Bear sat at the kitchen table watching the horses in the east pasture. The clock on the stove read 7:22 a.m. It was a beautiful June day. His father, Ralph, came into the kitchen. He took his cup off the counter and poured his first cup of coffee of the day. He joined Bear at the kitchen table.

Ralph refused to call his son Bear.

"Otto, it's a beautiful day. What do you say to us taking Little Ralph fossil hunting down at the creek?''

Bear shook his…

                        Otto 'Bear' Harris stepped out of the shower and glanced at the 'My Little Pony' clock. Otto hated the little clock. It disconcerted him and clashed with the royal blue and white tile of the bathroom. The pink color, reminded him of Pepto Bismol. He hated Pepto Bismol. The cloying flavor and…

I believe its curiosity. Women, with whom I’ve been involved, are curious. My friend, Calliope, is more than curious. Her quest to know me surpasses inquisitiveness or furtive observation, it borders on prurience. She says it keeps our friendship fresh.

Calliope assists me with corset contracts when I need a set of surrogate hands. We were friends for two years when she commissioned me to make a hand-carved leather corset. She had definite ideas of what she wanted. Corset making is…