Monthly Archives: January 2024

Fame On The F Train

Yesterday afternoon my long journey from Sriracha, Thailand ended with the 747’s touchdown at JFK in New York. I hadn’t slept much on the flight and jetlag threatened to seize my body and soul, as I unpacked my bag at my Fort Greene apartment. Sleep crowded my vision, but the writer Bruce Benderson was celebrating […]

Singapore To Bangkok By Train

In 1990 I bought a second-class ticket from Singapore to Bangkok with stops in Penang and Suranthani. The old Pearl of the Orient was too clean for me. The Chinese president had ordered the city-state’s police to fine people for chewing gum or not washing their hands after using the WC. Effacing the walls with […]

The Soul Of a Summer Stutter

mmmmMagic kkkk xxxxx ththth A childhood stutter and stammer slurred my speech. In the 1950s My mouth rebelled against the passage of th and gh. Family and friends failed to decipher my words. My tongue mangled consonants vowels in my mouth. Adults thought me stupid. Schoolmates thought the same. I was beaten by three of […]

December 28, 1978 – East Village – Journal

At Hurrah the Senders and Karen Bihari played tonight. Neither group were my favs, but Sen Cassette was the DJ and my friends and co-workers; Anthony, Grant, Idelles, Jim, Bop and many others celebrated their freedom from family holidays. Jhoury served me a vodka OJ. Before I took a sip, a hand grabbed my arm. […]

International Write-Off Day – 2024

During his 2020 presidential campaign Joe Biden promised to address the massive college debt of millions of graduates and non-graduates paying from 4-8% on the loans. Once elected he proposed a debt relief. THe GOP rejected this measure mostly protesting that not everyone had to go to college and debts had to be paid, except […]