Magical Fingers_Brighter_The Black Backpack_The Weird Kid
Catalog Guide:
Magical Fingers
My family always described Auntie Jen as a magical person. She never married, but that didn’t seem to bother her in the slightest. She was so involved with the lives of all her nephews and nieces. It thrilled her to welcome each of us into this world with a baby blanket, a little comfy cuddle blanket, and a toy. We all grew up loving these treasures from her. Of course, I don’t need a baby blanket or a comfy blanket anymore, but my beautiful brown crocheted teddy still sits on my bed to this day. Everyone who knew Jen said shehad magic fingers. We assumed that they were referring to all her ...
Brighter
“I’m looking for independent thoughts here.” Ms. Imhoff paused, her dark gaze flitting from student to student. Although I had holed myself up in the far left corner of the room, her eyes landed on me. “Jenée. Give me one suggestion of something planet-positive you can do for Earth Day tomorrow.” My hesitation drew twenty-nine pairs of eyes toward me. On the whiteboard was a list of bright red ‘Earth Day activities!’--a lifeline. I read her the top one: “A fundraiser…” “That’s already on the board, Jenée. What is one nonprofit we’ve mentioned whose fundraiser you could join?” There was no...
The Black Backpack
Today’s the day. It’s finally the first day of spring. I can’t believe it’s been 3 years. So much has happened since then. Mom died. Kaylie graduated high school. Mathew and I broke up. It’s bizarre. I force myself out of bed and go to the living room to see if Dad’s awake. He's sitting there on his phone when he notices me come in. “Want some breakfast sweetheart?” he asks. I shake my head, “You stay sitting dad. I’ll make a smoothie.” I reply. It’s only me and him in the house now. I go to a college nearby so dad offered to let me stay at home. Kaylie goes to Stanford, and since it’s her sop...
The Weird Kid
The day would not be remembered without first thinking of the morning fog that bestowed a certain dampness to the chilly air. Each breath taken was a sharp insult to the lungs and each exhale was but small, visible, proof of life, that easily, but not lazily, co-mingled with the atmospheric vapors. The late sunrise lent itself to the overall feel of a time and place “What in the hell did I just see?” Her fingers stayed rooted in place on the keyboard but her mind was leaving her novel behind to figure out what was happening in the here and now.“Are you talking to us, mom?” All three kid...