first date couple, stringing people and places and things to sketch out who they are. smiling big and laughing loud. leaning in, “do you want potato salad?” “i ate a tv dinner.” “do you cook?” they try so hard to understand or act like they do but none of it will make sense until much, […]

her legs, encased in a black cotton-spandex blend, were like two twigs, and i thought they might bend the wrong way and break, causing the rest of her body parts to fall onto the pavement. –somewhere around the silver lake, los angeles

a lady with silver-white hair growled at the family and then wheeled her cart around the corner. she’d said something about the young boy being Trouble; he was riding on the bottom rack of the shopping cart. “why did she say that, mommy?” the boy asked, puzzled. “oh, she is just a lady who feels […]

the homeless lady who appeared from behind a parking meter snarled at me: “call up your husband and tell him you’ve got an army with you. they can’t take the japanese girl away.” –sunset strip, hollywood, calif.

A man in a pale green coat and rainbow fruit-striped gum ski cap walked into the café and said: “So where can I find ice cream around here?” It was 40 degrees out. He was with a young boy wearing a fuzzy sky blue cap with ear flaps. When the man behind the counter could […]

she was splashing water on her pant legs and i looked at her with what-are-you-doing eyes. “i have such a static problem right now,” she said. “every time i shave my legs i get static the next day.” –women’s restroom, my office

we see mrs. frump every monday, wednesday and friday, and she never smiles or says hello. she just walks briskly, bundled up in her shin-length, baggy green sweater and burgundy sweatpants. today, as i was driving off, i took a good, hard look at her. her shoe laces are orange. –once around the reservoir, 7 […]

she said in elation, “this is the best thing i’ve heard all day.” of course, it was only 9am. –the blue awning café

when asked how he was doing, the man wearing a skull cap said, “you know, same shit, different girlfriend.” his friend laughed. “how ’bout you?” “same girlfriend.” “different shit?” “yeah.” –deli, whole foods market, the valley

she had a voice like an aggressive, british miss piggy. it shook the table. she towered over the restaurant on her way out, nearly tripping over her black boots. –lunchtime at a ramen house