“Jamie, come to our place; itsh an emergency and I dunno what to do. Harpo got hish head shtuck an’ Danny got knocked out; heesh not working up, please Jimm-Jammy Jamie.” “You what!? Harpo got his head stuck!? Are you drunk or something? You’ve been drinking, I can tell. Ok, I’ll call emergency and send … Continue reading Post 52: Just Another Day in Modesto: The Priest and the Day-Drinkers

During my daily bicycle ride, I pedaled past a slightly-built woman between 50 and 60 years of age. She wore a pair of blue jeans, a lavender pullover sweater, and gray athletic shoes. She had extremely long white hair pulled into a ponytail that almost reached her knees. She walked slowly on the sidewalk along … Continue reading Post 51: The Enchantress

The Satan Car I saw the Chevy Nova this morning when I rode to the coffee shop. It was an “SS” model from the early 1970s. Painted with a black matte finish and lifted to accommodate its oversized set of bright chrome alloy wheels, the car had an aggressive look, open for business and ready … Continue reading Post 50: The Satan Car

She waited until she had a kitchen full of people before she started loud-talking her granddaughter. She talked derisively about the girl’s hair, her clothing, and how her former daughter-in-law raised the girl. Incidentally, loud-talking, in the context of African American life, is when a person makes usually slanderous remarks to others about someone when … Continue reading Post 49: A Harridan’s Tale

The Porch Pirate The early years of the 21st century saw an increase in purchases from online retail outlets. During the Covid-19 pandemic 2020-2023, the number of online sales exploded. Delivery truck drivers usually dropped cardboard boxes containing customer orders on the front porches of homes in residential areas. Thieves who stole these deliveries became … Continue reading Post 48: The Porch Pirate

Out on McHenry Avenue not far from downtown Modesto, I waited patiently for my wife to return to the car. I checked my phone. It was 4:45 p.m. on a cloudy autumn afternoon. She said she would be ready to go by that time, but you know how it is. Sometimes hair appointments last longer … Continue reading Post 47: The Ghost of Grandfather Nine

In April 2010, a man rummaged around in one of the several thrift stores on McHenry Ave. in Modesto. He was looking for a pot that would fit on a hot plate he used in his 6th grade classroom. He wanted to boil water in the pot for several different science demonstrations and lessons. He … Continue reading Post 46: Carla Oviedo, the Genie

The first Modesto bicycle festival featured three major events. The main event was the “All Around the Town” race, a roughly 30-mile route that circumnavigated Most of Modesto and went down part of Hatch Rd. in the adjacent city of Ceres. The race began and ended at the corner of Stoddard Rd. and Kieran Ave. … Continue reading Post 45: The Modesto Bicycle Festival

Part TWO: The House Across the Street from Our House The house across the street from ours also housed several different families.  7. First, there was the woman with the renters. She had as many as 10 different people renting from her and living in the house just so she could afford to live there. … Continue reading Post 44: The Cursed Houses Part 2

At least two houses in my neighborhood are "cursed." This may be because of narcissism, greed, and other related character flaws. I say these houses are cursed not because of supernatural forces, but because the company that built the homes sold some of them to real estate speculators, who then rented them out. The housing … Continue reading Post 43: The Cursed Houses Part 1