Seeing Her Safely Home

I was in the shadows hunkered in the goat suit Mom made me for Halloween. I felt like a spy or a Army scout. I didn’t move. Bo Peep came along the street, then went out of sight past the Woolworth parking lot. I waited quite a while, until I couldn’t hear her sheep-hook staff … Continue reading Seeing Her Safely Home →

A Sermon on a Sermon

Brother Thoms’ Father’s Day Sunday sermon, which was supposed to be on the subject, “Supporting Father and Husband in their Priesthood Responsibilities,” wandered onto his hobby horse—women and the apocalypse. It was pretty vibrant and apocalyptic, and as usual, he rode it hard. A great amount of detail was put into length of skirts, wearing … Continue reading A Sermon on a Sermon →

Probably Should have Taken the Trail

It was a long day. They rode most of it, climbing through bottoms heavily timbered by fir and spruce with patches of aspen yellow in the draws and along the creek. At first, they followed a marked USG Forest Service trail, the blazes browned with time. Ora lead the packhorse and Mike rode behind. Near … Continue reading Probably Should have Taken the Trail →

Fishing and the Names of Mountains

Deek Komplec and Danny Fars were hunting cutthroat trout in the lake they had known as Congress Lake since they were boys. They weren’t skinny, fleet-footed boys chasing the biggest fish anymore. Neither of them were paunchy in their age, but bones rumbled and creaked when they moved, and when they stood from a chair … Continue reading Fishing and the Names of Mountains →

Home is Where

He was looking down at her mailbox, at the address there, nodding his head the way a person does who has found what he is looking for and now has no idea what he is going to do with it. At first Joanie thought he was just some tramp who had wandered a bit far … Continue reading Home is Where →

The Goat Knows More than He Can Say.

“At your leisure, Mr. Dahl,” Coach was smirking over his size thirteen polished oxfords at me. His oxfords were propped as usual on his desk and his chair squeaked as he rocked it which he did every time he nailed somebody the way he had just nailed me. He nailed me because I was in … Continue reading The Goat Knows More than He Can Say. →

Diane Instructs Hank on How to Make Coffee

“So, what have you done today,” Diane said. She held her coffee in both hands, right thumb through the cup handle. She was gazing at the line of the shadow moving down the mountain, slowly bringing the Valley from the dusk to a brand new day. She was speaking to Hank who had just staggered … Continue reading Diane Instructs Hank on How to Make Coffee →

The Irritating Delation of Irene Jameson

“Irene Jameson is delational!” This was El Du Duboise speaking. So, you can imagine the eye rolls and groans from the rest of us. We were sipping coffee and Chai at Mamma Maria’s Hot Imbibeeri, most of us trying to prop our eyes open enough to proceed into a day of acute observation and rational … Continue reading The Irritating Delation of Irene Jameson →

A Post Like a Finger Against the Sky

“There’s something does not like a fence,” Jody muttered. Old Brains, the appaloosa gelding, shifted under him, looked back, shook, and took a step to let Jody know it was an idiot idea to stop now with horse trailer, barn, and saddle-off-the-back was just a mile or two down the way. Jody held him and … Continue reading A Post Like a Finger Against the Sky →

Every Little Thing

“Who the hell did you piss off,” Tom said. Blaine’s smile widened. “I’m going to beat this,” he said. “I’m going to beat it.”