by atatnall
We hung out at Taco Bell. Mikey, Ned, Jim, and I. We were 14. We were annoying as fuck. We rode our bikes everywhere. By everywhere I mean Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Hollywood Video. But Taco Bell was where we spent most of our time and allowance.
Categories: Randall Colburn, Story Club North Side
by atatnall
For me, being a kid was the best thing ever. I know for a lot of people that is not the case at all and I’m really sorry, but for me it was great. I’m pretty sure my happiness peaked at around seven years old. My mom was a schoolteacher and my dad was a farmer, so I grew up around all of this open land with nobody else around. I lived like a fucking animal. I could just run […]
Categories: Lauren Catey, Story Club North Side
by atatnall
Around September of 2014 I stopped lying to myself. I stopped the charade of not wanting a relationship and “loving the single life.” I stopped convincing myself that my one-sided friendships were fulfilling enough for me, and I was happy without a significant other. I also stopped believing that it was socially acceptable to go on dates with people I met on Tinder. If you take anything from this, please, I beg you, don’t go on any more Tinder dates. […]
Categories: Josephine Woodall, Story Club Cleveland
by atatnall
Fifteen years ago, I was starry-eyed to glide up where the air was rarefied. After a lengthy string of mundane office and restaurant jobs, becoming a flight attendant was like winning a prize. Finally, I had landed a job that combined adventure and career potential. I would race through the cabin to hand out snacks with the spirit of a caffeinated poodle, while my grumpy coworkers eyed me with disdain.But my starry eyes glazed over with time. I now sport […]
Categories: Eileen Dougharty, That's All She Wrote
by atatnall
Dear Erica with a C, I hope this letter finds you well. I would have sent it to you directly, but you seem to have refused my Facebook and Twitter adds. That’s fine. I understand your reticence completely — I usually don’t add strangers, either! I’m sorry if I creeped you out. I’m sorry if this letter creeps you out. It’s just a gag, obviously. Mostly.
Categories: Erika Price, Essay Fiesta
by atatnall
It’s a coincidence that I’m here tonight. Coincidence – a word often abused and misused. The guy who’s been hanging around outside your work is now hanging around outside your house. Not a coincidence. Call the police.
Categories: Constance Dunn, Story Club Belgrade
by atatnall
I never thought I’d be one of those parents who let their baby sleep in their bed. It’s a little too “all in the family” for me. And like many people, I worried, “What if I, like, roll over on the baby?” But in December my son Oscar emerges from my body and joins my family, and in no time, our bed.
Categories: Iron Mom, Minna Dubin
by atatnall
The barista looks back up at me, Sharpie aloft over a half-caf venti soy latte. “Megan?” There have been times when I’ve allowed myself the small joy of just telling the barista: Yes. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes, my name is Megan! And what is yours? By your nametag I’m guessing Tyler? Tyler, isn’t that nice, isn’t that a blessing, such simple names as ours? And then we would rejoice, Tyler and I, in the ease of it all.
Categories: Miden Wood, Story Club North Side
by atatnall
American English has so many colloquialisms; expressions that have been grandfathered into our conversation. As busy as a one-armed paperhanger. He looks like he was rode hard and put away wet. It beats a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. I could go on, but why? Whenever any of us wants to compare the task at hand to something so amazingly complicated that mere mortals should not even think about attempting it, we say, “Well, it’s not like […]
Categories: Sara Norris, Story Club North Side
