Sharon's Blurb

  Did anyone else feel that? A subtle, yet seismic shift? March 1st, the Meteorological First Day of Spring, brought with it a palpable feeling. As if Mother Nature got the memo. The temperatures started climbing. The snow started melting. The snow, which had begun to fall in November and seemingly hadn't stopped since, was finally seceding. We were thankful we hired a snow removal service this winter; we lost count of how many times he came after he cleared our driveway 40 times. There was a moment when the city thought it might run out of salt. There are still mounds of rock solid ice and dirt left at the roadsides. But now, there is hope. The sun was even caught shining the other day. Dog walkers are daring not to wear their parkas. The sidewalks look surprisingly safe for pedestrians, no slippery patches of black ice in sight. Yesterday, I saw not one, but TWO motorcycles!   AND an assortment of shorts, tank tops, and running shoes. I...

  I was sure my ears were bleeding. I was sitting in the waiting area of a local mechanic shop, innocently getting a new bulb put in my left rear brake light, when the words coming from a back office hit the fan. Fuck this, and fuck that, and fuckin', fuckin', fuckin'. I felt assaulted. Violated. There I was, a paying customer, minding my own business, reading a book on my tablet, patiently waiting, when someone might as well have clobbered me on the head. That's how shocking and disturbing it was. I didn't say anything; just glanced up and at the woman at the reception desk. She was nonplussed. I guess this happens all the time. I had heard it during a previous visit while in the same waiting area.   Sounded like the same male voice. Should I say anything? I didn't. I let it slide. A few days later as I was entering a grocery store, some construction workers were putting up a scaffolding to do some work on the exterior. And the...