My childhood bedroom was only 8 feet wide x 9 feet long. Just enough room for a single bed, a 6-drawer white dresser with a gold-trimmed mirror, and a small table tucked in the corner. My wallpaper featured blooming pink … Continue reading
Joy and tears can go together When I was still in high school, my eldest brother, Roger, moved back into the basement of our parent’s home. He brought his young wife, Julie, and their newborn, Benjamin. They planned to stay … Continue reading
“Who drove home last night?” I asked my friend on the phone. “You did!” In the 80s, it wasn’t unusual for teenagers to pick the driver who seemed the least impaired to drive home after a night at the bars. … Continue reading
A teenager’s prayer is answered The first time I participated in the pass-out challenge, my friend slid down the wall sideways and smacked her head against the vacuum cleaner. That should’ve been enough to stop me from ever participating in … Continue reading
Lucy in the Sky (at the Ball) Diamond We boarded the yellow school bus and headed for the back seats. Our bus was one of two that would be leaving our high school parking lot to travel the highways from … Continue reading
Heaven is a better place I don’t often watch the news on television. Instead, I receive the update for the day when my morning alarm goes off or while I’m on my drive to work. The 30-second update is usually … Continue reading
Photo by Caleb Woods on Unsplash Thievery will out Guilt gnawed at me. Not only had I been the one who’d stolen the money but I let Jeff take the fall for it. Saturday One Saturday night, I attended a house party with … Continue reading
In the 80s, teenagers in Ontario could write a test to obtain a driver’s license at age 16. Called a “365” this license allowed you to drive with a licensed driver in the car with you. For the next 365 … Continue reading
Teenage Suicide I used to think I had a split personality. One personality was my “outside self” that I showed the world. An over-achiever, A-student, always smiling. The other personality was my “inside self.” I kept this to myself. Anxious, … Continue reading
I was a follower of ‘Reverend Ken and the Lost Followers’ In high school, I attended the “church of the open bottle” at the Red Dog Tavern on Hunter Street in Peterborough, Ontario. My best friend, Monica, and I had … Continue reading