indeterminate mind

“Try focusing more on your life and less on mine!” Alan bellowed surprising both himself and Meagan. Alan didn’t know where the anger came from, he just let loose. “I am so sorry!” he immediately added, hoping he could reverse the consequences of his outburst. “That’s just fine,” Meagan said with a tone that told Alan that it really wasn’t “just fine.”   Meagan quickened her pace to join the rest of the group, leaving Alan back to wonder why he was so reactive.   A little advice from another single parent should be welcome.   What is wrong with me? Alan wondered to himself. At that moment Alans hear once again began to pound uncontrollably, only this time was worse.   Alan struggled to breathe and quickly made his way to a bench on the side of the busy street.   Alans vision blurred and all he could see were the myriad of light of the passing cars mixed with the lights coming from business signs, except he could make any of them out.   They amalgamated together into a bright mesh

“Don’t patronize me!” I yelled.  My sister Jeanie had a way of making me feel small, even when I knew I was right. “I can’t believe you are so spoiled you can’t see that I am right.” “Whatever!” she said. And smiled at me as if she was telling me that nothing I could say would change her mind. My reprimand obviously didn’t have an effect on her. How can she be so smug about something she doesn’t understand, even a little? I thought. How could two twins be so different? I know it sounds arrogant, but I am the nice one, the one who is easy to talk to and be friends with.   Jeanie, however, is acidic, prickly, and mean.   Being friends with Jeanie is as dangerous as juggling with a knife; one never knows when it will stab you. “Oh, hi Rob!” Jeanie’s voice changed from the quiet scream she used with me to a sweet melodic tone.   IT was like when a symphony hits a climactic note with everything playing and the timpani’s pounding and then a single flute comes in.   That’s how Jeani

Thursday mornings at Dave’s General store are customarily uneventful. Mrs. Obermeyer will often walk across the street to buy some bread or eggs.  She lives so close that she often just buys what she needs when she needs it.  She inherited her house from her mother who inherited from her father.  It is likely the old red refrigerator came from the fifties or before and doesn’t have as much room as the modern ones do. And it is not unusual to see Mike Collins pull in to fill up his coffee thermos after spending the morning milking his cows.   Dave could smell the manure on his boots as Mike made his way up the aisle to the three different brews. One that said Coffee , another that said, Decaf , and a final one that just said Fancy .   Which often had just the regular coffee?   But today was different as Dave looked up to see somethings he was not used to seeing, a stranger. A small but fit woman walked in.   She was pretty and confident as she walked around the aisle of various good