The courtroom was chilly, the cold that crept under your skin and made the long day ahead feel even longer. Amelia Grant pulled her cardigan tighter around her shoulders as she glanced at the bustling set of Law and Order. The crew adjusted lights, cameras, and props, filling the air with sharp orders and the…

Last weekend, my wife and I went to see the new movie Saturday Night. Yes, we love movies and the experience of seeing them at the theater. We have been 50-year fans of Saturday Night Live, upon which the movie is based. The movie was OK, not great. The positive part of the experience was…

… Or Movie Mishaps Over breakfast with friends at our local built-in-the-1700s general store, we shared some stories of the funny and unusual things that happened to us in our decades as moviegoers. They laughed and smiled at the surprising and unusual experiences I had spent those many hours in the dark with the scent…

By Charles Levin Edited by Neil MacNeil “It’s always the same, always on my case. ‘Do this. Do that. Oh, no, don’t do that. Faster.’ Without me, what’d you got? An uptight vegetable. I make things happen. I’m all about action, baby! Yeah, sometimes I do get sick, and it is usually his fault.” The…

When did this happen? Last week, my sons, who both live in California, blessed us with a rare visit. It was a magical weekend for many reasons, including a big party we gave for 50 of our closest friends and family. The night before the big party we did Chinese takeout from Ho Ho Kitchen,…

[Note: this is a guest post from one of my favorite authors, Bob Katz. The heroic true story of Elaine referenced in this post, alludes to his book Elaine’s Circle: A Teacher, a Student, a Classroom, and One Unforgettable Year. I highly recommend it.] For many years I ran a speakers bureau, which I would…

Charlie wakes up on a bed in an LA department store. His rumpled black jacket is wrapped around him; his derby hat rests on the night table: and his black shoes with the holes and spaghetti laces lay neatly underneath. The store is empty, the lights dim. He rubs the sleep from his eyes by…

Story by Diana Searby and Charles Levin | Written by Charles Levin [Reader’s Note: two weeks ago I invited readers to help me finish writing a short story I had half-written on a plane flight from San Francisco to New Jersey. Thanks to all those who contributed their very creative and fun ideas. I chose…

[Reader’s note: this is an unfinished story, featuring some childhood memories–maybe yours or maybe mine. I wrote the original Write a Story With Me in 2019 and had some very creative responses which I turned into the finished story The Gift with credit to those who contributed the What happens next to the unfinished story. Let’s…

I inherited the painting from my mother thirty-two years ago. It was one of many by an accomplished artist named James Carlin. But this one differed from the rest. I’ll get to that in a minute. My mother and James ‘Jimmy’ Carlin struck up a friendship in the 1950s. She was the first female stockbroker…