By Debra White In mid-October 2001, a sprawling shopping complex including a two-level mall known as Chandler Fashion Square, opened in the East Valley area of Phoenix to rave reviews. Critics said malls were fading away and questioned whether the new mall would succeed. I shrugged off the doom and gloom. Someone always nitpicked, didn’t … Continue reading Me and the Chandler Mall
Nightmares and the Monsters that Breed Them
By Susan L. League Dreams have always been a part of my life, especially recurrent, other-worldly nightmares. My imagination was and still is that of a child. Born and raised in the deep south by an unusual mother, who was schizophrenic, undiagnosed, and untreated, so everything was real to her. There were aliens, who planted … Continue reading Nightmares and the Monsters that Breed Them
An Hour in the Life of a Five-Year-Old Pool Player
By Francine Rodriguez The parking lot in front of King Drew Place of Family on Central Avenue, was nearly full that morning in 1994. I didn’t recognize any of the cars filling the lot, stacked one behind the other. Gangster cars, black Suburbans, Escalades, and lowriders, like the ones in my neighborhood, like the 61 … Continue reading An Hour in the Life of a Five-Year-Old Pool Player
The First Date
By Ruby Pressman As we walked in to the Little Mexican Kitchen on Main Street, I leaned in to open the door, but Joel opened it for me, and I said, “Thank you!”, revealing my blue turquoise bracelet with crosses on it. I thought this might bother him, but he didn’t say anything. “No problem,” … Continue reading The First Date
Love at First X-ray
By Kunal Mehra “Move a bit closer to the board. There. Perfect,” he said, as he stood behind the X-ray machine. “Now take a deep inhale and hold it.” My chest was hurting and I wanted to let go and exhale, but I did what he asked me to. He wrapped up his work and … Continue reading Love at First X-ray
A Summer Awakening
By Nandhini Natarajan I was deleting all Facebook requests when a name suddenly caught and held me. From thirty-five years ago and ten thousand miles away. I was about to click it open, but my fingers stilled. I didn’t want to see the years on him, didn’t want to bring him into the present. I … Continue reading A Summer Awakening
Blue Fringe
By Susan Gene McCartney November 14, 2008. Into Africa I fly on a one-way ticket. Journey through fourteen countries intwenty-two months on local transportation. Learn. Rest. Change. A woman without advantage ofyouth or money. The journey has many pieces. This is one. November 21, 2008. Tozeur. Oasis in southwestern Tunisia on the northern edge of … Continue reading Blue Fringe
On the Threshold
By Ruby Pressman We’re allowed to make mistakes, I thought to myself, as I looked in the mirror at Banana Republic that day. I gazed at my face. It looked tired and grave, and there was a line above my lip from worrying too much. I was going to meet Chris, a guy I had … Continue reading On the Threshold
Driving in Third Gear
By Edith Gallagher Boyd The third floor balcony where we live is a sanctuary for me in many ways. Although it is in Florida, it has an “up north” feel to it, an expression I’ve heard countless times since we moved to the town of Jupiter. The balcony is surrounded with Florida maples, pine trees, … Continue reading Driving in Third Gear
The Ambulance Chasers
By Kevin Hibshman Story 3: Lighting Strikes! Summer was prime time for my sister, our friend Brenda and I. We were the ambulance chasers, running after the sirens and flashing lights. When the town fire siren began booming, we'd run to the end of our street where we could watch the emergency equipment roll out. … Continue reading The Ambulance Chasers
Academy of the Heart And Mind 