Rivertown

In July and August I did not get on the Mississippi River even once. I walked along the river almost every day, but never put a boat in the water. Last Wednesday I finally went fishing from my canoe and, with the first cast, wondered why I’d waited so long.  I...

A Series of Events

By the time you read this, my friend Dave will have had a hip replacement. Last week he asked Stefan and me to join him at a corner tavern for a last outing before his scheduled surgery. Over two pitchers of beer and a large tray of unshelled peanuts, Dave, Stefan,...

In My Prime

I sat at my writing table this week and tried to think of one thing I do better at age 71 than I did when I was in my twenties. I came up with nothing. My paddle stroke might be more efficient, but any improvements in technique are offset by the fact that I’ve lost...

Renovation Equals Change

I walked into the public library last Monday, and all of the books on the first floor were gone. In their place were stacks of 2 x 4s and an architect’s rendering of a library renovation. If I read the diagram of the new floor plan correctly, and I think I did, most...

Twelve Straight Wins

I understand why people might be indifferent to professional sports. Obsessive fans, cocky athletes, privileged team owners, and government-funded stadiums all combine to create a pastime that a reasonable person might find unappealing. Having said that, I think that...
Steven Simpson