He was young, untested. The first words out of his mouth were a lie, and I knew it, but he thought he could fool me. I nodded and smiled. “Go on,” I said. He seemed not to notice that he was stepping further into my trap.

Obviously, he didn't know the rules of the new order. He thought he could still buy his way out, and he tried that with me. I raised an eyebrow at his temerity, and, though he tried to disguise it, I could see that he slumped a little at this minor defeat. He tried…

She marched down the sidewalk like the queen of England, spine as straight as an iron rod, sturdy pumps clacking rhythmically on the concrete. A flower pot of a hat sat on her head like a crown, and her well-made coat was buttoned all the way up, even though it was a warmish day.

He walked - or rather, careened - several steps behind her, keeping his distance but yelling all the same, arms and legs flying every which way, hair unruly, plaid shirt buttoned unevenly, dirty work pants…

This scar? This one right here?

It's no wonder you don't remember it. You were so young. You were staying with your grandparents, I think, and your dad and I went camping with another couple.

What’s that? Oh, yeah. You’re right. I really don't like camping so much. I thought I did, back then, though. Everyone else I knew said they liked it, back then.…

I'd always meant to read some of Joseph Campbell's writing, and recently after a friend mentioned him in conversation, I picked up a book of his lectures from the library. By the time I was halfway through reading the first lecture, I felt I had found an old…