I’ve heard people say you’re not a real cowboy if you don’t wear Wrangler jeans. There’s gatekeeping everywhere, and a premium on conformity that has always pissed me off—although in fact the only jeans I own right now that don’t have a cavernous hole in the crotch are Wranglers, so I guess that makes me a cowboy.… Continue Reading
Pete has a pair of Jesus socks, like he can walk on broken glass and not feel a thing. One of them’s really saggy, but they’re both equally powerful.… Continue Reading
Death was not what he expected but what did he know?… Continue Reading
My homeland is where there are mountains, streams and churches. And there it is accepted that the youngest son lives with his parents. I moved out when I was twenty-three. By Armenian standards, I’m a rebel. According to Moscow’s ones, apparently, I’m a freeloader. However, my timid rebellion was as successful as a rebellion itself… Continue Reading
I take the gun from him and step into the shooting lane. It’s heavier than I expected. I let the barrel sag, watch it tilt before correcting it. I let it rest on the shelf while the paper outline of a man rolls backward away from me.… Continue Reading
Something I learned from Robert was what foolishness it is to take yourself out of situations where you might get close to people just so you don’t hurt anyone. Pain is like life.… Continue Reading
I think mostly Dad wanted to let Darla keep Diego because having Diego around just reminded him that Michael wasn’t.… Continue Reading
Troy’s fingers explore the tender lump on his upper right cheek. “What a night bro,” he says, looking around the train, “What a goddamn fucking night!” A young woman in the seat to his right looks up; his fidgeting has caught the corner of her eye. He smiles at her. “You’re lovely, you know?” he says. She has headphones on and cannot hear him.… Continue Reading
They say don’t tell anybody when you win the lottery, but he wanted everybody to know.… Continue Reading
His lazy eye was one of the first things I noticed about him. One of the first things that made me fall for him, the goofy, romantic bastard.… Continue Reading