Paul Revere

"One if by land, two if by sea." Paul Revere finished typing the phrase--destined to be famous--into his cell phone and hit send. His job was done. It would now be up to his fellow revolutionaries to spread the word of the impending invasion and prepare for the British arrival in Concord. Whichever route they chose, the Americans would be ready.

Revere was free to relax and enjoy his fruity umbrella drink next to the pool. He reflected on how when historians wrote about his story many decades from now, they'd almost certainly get many of the incidental details wrong.

Indigo Bunting

My partner and I were visiting a local park with friends. As we headed out one of the hiking trails, we crossed paths with a large group of birders returning from the field.

As their group neared us, we heard one phrase; “it was an indigo bunting.” Everyone in the group exploded with laughter. We laughed, too, because laughter is contagious. But after they passed, we were baffled.

I spent the rest of the day trying to think of anything involving an indigo bunting that could be that funny. To this day, if someone says, “indigo bunting,” I giggle uncontrollably.

From Guest Contributor Johanna Haas

A Special Education

Our daily newspaper when I was growing up would publish on Saturdays a page of commentaries, advice columns, comics, etc., by teenagers. Although I can’t remember the exact subject of my commentary – the unfortunate phrase “the rising tide of communism” sticks in my mind – I do remember my intense pride of authorship. For the first time, I felt avenged on all the adults who had ever undervalued me. I deliberately showed the clipping, with my name and age, 13, in boldface at the bottom, to Mr. Eakely, my eighth-grade English teacher. “What’s that?” he said, pointing at the number. “Your IQ?”

From Guest Contributor Howie Good

Howie Good is the author of Failed Haiku, a poetry collection that is the co-winner of the 2021 Grey Book Press Chapbook Contest and scheduled for publication in summer 2022.