Breaking the Minnesota Ice
Reading Time: 5 minutes. Jerry had been in Minnesota for a while now, trying to settle into his new life. On paper, it was perfect—good job, close to nature, and…
Stories
Has anyone ever served party pizzas at an actual party?
Reading Time: 8 minutes. So there I was, standing in the frozen food aisle at the Rainbow Foods store in Uptown Minneapolis, staring at a towering stack of Totino’s Party…
Not all heroes wear capes
Reading Time: 4 minutes. Back when I was a shy, geeky little first grader, the chaotic school lunchroom on the first day of school was like a horror story for…
The Rise and Fall (and Rise) of Justin Larson
Reading Time: 6 minutes. Justin Larson was the kind of kid who never quite fit in, literally or figuratively. By sixth grade, he had earned a reputation for being clumsy,…
The 80s were dark times
Reading Time: 2 minutes. Bright neon colors everywhere be damned, the 80s were fucking dark. In the late ’80s – early ’90s, it felt like every news broadcast was on…
I need to go for a drive. A long, solitary drive. Maybe forever.
Reading Time: 2 minutes. So, my wife, two kids, and I made the trek up to my mom’s house for the weekend. It was one of those trips where you…
How do you love when your heart is broken?
Reading Time: 12 minutes. I’m going to be pretty deep and serious in this story about a subject that is meaningful to me. So if you’re looking for my usual…
Finger Lickin Good Customer Service
Reading Time: 2 minutes. There was an elderly lady who would call me almost every day at the bank’s call center where I worked in customer service. She was living…
Dollar Store Hot Dogs
Reading Time: 2 minutes. I got some hot dogs at the dollar store one time. They made sparks in the microwave. So, there I was, cruising the aisles of the…