That was a really fancy maneuver you pulled on your bike. Blowing through a red light at Julian and Fourth streets while being on the wrong side of the road. Or were you riding on the sidewalk on Fourth? Because the way you suddenly zipped in front of me from around the…
Continue reading »
I like to shop local and have always favored small independent coffeehouses. But after a trio of bad experiences (stale burned coffee, clueless indifferent employees and a filthy smelly restroom), I decided to surrender to the dreaded corporate behemoth from Seattle. That’s where I saw you. You greeted me with a genuinely…
Continue reading »
Me and my buddy took our wives to the Santana show and decided to walk Shoreline Boulevard because traffic was at a standstill. A cache of Google’s free bicycles was too tempting to pass up, so we went for it. One couple fussed over the seat height and was stopped by security…
Continue reading »
There are a lot of sign spinners out there advertising for newly available apartments, tax prep services or furniture blowout sales, but most of them act like they’re at a tailgate—sitting on their foldout chairs, wearing their team’s baseball cap, taking it easy and just leaning their sign on the traffic light…
Continue reading »
Not all heroes wear capes. Not all heroes carry adamantium shields or swing Asgardian hammers. The one in my block wears cargo shorts, and his weapon of choice: some orange washable spray chalk. He doesn’t break up gang fights or thwart package thieves from running away with your latest Amazon shipment. His…
Continue reading »
A guy ran into a girl at the bar I frequent. He was pleasantly surprised to see her and she was absolutely ecstatic to see him but not for the reasons you might think. Some drunk was harassing her in stereotypical fashion. “You’re pretty. Let me buy you a drink!” He may…
Continue reading »
From my front door, I noticed a big group of people gathered around the pool deck. Some were fairly dressed up, wearing what I later realized was their Sunday best. These were church folks, and they were here to baptize a gaggle of children. Listen, I’m not religious, but I would think…
Continue reading »
“LOL.” I’ve actually never seen the living embodiment of the acronym. Sure, I’ve witnessed people rolling on the ground in hysterics over you-had-to-be-there stories. Shit, I’ve been guilty of blowing fizzy soda pop out of my nostrils after a well crafted boffola. But what I saw a few weeks ago was laughing…
Continue reading »
I had just heard the terrible news that our beloved cat had cancer. Completely distraught and in tears, I was outside the vet’s office on a call to my husband to tell him. You were taking your dog to your car, but returned to the sidewalk, and waited for me to see…
Continue reading »
Two hot dog street vendors stood next to each other on the sidewalk corner, cart to cart. Each one sizzling dozens of bacon-wrapped dogs, cutting up onions and heating up buns for the post-last call passersby. They were quite the synchronized tandem. These were no frankfurter foes. I admired their hustle, but…
Continue reading »