In which a toaster gets the sort of owner it wants.
For Erin without whom all this would be impossible.
And for Grant Naylor who is something of a demi god among toasters...

T'was a week before Christmas, and all through the mall,
I searched for a gown for the Yuletide Ball.
The crowds were oppresive, and surly, and mean
As the Muzak blared 'O Holy Night' o'er the scene.

One Last Game

Melanie Ezell

What is love? Sometimes it's giving up everything you want for the sake of someone else's happiness -- even if just for one last game.

For the BCTS November story challenge

"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."
-- Thomas Jefferson

All Hallow's Eve; Hallowe'en; the holiday so crucial to my personal journey of self-discovery. It's hard to believe it has been almost a year since HE won the election. How did it happen? Some said it was vote fraud, others said it was just a better run campaign. Me? I don't know, but am leaning to the former. Looking back at it, it couldn't have just been the pendulum swinging back, it was just too well orchestrated, too well thought out and played. In the end, we just rolled over.

I have worked on this poetry for years. Kelly Blake's new entry inspired me to share it. I am sure that any Transgendered person will understand it. There are a variety of themes contained within it. I think I was reading the work of the likes of Frost, and his contemporaries at the time. I started it in the Late 80's after I finally figured out that I was Transgendered and there was no cure.

It started out centered on the page with a yellow background. Anyone who would care to correct that, you are welcome, but I do not wish anyone to tamper with the text at all.

 
James has no idea that a slight slip of the tongue from his mother would ruin one of the best times he had in a long time as well as the rest of the year. He cursed his luck that she had to come home early that day, but that was how life worked out. Just Five minutes ago he was hoping that he would get lucky with one of the most popular girls in his school. Cheryl was on the schools cheer squad. He was laying across his bed with her and she was kissing him.

Trey Harrison, I blamed Trey Harrison.

He was the blame for me standing out here on a football field on a hot summer day for four hours. And did I say making a fool of myself?

We all have blessings in our lives
we only need to take time to look
to see the blessings we have

some of the biggest blessings we have
is family whether they are our real

Kadash

by shalimar

“Not long now, Bill. Looking forward to retirement?”