Inglorion moves into his father’s house, and takes over the garden, bees and chickens. In theory, there’s a satisfying symmetry to this. Certainly Lucius seems unsurprised, and quietly agrees it’s for the best. In reality, Inglorion’s confronted with an immediate, practical task. The walls, ceiling and floor are all spattered and stained to various degrees. When […]
So, here’s a pet peeve of mine. When reporters from major media outlets — think, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and just about every cable news show — deign to report from Arizona, they rarely venture beyond the Phoenix metropolitan area. This article on whether the Latino vote will finally flip Arizona blue […]
I’ve been talking to a lot of people about mask-wearing — it’s one thing most people have in common now — and a number of them report feeling physical distress: Dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, and so on. It’s rare to have a physical condition that prevents you from wearing a mask. Depending on the […]
After days of blank mourning, a purpose comes to Inglorion in the night. He will visit a nearby shrine, El Tiradito. The name means “The Castaway,” and the memorial is dedicated to sinners and outcasts, souls too degraded and impure to be buried in hallowed ground. Tereus was a non-believer, criminal and occasional drunk; Inglorion […]
The scenes in which Tereus gets my innocent, teetotaling hero drunk and cooks him a steak are loosely based on the raffish habits of my mathematician friend, Sol. Once, when I had a bad cold, Sol cooked the best chicken soup I’ve ever tasted, and left it warm on my porch. On another occasion, he […]
Inglorion sits there, watching his son’s face. He feels weak from hunger, but choked with nausea. He’s sticky with sweat and dirt, but too tired to walk back and take a shower. His eyes burn with tears, but he cannot cry. Lucius’s face is sweet in repose. If they were gray elves, no one would […]
I forgot to mention that Sheet-Pan Potatoes of the Apocalypse are really good. It’s my first recipe — if you can call it that — and they were great the first day, even better the second. The monsoons have started, so I’m going to keep rolling with the cooking. Here’s what I’m making now: Improvisational […]
Over the last day or so, a video clip has been circulating of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) schooling Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL) on the House floor. If you haven’t watched already, I highly recommend it. In the clip, Ocasio-Cortez speaks in a calm, direct fashion about the kind of bullying and verbal abuse that women […]
Lucius hears about a rash of attacks near the railroad crossings, and he cannot stop talking about them. It bothers him when Inglorion insists that Brutus is an adult, an army veteran, and probably more prepared to defend himself and his property than they are. Clearly he expects Inglorion to check on Brutus, and won’t […]
The summer muddles along, alternating between enervating heat and violent storms. It’s understood that Inglorion will spend much of his time with Tereus, observing and helping with the house and crops. If Inglorion’s absent for more than a day or two, Tereus tries to lure him over with food or drink. This makes sense to […]
