Posts in Friends
Reggae, Amputations, and Trice by Author Jess Hagemann

I met Trice at The Absinthe House on Pearl Street. The bar doesn’t exist anymore, but when it did they had weekly reggae nights. I spotted him immediately—that woven tam cap slouching over two kind eyes, those baggy jeans swaying gracefully to the music. He asked me to dance, and I asked him what he did—proving that first impressions aren’t everything. That sometimes, the soul’s story sounds like The Wailers when it sings.

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Cupid Shuffle

In my career with Carnival Cruise Lines, we hosted endless deck parties. I once joked that if I never did the Cupid Shuffle again, I’d be just fine. I was wrong. Very wrong.

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Patience has Amazon Prime?

Oh Patience. You are not just a word that belongs with musty hymnals and hard candies. You are fighting to stay relevant. Trying on hi-low dresses. Signing up for Twitter. You show me your Amazon Prime account…

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Rowboat

I am going to tell you something that I haven’t told very many people…

I recently had one of those trusted conversations. The “not many people know this” dialogue is precious. I realized, after we got off the phone, the moment of hearing my dear friend say “I want to tell you something…” prompted so many emotions. I was simultaneously excited, nervous, hopeful and full of love for my friend. In that millisecond I worried, “Oh no, I hope I react the right way.”

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Stay in Your Lane

During my last workout of the year, the swimmer in the lane next to me frogged his legs out and almost kicked me a few times. It’s par for the course, but once or twice his hands skimmed my torso.

It startled me, if I’m honest—I felt a bit violated. “STAY IN YOUR LANE!” I yelled under the water.

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Seeking Sebastian by Author Susan Johnston Taylor

As we ambled along Newport, Rhode Island's Cliff Walk, soaking in the coastal breezes, my then-boyfriend (now husband) Steve announced, "someday we're going to bring little Sebastian here."

"Who's little Sebastian?" I asked.

"The dog we're going to get," he said matter-of-factly. 

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Falling Together by Author Debbie Zapata

I am sitting on the dock next to the lake. It is a place of solace during my darkest moments. My best friend since childhood sits quietly nearby. I can’t do this alone. It’s only been three months since my dad’s death. It’s his birthday—the first one without him here.

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