Liam Neeson I Ain’t

As we journeyed on the Metro to The Louvre, I wondered if the subway car was overly crowded because of the security cordon for the approaching Olympics or if it was always this fucked up.  “The station at Place de la Concorde is closed,” my wife said. “We have to...

Anchors Away

Yesterday morning I was sitting on the couch, sipping coffee to rouse myself into consciousness, when my wife said, “This is Natalie’s last week of summer camp.”  “Already?” I said,   “Fifth grade is right around the corner.”  Closing my eyes, I...

Dropping Le Deuce

Upon arriving at our accommodations in Berlin, like most kids walking into a hotel room for the first time, my daughter checked out the bathroom. When Natalie emerged, she said, “Daddy, come here.”  “What’s up?” I said, following her into the bathroom. Pointing...

Ja und Nein

The Hauptbahnhof is a sleek, modern railway station in the Mitte section of Berlin where it costs €2 to take a leak and €4 for a bottle of water you could get from a machine at Costco for a quarter and even cheaper if you bought it by the case. Standing on the...

Training Wheels

Despite the considerable amount of walking I did on my vacation I didn’t lose any weight, but I didn’t gain any either, which is amazing considering all the wiener schnitzel, German beer, French cheese, and croissants I consumed. While I managed to run four times in...

Masterpiece

“I guess we should see the Mona Lisa,” I said to my wife. “We still have time.”  I looked at my watch and noted The Louvre was closing in an hour. “Not really. They’ll be a crowd trying to get a last look before they leave.” With all respect to Nat King Cole, I...

The Elements Time Cannot Wear

My eyes snapped open at 3:00 AM and, despite my best effort, I couldn’t fall back asleep. After an hour, I gave up.  Gingerly getting out of bed so as not to wake my wife and daughter, I silently changed into my workout gear, made my way down the stairs, said...

The Promised Land

“I’m bored,” Natalie said. It had rained all day and, after playing video games, watching TV, and surfing kiddie You Tube, digital ennui had finally set in.  “Being bored is part of life,” I said.  “What does that, like, even mean?” “Go outside and...

I Could Not Stop for Death

“I’ll be back in about an hour,” I said. “I’m going for a run.”  “Okay Daddy.”  “Call me if you have a problem.”  ‘Uh huh,” Natalie, said, fiddling with the remote.  “Mommy will be home before I get back. Then we’ll go have dinner.”  Leaving...

Missing

A friend of mine’s daughter has gone missing. If you have any information regarding the two girls pictured below, please contact the New York State Police Thank you. May 22. 2024 – Happy to report the young woman and her companion are home safe and...