Can You Hear the Suspense?

November 8, 2025 / roughwighting / 80 Comments

As Gregory and I raced our final mile, the sun rose, and I saw the shifting shadow.

“Huh,” I said. Gregory ignored me, outpacing me by a stride and allowing sweat to drop into his hooded brown eyes.

I used to love running this last surge before my body stopped, heart pounding, blood coursing through my veins. I’d pretend I was flying, feet off the ground, hair swinging behind me, legs like a panther.

But with Gregory joining me on these early morning runs now, there was always this competition thing going on. No conversation, no smiles and kisses before we warmed up and began a leisurely mile before the steadier second and third one. Just a serious, straight-ahead, running-is-my-life stride. Continue reading →

Oh, you’re one of THOSE

June 25, 2021June 24, 2021 / roughwighting / 191 Comments

While driving to the airport two weeks ago, I had a horrible thought.

What name did my son use to authorize me to pick up my 12-year-old CA grandson from the Boston airport?

“Sky” had never flown on his own. But he couldn’t wait for the taste of independence (and full attention from doting grandparents) by flying across country to visit us for a week.
Continue reading →

What Are the Chances?

June 4, 2021June 3, 2021 / roughwighting / 110 Comments

I scrutinized the man under veiled eyes. My long dark eyelashes were one of my vanities, and in times like these they came in useful. (The Exit Door)

Since when did I follow a complete stranger ( I wondered – what’s an incomplete stranger?) out of a social setting where I knew at least half the participants, toward a “wonderful café” he suggested?

“George,” the blue-jeaned “complete” stranger said as if reading my mind. And no, I don’t do this often.” Continue reading →

Scoping for Love

February 14, 2019February 14, 2019 / roughwighting / 141 Comments

Amy didn’t know how to tell him.

They’d been dating almost seven months. In September, at month two, she wondered if he was the one.

But something held Amy back. Continue reading →

Missed Perception

January 12, 2018January 12, 2018 / roughwighting / 181 Comments

Boston, flying to Boston On one of my hold-my-breath-until-we-land flights a few months ago, I was the last passenger to enter the plane (my normal routine) and sat next to a nice-looking man who barely looked up.

But I looked him up and down, gauging how well the flight would go. Not garrulous, check. Not nervous, check. Not a drinker, check. All good to go.

But as I placed my purse under my seat and opened my book, I took offense. Perhaps this man – mid-30s – dismissed me already for being one of those things: a talker or a nervous flier or worse, just an “older woman” who was – dismissible. Continue reading →