When life hits you with a metal chair
The trainer sits large at his desk. Clothing loosely draped. Arms and legs wide and open. Hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. He seems too meaty to be your [...]
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Posted August 12, 2015in Joe's Neighborhood
Posted August 05, 2015in Joe's Neighborhood
The waitress and the Good Samaritan
“A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.” So begins [...]
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Posted July 29, 2015in Joe's Neighborhood
The strangeness of life and war
The nasal, clipped tone of the August 1945 radio broadcast reaches across 70 years. It is up-to-the-minute coverage of the loud celebration in downtown Des Moines after the announcement that [...]
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Posted July 22, 2015in Joe's Neighborhood
Dog-a-palooza
People actually do show up at the Downtown Farmers Market. Handsome couples. Striking men. Beautiful women. They are dressed in all types of fashions, from easy and relaxed to hipster [...]
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Posted July 15, 2015in Joe's Neighborhood
Traveling and haircuts
After the haircut was complete, the barber bowed politely. I rubbed my head and gave a broad smile, hoping to convey my appreciation of a job well done. The haircut [...]
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Posted July 08, 2015in Joe's Neighborhood
Wedding planners, marriage and pipe cleaners
Marriage is certainly a line in the sand. One day you’re single, and your foolish behavior goes unnoticed. The next day you’re married, and your partner is the first to [...]
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Posted July 01, 2015in Joe's Neighborhood
Those pesky relatives of summer
The applause is thunderous. But not from hands clapping. Instead, skateboards brought by fans are smacked against the hardwood floor again and again. The raw sound of wood pounding against [...]
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Posted June 24, 2015in Joe's Neighborhood
Not a shark attack in sight
Boredom is an art form perfected by teenagers, lifers in prison and pop culture. My money is on the teenagers as the pros in that group. When the hapless parent appears [...]
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Posted June 17, 2015in Joe's Neighborhood
The chronically sports-impaired
The crack of a bat against a ball. The rising crescendo of the crowd as the striker roars toward the goal. The muted pound of the runners flying down the far [...]
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Posted June 10, 2015in Joe's Neighborhood
Lawn Mowers Anonymous
My name is Joe, and I’m a recovering mower. Just drive around on any evening or weekend in Des Moines. Go ahead. Notice what’s going on this time of year. [...]
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