Early on Wednesday evening I drove over to Jeff’s house. It was a small single story in an older subdivision and he bought it not long ago. A previous owner had finished the basement back in the 70’s with dark, fake wood paneling, thick shag carpet, and a bar. Old as the house was, it was all in good condition and he used the basement as a rehearsal space. We’d been playing with the same local cover band for over a year,...

For my freshman year of college, I attended a very small and expensive private college. It’s one of those places steeped in Ivy League legends, complete with a who’s who list of alumni members. My father, his father, and several generations of men in our family had all attended. I considered myself lucky to have been there at all, if only for one year. My father had lost a great deal of money in a scam during my early tee...

Copyright 2020 Christopher D.B. My black high-heeled pumps made a hollow clonking sound on the worn marble treads as I made my way up the stairs with the ornate iron railing. While my shoes looked like leather, they were from a discount department store and the label inside the uppers said they were all manmade materials. That didn’t bother me because they fit well and were comfortable. The heels were three and a half inc...

The central vacuum system made barely a sound as I made my way through the apartment. It was spacious and occupied the entire third floor. Although fully furnished and containing some of Countess Tori’s personal items, she only stayed here a few nights a week. My feet were hurting, as the toe box on my pumps fit a little snug. I’d hoped they would stretch out just a smidge after wearing them a few times but it didn’t seem...