My future daughter-in-law Haley and I are sitting on bleacher-style seats inside the stuffy auditorium; my husband Bryan is wandering the halls while we wait for the commencement ceremony to begin. My son, Brandon, is graduating from Buffalo State College today. Excited but bored and fidgety, Haley has asked me about Brandon’s early hockey life. … More Hockey Mom Incident #1
The young women weren’t threatening me, not exactly, not yet. I’m just back to the locker room, around the corner from the showers, towelled up, at the end of the late shift with my co-lifeguard, Claude, who had already closed up and gone on his way to the men’s. My dripping speedo is where I … More Locker Room
Her mother must have felt like crying as she watched her 13 year old daughter take the large pinking shears to the beautiful blue organza dress, a hand-me-down given by a neighbour for the teen dance that night. “I hate dresses!”, Stevie had screamed, “ I want a new top for my jeans tonight! Or … More The Dress
Well, Summer 2016 is in the books. And my new writing pastime is underway with great news: A short short sci-fi that I submitted has been accepted by Polar Expressions Publishing for inclusion in their book “Shoreline” due out this December. The name of the story is “NeverMind”. Hope you’ll check it out : polarexpressions.ca I … More Publication Notice
This is a story for my ongoing series of life as a “Camp Follower” ie, growing up as a base brat first then military wife later. As usual, these are true stories, save for some name changes and embellishments for poor memory! Sunday morning Leicester Square, CFB Winnipeg May 1985 My husband and I usually … More Baseball Game
Note from author: It’s so hot outside today! Here’s a short short that fits the day perfectly! If I was younger, I’d have a bite or two out of those freaky bike creatures clattering down my street, with their squealing kids attached. I miss the taste of rubber. “Bark, ” I warn, not even getting … More I’m Lucky
I’m not too old yet, back then, and lucky enough, although I didn’t appreciate it then, to not really look my age. I look younger than 23, and even with 3 years of University behind me, and with 2 years before that of working full-time on and off as a swim instructor/lifeguard, and throughout the … More From There, to Here, to Now, from Then
Mission Something was off when Alicia woke up at the 6:20 alarm. She slipped on the silky scatter rug as she rolled out of bed, and felt a giddy dizziness when she straightened; she knew she hadn’t drunk that much wine last night? She showered, grabbed the lunch already in the fridge and downed a … More Today’s Mission
Space radiated with silence; Barri Szowski floated in the stillness. Through his faceplate, he gazed away at the smeared light that glittered the Milky Way. He paused in his work, halting the robotic nano-gloves that melded molecules on the ceramic alloy of the elevator tubing. Looking down on the wispy ball of Earth, glorious … More Out of This World
“It Wasn’t Me”, or How She Learned … Nicole couldn’t decide if her boss was joking or not. She smiled awkwardly, and asked, “Really, Wilson? You think there are people who would spy on your computer screen through the window? From there?” “There” was the boulevard outside, not busy except at rush hour, then … More Ottawa Public Servants
Stevie Szabad, Author 