My Analysis Paralysis Story “Unfurl the ropes!” The white-haired captain barks as he surveys the wind-bellied sails. My twelve-year-old mind is spinning. Unfurl? What does unfurl mean? I’m clearly in over my head. What have I gotten myself into? The captain points to a large pile of twisted and knotted ropes on deck. In a […]
A Father’s Day Memory “Wrap the extension cord around the gutter and tie a knot!” My father cups his hands and hollers into the wind. “Be careful! Don’t drop the bulbs! They’re expensive!” I inch toward the icy edge of the roof and think for a moment. “What about me? Am I expensive?” I lower […]
A “No” Strategy Moment “Poppa, can I have some apple pie?” A simple question. But have you ever tried to reason with a four-year-old around five a.m. on a snowy winter’s morning? Especially when there’s no apple pie in the house? Gloomily, I employed my “No” strategy, an approach many parents are familiar with. A […]
Derek & the Ice Cream Cone Derek is painfully aware he’s poor. Forced to wear worn out sneakers and jeans, he’s often the subject of ridicule wherever he goes, particularly when he delivers newspapers to the wealthy part of town. And it’s not just teasing by other kids; even the adults in that neighborhood snicker […]
Misfortune In-Action There’s a farmers’ market in Union Square park just down the street from my office. Every Saturday, it springs to life with shiny red apples, bright green peppers, homemade cakes and pies, potted plants and fresh-cut flowers. The eager crowds greedily gobble up the market’s offerings like children on Christmas morning. I’m searching […]
A Short Guide to Happiness When I was about 10 years old I often went fishing with a family friend, Old Mickey. I guess he was “Old Mickey” because no matter what his age, he always seemed old. To me, Old Mickey was the spitting image of Humphrey Bogart in The African Queen. He was […]
Everyone Deserves Respect Dr. Wilcox, the head of psychiatry in a leading Manhattan mental health clinic, had a history of erupting in arrogant rages. Like all the interns, I learned to steer clear of him. When he appeared, we vaporized like ninjas into thin air. We escaped through emergency exits; hid in storage closets; or […]
