Writing from the Heart with Brian
Think, Laugh, & Cry Each Day
(I first wrote this piece in November 2019. It still applies today.) The dentist came into the room with a copy of my x-ray in his hand. He gave me a big smile, that actually made me more nervous than calm, and went out of his way to promote the benefits of the practice’s 360-degree... Continue Reading →
I looked down at the floor. I took note of the curve of the tile. My wife would say something. I would grunt a yes or no back. I would look up occasionally, but I wasn't really sure where to focus. We were waiting in line to make our way into the funeral viewing for... Continue Reading →
I moved ahead two small steps. The long line of mourners wormed its way across and then back to the front doors of the church. The line was moving, but progress was slow. Last summer, I stood with fifty to sixty other people in line in an old church. I was at a funeral to... Continue Reading →
I pulled into the gas station and got out of my car to fill up my tank. The guy in the lane next to me was in mid-rant. He was complaining to his passenger and anyone else who would listen about the kid he came close to hitting. When he entered the station, a teenager... Continue Reading →
(A version of this short story first ran in 2016.) The challenge with any writing is to tell a good story. I wrote this piece of short fiction a few years ago for a writing class to see if I could write — not as an adult male — but as someone else. You be... Continue Reading →
(A version of this short story ran in July 2016.) John pulled the taxi in front of his parents’ home and turned off the engine. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had had spent the previous three days rehearsing what he was going to say. While he would have liked to delay... Continue Reading →
John thought he was safe. He survived two big layoffs at his company. He went to work each day the past twelve months expecting the worst. However, the days turned into a string of months. He started to think that the worst was over, and he started to actually breath again. After one busy week,... Continue Reading →
I looked in the car mirror, tightened my tie and took a deep breath. Once my my wife and I were ready, we got out of the car and started walking to get in line for the viewing. The wife of a friend had passed away and we wanted to show our respect. We recognized... Continue Reading →
When Luke Russet was eight years old, his father, American television journalist Tim Russert, took him to a Baltimore Orioles baseball game. As they made their way to their seats, they momentarily lost each other in the crowd. When the older Russert looked back and saw his son, he ran back to him and told... Continue Reading →
Writing from the Heart with Brian 
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