Odds and Ends
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Many years ago, I told my father, “Steve Carlton is the greatest lefthander of all-time.” My father replied, “No, that distinction belongs to Sandy Koufax.” I countered, “But Carlton already has more career wins than Koufax and has years yet to pitch.” My father wasn’t satisfied with what I alleged was flawless logic, and told…
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The following is the first chapter of a novel I hope to complete before 2027. Because it can stand alone, I thought why not post it. A BALLAD FOR WINTER AND SPRING As a passenger train chugs its way northbound from Memphis into the night, a girl, perhaps too young to travel alone, sits…
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All team sports have common components and are derivatives of one another. All take place either indoors or outdoors and on rectangles of various sizes, with a fixed goal positioned at each end. Some look like this: Others look like that: Or this: Or that: Or this: Or that: But whether it’s the English…
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For decades, we in the West have undertaken the postmodern initiative of softening language. Cripples became handicapped and are now differently abled. Those who can’t hear went from deaf to hearing impaired; the blind are presently sight-challenged. The language changes but the conditions remain the same. For example, a sight-challenged chap is no less blind…
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Albertadromeus syntarsus. Why? Not because it has a complicated and nifty sounding name that rings like one of those stars in a neighboring galaxy with a hundred times the luminants of our sun, but because its’s a plant-eater that only weighs thirty pounds and could be weaned on a diet of weeds. Imagine never having…
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If there was ever a question that put enough meat on the bone to end world hunger, it’s how would I reshape the modern world? Sheesh! Some thought experiments are like Metamucil to a teenager who, the night before, drank a six-pack. However, I shall limit myself to two thoughts. I was a child of…
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My favorite game represents a bitter irony. I’m passionate about the game in question, which equates to loving it, but I would prefer my car get stolen to losing at this particular game. A participant, if they fail to strategize correctly, can reach a point during the game when they realize cosmic justice is a…
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Cop-out statements: That’s what bugs me. The one sitting atop the list is one we’ve all heard to the point ad nauseum, the ever-uttered drone: I wouldn’t want to bring a kid into this world. Naturally, the person uttering this done-to-death screech of pessimism is lousy at pair-bonding and too critical for relationships. More to…
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Death – Taxes – Gravity – Eagle fans hating the Cowboys and vise-versa – Philly fans hating Mets fans and vise-versa – Red Sox fans hating the Yankees and vise-versa – The New York Times will cause me to grind my teeth – My wife prefacing an item on her wish list by uttering the…
Michael's Corner 