There was a frog in our house.

We’d thought he only taxidermized celebrities’ pets. But then we saw him crossing the yard carrying Mickey Rooney.

We’d thought he only taxidermized celebrities’ pets. But then we saw him crossing the yard carrying Mickey Rooney.

She smiles and waves at me. I return her smile, mine more faint than hers, and I see her catching sight of something or someone behind me.

She smiles and waves at me. I return her smile, mine more faint than hers, and I see her catching sight of something or someone behind me.

A couple was making love outdoors while a grizzly bear watched—it was a tv show— and I thought, this reminds me of me.

A couple was making love outdoors while a grizzly bear watched—it was a tv show— and I thought, this reminds me of me.

Even in death, I would make a showing of my conscientiousness. I would step into a black trash bag, first removing my heels to avoid a snag. I’d put a note on the outside of a second bag before pulling it over my head.  “Please do not open; call the police.”

Even in death, I would make a showing of my conscientiousness. I would step into a black trash bag, first removing my heels to avoid a snag. I’d put a note on the outside of a second bag before pulling it over my head.  “Please do not open; call the police.”

The water witch said that if I cut my hair and killed the prince and his new bride she would turn my legs back into fins and I could go home. I didn’t have to think about it very hard.

The water witch said that if I cut my hair and killed the prince and his new bride she would turn my legs back into fins and I could go home. I didn’t have to think about it very hard.

When I was dead, I returned to my father’s house, an old farmstead in Northwestern Ohio, and I stood alone in the gravel drive, satisfied to see that the house was just as I remembered it—small and gray, rising on a plot of land west of a moonlit apple orchard.

When I was dead, I returned to my father’s house, an old farmstead in Northwestern Ohio, and I stood alone in the gravel drive, satisfied to see that the house was just as I remembered it—small and gray, rising on a plot of land west of a moonlit apple orchard.

The old man kicked us out after the fight.

The old man kicked us out after the fight.

The Class of 1953 Tachikawa Air Base Bride School girls were fertile, well-fed and rested.

The Class of 1953 Tachikawa Air Base Bride School girls were fertile, well-fed and rested.

"Me, all scatter-shotted words I tried out in the air ..."

"Me, all scatter-shotted words I tried out in the air ..."

But the shortstop is still bothered.

But the shortstop is still bothered.

So obviously I couldn’t do it. She would have known it was real.

So obviously I couldn’t do it. She would have known it was real.

Beautiful, the flat-forever fields of Wisconsin as I barrel on through flurries, gobbling cheese curds, until, through the fluff, the end appears.

Beautiful, the flat-forever fields of Wisconsin as I barrel on through flurries, gobbling cheese curds, until, through the fluff, the end appears.