Six feet apart from my shoes.
—Ashly Cabral Arno
Eating to live; oops, the opposite!
—Vanina Bousquet
A bad time for lipstick lovers.
—Francis Almonte
Category: Volume 19
Lady Liberty’s Delusion
I am American,
Yet I was born and raised in France.
I came from overseas.
I traveled back and forth many times
Until I was complete.
A long journey.
How the Coronavirus Affected My Life
As a powerful devil, the coronavirus opened its mouth and traveled all over the world. It was invisible. As I write, it has caused more than 100 million people to become sick so far, making them struggle in pain without being able to breathe. It has killed more than 2.5 million people. It has destroyed many families without notice. It has forced many countries to lock down and prevented people from enjoying vacations. It doesn’t even allow people to talk together, close up.
Fears
I have some fears of my own.
About them, they are unknown.
The shadows of those fears
Are always around.
My Vote Means Nothing: A Play
Characters: Nigel and Keron, brothers
Setting: Their home in Brooklyn
Keron: Are you voting this year?
Nigel: No.
Keron: Why not?
The Virus of 2020
Covid-19 is a virus that has put the whole world into a state of panic, leading to the deterioration of the economy. Some people lost their jobs, and their debts increased. Others lost their lives, and some lost a person dear to them.
A Simple Act of Kindness
Years before the Covid-19 pandemic started, a couple helped me and my partner find a home. This year, when the pandemic arrived, they helped us to have meals at the table. In the past, Victor and Angie, working as property agent realtors, helped us to find the apartment we now live in, located in Queens. We were very satisfied with the assistance they gave us, but once the place was purchased and we moved in, the relationship between the couples ended, or at least I believed so.
The View through My Apartment Window
I like the view from my window. You can see pretty trees and the sun’s rays through the branches. You can hear the birds singing as they sit on the branches. It’s nice to see the nests that they build for their babies. I can also see the kids playing and walking their dogs and my neighbors jogging and working out.
Midnight Darlings
There’s a big red star circling around the creek,
saying, “come over,”
signaling music to dance through the dark.
So, brightened smiles, sharing twisted, bended realities, glories, and newfound safe havens for midnight darlings,
waving shifting stories.
One Day on the NYC Subway
In 2019, I studied in an Intensive English class on Riverside Drive at 89th Street. After class, my friend Awetash and I spent our free time exploring the city. We used the subway to go everywhere, and it was an adventure. One day, we went to the Brooklyn Bridge, taking the express train downtown. It was summer, and the subway was hot and full.
Strangers
What does a deli vendor talk about on the phone when he wraps me up a bagel with cream cheese?
Guys from delis are always on their phones.
I imagine faraway voices from countries where they lived with their brothers.
Choices
I have a habit of watching people. I can’t decide if I consider it a bad one. I’d rather call it curiosity.
The other day, I was on the subway, sitting across from a family. They were a couple who had a stroller with a wonderful boy. I could tell from what I saw that this boy was very interested in the people around him. He was smiling at everyone.
Make More Noise for Yourself
Inequality and racism affect mental health because they create additional challenges for people in poor communities and communities of color. Many people have to live with being unemployed and being shot at or arrested by the police. I have had to struggle with these things, and it broke me down mentally countless times. I have fought to overcome these obstacles, but it has been hard, and not everyone has the resources to fight back.
Bank Robbery
I was on my way to the bank around 9:30 a.m. The traffic on the road caused me to arrive later than I planned. As I entered the bank and looked around, I realized that I would have to stand in line for the entire day. There were only two clerks on duty and a long line of customers. After I stood there for about an hour, my feet started to hurt. A male customer, who was third in line, was on his phone, texting and taking notice of his surroundings. It was his time to approach the clerk.
I Was a Dog Lover and I Didn’t Know It
Yes, I’m a dog lover, and I didn’t know it. I had to fly 5,295 miles (8,521 kilometers) to find it out.
I have a small Havanese, and he probably processes English better than me, at least in a more natural way. He was born here, his previous family welcomed him in English, and for his first months of life, he heard English.