I stubbed my bare toe on a carpet staple and lost a little blood. A mini tirade took hold of me, directed at the long-gone carpet installers who couldn’t be bothered with details. I wanted to take a close look at the vicious weapon that had lain like a trap for months, waiting to slash […]
Batteries Included Read More »
Sunrise on the 2nd of January, 2005 I’m flying east while my girl lies asleep with vivid dreams to keep her warm. Ten more nights to go, the longest we’ve ever been apart since our flaming start one score and five-point-six years ago. San Juan Chickens is ready to crow, the master, the graphics, the
Valentine For Frances Read More »
Escape, in several dimensions May 1988 FIRST NIGHT OUT, the great escape has at long last begun. Two weeks ago yesterday was our last day of 8 to 5 work, and we had planned to go up into the sticks immediately for a few weeks, then return to Santa Cruz for final preparations (mechanical, printing
Granddaughter Paris was about five feet tall and not yet a teenager, driving Emma, our good old camper-van, on a dirt road near Mendocino, California. I was in the passenger seat, happy and confident that she could handle the job, although Frances had already gotten out, having begged us to turn around when she first caught
Young Paris, Old Emma and a Stranger Read More »
San Juan Bautista, California, 2016Feb03 I dreamed that Frances and I were at one of those 1970’s-style hippie parties such as Suzanne, little Gabriel and I occasionally went to in the Oregon countryside around Portland. But this time the location was more like the area around Mendocino, California, with perhaps a couple dozen people –
Eyes Closed, dream Read More »
HARRISON HOTEL by Tim Tompkins with help from Frances Tompkins May 1982, West Oakland Angry voices, squealing tires gunshots in the street every night and the police never come. $46.50 a week cheapest room we could find they lock the door to the lobby even in the daytime. It’s almost midnight and someone’s in the
December 12, 1980 Pipsqueak voices from the furnace vent newborns in the wall seeking the nipple Frances gave them cheese on a plate they took the grains in the cupboard We gave them the run of the stove they nested in the dresser We offered sanction from the neighbor cats they took the darkroom enlarger
Walnut Street Mice Read More »
Timmy, 706 S.E. 14th Street, Portland, Oregon, early 1950’s A vivid memory haunts me, in sight, sound, smell and mystery that no one has ever been able to corroborate because I was all by myself at the time. Was it a dream? Did my mind synthesize it from real bits and pieces? I was about three
Frances pins Tim while his son Gabe lowers a pulley from Erector Set crane.The following story takes place three decades earlier, no pictures survive. Portland, Oregon ~1952~ It is mid-morning, and I am with Mom in our small rented house up on Marquam Hill, 3417 Southwest 12th Avenue, only a few blocks from Doernbecher Hospital in
Lee Utting, Sunset High School, 1965 Leahy Road, Cedar Hills, Oregon, about 1960 Lee’s family lived about a quarter mile from our house, down beyond the school, on a dead-end gravel driveway. It was not fancy, but there was plenty of room on the acre or so for collecting junk and for kids to play.