COUPLES AND SINGLES, MEN AND WOMEN

Divides and conflicts between men and women seem to be a constant theme in social media of late, and even, on occasion, in the news. How to behave? How to get a person on the “other” side to be more agreeable, as if we’re on competing teams? We have no answers!– though we’re a couple ourselves, one who stumbled together in part through our common love of language and literature. Relationships may be up to fates, angels, or vibes, qualities beyond our conscious minds.

Anyway, we have as our new feature a short story which examines the subtleties of human relations, whether one is on the inside or outside. The mysteries of love and life as portrayed in the wonderfully written “Raspberry Leaf” by Paula Brancato. We know you’ll enjoy it.

Baby of the family, she sat up straight and glanced shyly down, twirling the stem of her glass with her fingertips, the bubbles fizzling out. A pilgrim walked past. A real honest-to-God John Wayne character. That kind of man. The kind I knew she liked. She turned away, pretending not to notice I noticed her noticing.

(Also check out the new poem by Ken Kakareka at our Fast Pop Lit site, and browse through the other links on our home page. Thanks!)