Author: Richard Donnelly

It’s the New Year, and everything about Walt O’Conner irritates Reba. Not the least his reasonable nature. He drives a reasonable car (Prius). Has a reasonable job (print shop owner). He is, when it comes to her needs, infinitely reasonable. And patient. She hates that. “Reba, a baby right now doesn’t make sense,” he tells READ MORE

No one works on New Year’s Eve. Well, a few people do. John Schatz is busy as ever with accounting and inventory, orders and plans…

“Tables were abundant, with golden apple pies, honey-glazed hams, rotisserie chickens, gravy and mashed potatoes, and cases of Bud Light….”

Had there been some misunderstanding? I asked her. Because if so we should call and clear it up… She stopped me. “When did you see John last?”

John Schatz looked familiar. The way celebrities do, flawlessly handsome. He did not stand or offer to shake hands. Or bump elbows…

Ah, the waffle fry. Cut in discs from the potato, waffle fries have a corrugated, or “waffled” shape, greatly increasing surface area…

I explained. Now that the pandemic is raging, we have every incentive to stay with our partners. Work things out. There’s no choice…

I actually have only one area of expertise. I know books. And in these COVID-stressed times I am often asked, What Should I Read?…

She held her breath as I picked up a plate. Tiny carp swam around the edge, in and out of seaweed. “This,” I said. “Should be in a museum…”

My friend had an idea, after losing his job. Let’s buy a used camper, he said. We’ll head to a legal state like Michigan or Colorado, and load up on marijuana-infused edibles…

“I just need a little something for our apartment in Paris,” the buyer tells us, bragging. “And this will do just fine…”

“The trouble with young writers,” Lars says. “Is they are young. They have no historical perspective. They don’t realize how dangerous Trump is…”

“He is a Republican,” I said. “That can’t be fun. And he works all the time. Maybe he’s just unlucky….”