Half Empty Book Shelf

When HE looked down on the earth HE had created HE saw that while it was good, some had faded. Some of the humans were too afraid to interact with the others, other humans tried but were cast out by the majority. Somehow each one had ended up alone. "It is not good for man to be alone," HE said. He took pity on the lonely and gathered them in HIS arms. In pairs of two, HE placed the faders on a ship. Each ship was different and took a coordinated team to balance. Captain Goldberg stood atop a ladder peering through a hole in the ceiling. Just another day on the east wind he said to Mrs. Goldberg. Mr. and Mrs. Goldberg had been faders for a year and a half now. Together they managed one of HIS ships. The Family was no ordinary ship, in fact, it didn't really look like much of a ship at all. Learning to fly it was quite the trick. The Family was wind-powered but had no sail. Instead, the wind was caught in a kite flown by Mr. Goldberg. The rest of the ship was tethe...

It's a beautiful crowd up at 7:30 on a Saturday. The Crane Cafe was filled with a steady hum of good morning greetings and small talk over cups of coffee and hot cocoa. The last of the working crowd had since headed off to begin their daily labors so these customers were "early birds by choice". The young and motived mingled with the old and experienced. Wisdom was shared, Stories were told and the humdrum of the Crane Cafe turned into a joyous atmosphere for this moment once a week, but this week the cafe had a special guest. Jack Walters wore the traditional attire of his trade, a navy suit with a dash of orange lining the collar. He walked with an aura of confidence as his mother held the door for him. Jack was a 7-year-old card magician on a mission to wow the world. He got himself a chocolate milk and found a corner booth for his mother and himself. Sporting a milk mustache and a clever pair of emerald eyes Jack began to study the crowd. He knew that half of a g...

Jeremy heard the song and awoke as if snapped out of a trance. He bolted out the door,  leaving his day's clothes still folded at the foot of his bed. Not that it mattered, it had been weeks since he had spoken to anyone, and even so, he was too old to care. The half-naked old man made his way down the slopes and eased himself onto the ledge. Jeremy was a small man and so easily wedged himself between the crevice that divided the cliffs face. Once harnessed he slowly worked his way down and set himself gently onto the outcropping. This place was an oasis; just out of reach of ground predators, and far enough away from hawk rock to allow the birds some peace of mind. Starlings are common birds especially here in Central Pennsylvania. They are also considered an invasive species. Despite this, Jeremy had a love for starlings. The fact that they are common could not take away the beautiful green and purple sheen that glints off their metallic black coat. Much of their be...

It feels wrong to move into a place that already has a life of its own. The ecosystem is already in place. I feel like a stranger here. Traditionally a family makes a home, but without a family, this home seems to have come about of its own accord. As I set my things on the desk and begin to unpack, I notice that I'm not the only stranger in the room. The furniture in the room has grown old together. The desk is covered in tracks from the anxious scrawls of previous students. The paint on the bed's headboard is peeling and the particle board of the nightstand has curled back from years of Florida's humid summers. Yet all the age, rot and creaking floors of the Keating dormitories stand in contrast to a n empty bookshelf which sits in the back corner. It has a sleek contemporary feel and its black finish silhouettes it against the white stucco walls.  I begin to unpack and struggle to close the top drawer which won't go back in straight. I hide my secret stash of H...