As a kid, I was slapped, shoved, kicked on occasion, and called names like “retard” and “stupid little son of a bitch.” I had fingernails dug into the back of my neck until I bled by an aunt. I had a “good” friend of the family who lived with us for a time hold a knife to my throat and threaten to kill me. I … Continue reading My disease
Originally appeared in the anthology Static Dreams vol 2, still available in paperback and ebook formats. Walmart(paperback) Nook Kindle Paperback I never asked Pa why we fed the fields. It was just what we’d always done, as far back as I could remember. “Cotton won’t grow without it,” was all he’d tell us, my sister and I, and our father wasn’t the sort of father … Continue reading That Ol’ Devil’s Work
By the time I was seven years old, I’d already encountered my fair share of bullies. They were my peers, my classmates, kids in the neighborhood. They’d push me, shove me, calm me names, make fun of me. Tear up my shit on the bus on the way home from school. No big deal, really. I survived. An adult bullying a child, however, that’s an … Continue reading Deep Cuts
I have a strong dislike of bullying and sadism. I don’t wish to see anyone or anything suffer, and therefore I cannot understand how one would derive pleasure from being an active participant in such behaviors. The year was 1984, and I was seven years old. We’d just moved to Oklahoma from Michigan, and I’d met a new friend named Brad. Occasionally we’d spend Sunday … Continue reading Joe the dog kicker
