by Fred Nicholson | Aug 8, 2021 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Stories, War Games
Letting Go!We all have the stories.Here are 3 of minein a few words.*Kids too . . .Pieces strewn aboutwere just guys and dolls(other cultures have them)when our shells landedblowing the tenantsto smithereens,in Vietnam.*decades later I visited himin St. Vincent’s...
by Fred Nicholson | Jun 11, 2021 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Love is the Answer, Stories
Regrets? No. Be, Hear Now.This afternoon I sat,cried and wrote.In the late 80’s in Paris, I stayed with a friend.She invited me to have an authentic Frenchmeal being prepared by her grandmother.That memory just gave me a big smile,but that reflection didn’t bring...
by Fred Nicholson | Jun 11, 2021 | Kids and Grown Ups, Stories, War Games
Home Life prepared me.Home life prepared me for my time in Vietnam.Pain out thereso stay in here,safe and sound.The belt whistles.I hear the screamsand taste the blood.I am inside herewith my popcornand many friends.Please give it your all,until your arm tires,like it...
by Fred Nicholson | Jul 3, 2020 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Stories
a Book Kid.We steal some cheap flashlights. I am under the tented cover at night,reading a thrilling, historical Russian novel. It is Sholokhov’s, ‘The Don Flows Home to the Sea’. The Reds and the Whites. His stories charge,flow are sad joy full...
by Fred Nicholson | Jul 3, 2020 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Stories
“You can’t catch me”, and much more.It’s winter,an early morningSaturdayin NYC.We are down stairsplaying Tagin the new snow,that fell last night.He shouts”You can’t catch me”and is running fastto the safe spot.Determinedto tag...
by Fred Nicholson | Jun 15, 2020 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Stories
Fill in the blanks.Mother, Austrian Polish Jewsent to Boston,all her family die in Auschwitz.Mother meets father, black and Native Indian, he says,living in Harlem.Mother and father have a child, me,Born in Sydenham Hospital,Bronx, New York.Father and mother...
by Fred Nicholson | Mar 12, 2020 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Stories
House Guests We kids,us boys and girls,didn’t have any guestscome over to hang with. Ma didn’t either.She was fearful of intruderssneaking into our 13th floorhousing project apartment. Dad had house guests over,same ones every few months,five or six in the living...
by Fred Nicholson | Mar 12, 2020 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Stories
“Do what you’re told.” When they told me“Lock the doors and bar the windows”,I responded immediately. When he told me“Go to your room and take off your clothes”,they said “We’ll show him”, and we did. When she told me“I’m going to wash your mouth out with soap”,they...
by Fred Nicholson | Mar 12, 2020 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Stories
For years I dreamed of pushingwith palms and soles against the coffin lid.Now I lay in the dark under the wool blanket,settling into a comfort, imagining the feelingsof a mother’s warmth. Being my own motherhas not been the same as wanting to have onethat holds and...
by Fred Nicholson | Jan 10, 2020 | Kids and Grown Ups, Stories
Normal I’m stooping scoopingants out of their homewhere grass meets path The good humor ice cream stickcatapults them into the airto drop and scurry crazily aboutI dig with a vengeancefaster and deeperto get to the bottom of things It’s early Sunday morning hot JulyNo...
by Fred Nicholson | Jan 10, 2020 | Kids and Grown Ups, Stories
Eliminating Carelessness He lectures me on carelessness.I curse myself for dropping the plate.”Next time you won’t be so careless.” He mixes his potent solution,Castor Oil, Milk of Magnesiaand Castoria in a water glass. He’s an expert at making...
by Fred Nicholson | Jan 10, 2020 | Kids and Grown Ups, Stories
TV Time We’re all sittingin the living roomwatching Gunsmoke. Ma turns to me and says,”Look at your toesThey are ugly”. We all laugh.I slide my feet backinto the U.S. Keds. 1982 f
by Fred Nicholson | Jan 10, 2020 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Stories
Home Visits The Welfare lady comeswith formsand places to sign. We spin like topscarefully assembledto throw her off, with shirts too smallpants too shortand shoes with holes. 1983 f
by Fred Nicholson | Jan 10, 2020 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Love is the Answer, Stories
Mama You reach through the fogto grab a little handand lead me across the street. I see your sweet-smelling skin,Cashmere Bouquet fragrant and smooth,when passing the barely open bathroom door. I love when your behind movesside to side and the men’s eyesfollow,...
by Fred Nicholson | Jan 10, 2020 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Stories
the Balance Be and know the dark firstto appreciate the lightmore In the carheading homeI thought ‘Dad brought joy into the housewhen he appeared with big bagsfull of beef, pork and chicken. We’d all gather aroundthe dining room table,6 kids and...
by Fred Nicholson | Nov 27, 2019 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Stories
January 18th, 2019 Tongues of Fire & Forgiveness in NYC I lay down to rest last night and the word ‘forgiveness’ sprang up. I thought we were going to be talking about my relationship with dad. My lined yellow pad was close at hand. The next instant ....
by Fred Nicholson | Nov 24, 2019 | Kids and Grown Ups, Stories
Relax, smile, and blank them out. (part 1)I did that a lot,smiled and looked relaxed,even when I wasn’t. The electrical cord whistlesbefore hitting my body,wherever it lands. I’m tied face downto the cots four corners,for some ridiculous reason and never...
by Fred Nicholson | Sep 9, 2019 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Spirit, Stories
How can we go up, while the movement outside the window is going down? Dad and Ma and us four(at the time) kids had lugged the heavy suitcases through the snow, to our new home. We pushed through the heavy green outside door. Ma pushed a gold button on the lobby wall....
by Fred Nicholson | Aug 7, 2019 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Spirit, Stories
Welcome home a Preface to your welcome home.This time as a baby boy. So many homes you just don’t know about, but each return visit HERE is different. You may appear as a tree, apple, gold, nugget, fish, deranged nut job, dingle berry, hair follicle, rose...
by Fred Nicholson | Aug 4, 2019 | All Mixed Up, Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Spirit, Stories
Magic is being here alive and continuing on. For years there was a recurrent dream/nightmare of me, as an adult being nailed inside of a coffin. Always waking up in a sweat. The last time I was with C at my place. C and I had smoked some pot and were asleep. I...
by Fred Nicholson | Jul 22, 2019 | Kids and Grown Ups, Love is the Answer, Stories
Lessons When I was an early teenwe lived on the 13th floorin the Lillian Wald houseson Avenue D in New York City. Ma sent me to the storefor Taystee or Wonder Bread.”Don’t forget the receipt.”OK ma. The elevators, both odd and even,didn’t work...
by Fred Nicholson | Jul 17, 2019 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Stories
“Mama, outlive who?” Those that mute our voicesand chain our bodies Those that collude and sentence usto gas chambers and electric chairs Those that tell their childrenwe are rabble, rats and roaches Those that cage our childrenand banish us to other...
by Fred Nicholson | Jul 13, 2019 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Love is the Answer, Stories
Inheritance, something transmitted by or acquiredfrom a predecessor. Hmmm . . . never gave inheritance much thought.Here goes . . . TrustMy mom, an Austrian-Polish Jew, they said.My dad, Afro-American, Choctaw, Cherokeehe said. I see me as me, a sub-categoryof...
by Fred Nicholson | Jul 7, 2019 | Fred Nicholson, Kids and Grown Ups, Stories
The child in meis still methis many years later. That un-trusting frightened onestill hovers in the background,popping up when he whiffs fear. The first to test the waters.Is that a porpoise or a crocodile waiting just beneath the surface? An inner cast of...
