an old writer and his words

  • CONTACT

    When did it become surprisingfor a stranger passing on the sidewalkto offer a nod or even a hello?Perhaps it is a matter of geography,in some states, the warmer ones,it does seem much more common,or perhaps it is a matter more local,common in this neighborhoodnot nearly so much in that one,and downtown it is a complete…

    Lou Faber

  • ON EASY STREET

    Driving to the car dealer yesterdayfor what I should have knownwould be expensive service, notbecause I hadn’t had my carserviced in over a year, simplybecause any trip to the dealerfor service is expensive, Q.E.D.,I drove by Easy Street. I thought of stopping, perhapslooking for a small houseto keep for the occasional getaway,I mean who doesn’t…

    Lou Faber

  • HELL DONE OVER

    My ultimate goal, never to be achievedis to redesign hell and all of its circlesto better reflect the world we live in now. Of course I’d need two circles forpoliticians, one for each major party,and independents get to choose. Catholic priests, minister and rabbiswho abused members of their flocksget a circle of their own with…

    Lou Faber

  • CUISINE

    When I was younger (much), Icould wander Manhattan and bewhat any neighborhood required,so long as I stayed southof 110th Street or north of 155th. I was Greek ordering gyros,Russian at the Tea Room,Italian along Mulberry and Canal,although in Chinatown I was justsomeone who wandered a bit farfrom the heart of Little Italy. I could order…

    Lou Faber

  • THE HALF TRUTH

    As a Jewish kid in a small cityI suppose I had it pretty good, enoughof us that I didn’t totally stand out,and it helped living a single blockfrom the Jewish funeral home, somejust didn’t want to travel all that farwhen the inevitable time came. But we soon moved to the suburbs,the shtetl neighborhood was gone,and…

    Lou Faber

  • RETIREMENT

    He would arrive as I was still strugglingto convince the dog that he didn’t needto drag me around the neighborhood,that he knew the backyard well enough. I’d lose the argument in the end, thatwas a given, but he’d concede meenough time to wolf down breakfast,and I’d hear the small door in the wallopen and then…

    Lou Faber