Conor Kelman comes of age during a time when hyperactivity was unlabeled. Teachers and parents considered him to be insolent, stubborn, and difficult to control. After all, he never paid attention and was always in the wrong place. In those days, parents and teachers used the switch, belt, and paddle to correct him. The fifth-grade … Continue reading Something to call his own
Author: Paul Keene
Making It
He received the invite. Nashville's Grand Ole' Opry. Now, it was real. Satisfaction cut through the engraved stress marks on his face that belied his young years. He had earned it. Rough schedules, racking up miles across the country, opening shows with a mixture of envy and admiration for those who had paid their … Continue reading Making It
Stale donuts from the bakery
She loaded the children into the shiny Lincoln and drove down the tree studded drive to the highway. Every Saturday, the mother watched from the window as her aunt took brother and sister to the bakery. The donut run, as the mother called it, never failed to bring joy to her children. When they returned, … Continue reading Stale donuts from the bakery
Cowboy
Some said he was born on a saddle. Others said he was one hell of a man. Didn't matter what you believed, he was an authentic cowboy and wore the title well. One night he cleaned off the dust, slipped into his best shirt, new Levis, and drove to a dance in the valley. A fiery redhead caught … Continue reading Cowboy
The Cross-over Man
He hated doing it, but the nursing home smelled clean, and the noises in the background spoke of friendliness and care. Blind except for shadows and a sense of dark and light, he relied on hearing and intuition. She asked him to stay, and he did. From 8:00 in the morning the two shared memories, … Continue reading The Cross-over Man
Angel in the Basement
On his way to teach mixed choir, the college professor turned the corner and observed a spellbound man blocking the stairway. "What's that sound?" The man asked. The professor cocked his ear. "Oh yes, that's the new student warming up." "I would have sworn it was an angel." The man waited until the sound ceased … Continue reading Angel in the Basement
Last Stand
Satisfaction cut through the engraved stress marks on his face that belied his young years when he received the invite to Nashville. He had earned it. Rough schedules, racking up miles across the country, opening shows with a mixture of envy and admiration for those who had paid their dues. Billed as the new Hank … Continue reading Last Stand
Invisible
She sat in the assigned seat although her demeanor expressed dislike in leaving the far back corner of the classroom. The corner protected her from sounds of gun shots fired in the middle of the night, boisterous laughter, groans, cursing, and rhythmic squawking of the lone bed separated by … Continue reading Invisible
The old woman next door
Three summers now, rude words cut through the cool morning air followed by a window shut with force that rattled the glass. The old woman next door started that damn lawn mower every Saturday morning at 6:45 am sharp. You could set your watch by it. A chain link fence, four feet from his bedroom window … Continue reading The old woman next door
Losing the will to survive
He wavered as he walked down the sidewalk clutching the brown-wrapped bottle against his stomach. Two more, you can make it two more blocks, legs. He looked down at the bottle and imagined the taste, the feel of the amber liquid sliding down his throat, into his stomach, veins, bringing relief to each cell of … Continue reading Losing the will to survive