was still excited, because whenever we...

May 20th

So, I want this lady to perform at my funeral.

Because I love karaoke.

May 18th

The Arlington of the West

There are two bald eagles fighting in the air, doing breathtaking barrel rolls and nosedives. I drive the hearse slower to watch. On my way through Cedar Rapids, heading to the National Cemetery, I’m completely impressed by how devastatingly beautiful it is here. Now wonder all those dead pioneers were so set on Manifest Destiny. I’m early, but there’s already maybe twenty cars...

May 12th

Six Months and a Day

I was next door at the trophy shop, trying to get a last minute urn engraved for Nora’s flight back to Hawaii in a few hours, when I turn around and recognize the woman behind me. “Oh, hey! You’re Buddy’s daughter, aren’t you? Are you getting a trophy, too?” It was a stupid thing to think. By the look on her face, she certainly was not there for a...

May 11th

Six Months and a Day

I was next door at the trophy shop, trying to get a last minute urn engraved for Nora’s flight back to Hawaii in a few hours, when I turn around and recognize the woman behind me. “Oh, hey! You’re Buddy’s daughter, aren’t you? Are you getting a trophy, too?” It was a stupid thing to think. By the look on her face, she certainly was not there for a trophy....

May 11th

Another Saturday Morning

And I’m hugging an elderly woman. She’s clutching my elbow, because her husband of sixty years or more is in a cardboard box, and it’s almost time for us to put him to rest. It’s never an appropriate time to say goodbye. So, I patiently swallow my tears and nod. “No rush, Nora.” We walk, slower than slugs, from her car to the crematory door. Can you...

May 8th