There was a summer storm. And the rain fell like a curtain on the stage, hiding whatever the story behind it. The catharsis had been introduced by the roar of thunder, and came as a flash of lightning. But now, all that mattered was that it was raining. And it was raining so hard that […]
moreCuracao, the Caribbean. Here, teenage boys make a few bucks by packing your groceries for you and carrying them to your car. You give them one florin, maybe two, for all that. It’s been that way for as long as I can remember. There have always been tourists who tell them to not bother. “We […]
moreI watch a TV series. An actor. He is an acquaintance of mine. His role is to act how he has done wrong to his wife, and he somehow doesn’t see. His wife in the story tries to tell him. He doesn’t listen. He is wrapped up in his own frustrations. He only realizes he […]
morePast midnight, empty highway, moonlit sky. On the radio, a politician discussed foreign policy. Our country had turned its back to the greater world. It was time to change that. He knew how. He gave examples, proving his expertise, sharing his wisdom in a flat and professional voice. Toward the end, the interviewer asked what […]
moreI asked some people over. All evening, I felt something was missing. This void floated on a yearning and kept me up all night. Eating, drinking, smoking, talking, dancing, laughing. Eating more, drinking more, until birds started singing and it was time to sleep. These same people have often advised me to think less than […]
more“Neutral,” said my osteopath, “I maintain neutrality while treating you.” He was referring to how I laid on his table, in undies, my eyes closed. He was doing something to the membranes around my skull. It’s hard to say what exactly, but there was a solemn intensity to it. He said that sometimes, he looks […]
moreOnce upon a time, I lost my voice. I couldn’t speak for a year or two. It wasn’t an easy predicament to be in considering I was a lawyer at the time. During those years of distress, a friend asked: “have you hit rock-bottom yet?” It had me wondering how you know if you’ve hit […]
moreI sit next to a dancer in the darkness. She is my teacher and we see each other every week. But how well do we know each other? What do our bodies reveal in movement, gestures? In the vulnerable act of trying something you aren’t sure you can do. We are at a ballet performance, […]
moreA new table, perfectly polished, unspoiled. Its wood is soft and warm and welcoming. With nothing on it, not even a pen or a set of keys. You feel foolish for telling a friend to be careful. But when you next look, there is a scratch. It is a small scratch, barely noticeable from a […]
moreI stood at a crossroad sipping my latte, a guilty pleasure of mine, waiting for the light to jump on green. A guy on a motorbike was waiting too. I smiled due to a second guilty pleasure – the fantasy of hopping on the back of that old-timer B&W, holding on to the athletic waist, […]
more