Between 18th to Fairfax

 

One night, while riding the subway, I encountered an actual gypsy.  They had the appearance of someone whose hygiene had filed a restraining order.  Many of the words spoken by them became snagged on the few teeth that hadn’t abandoned ship, resulting in communication difficulty.  I had no clue what they were talking about, although it seemed quite important to them.

Through simple persistence, I eventually figured out they required change for a dollar, although they had no dollar.  They only wanted that much change.  Based on the difference in our appearance, it didn’t seem like they were asking for much.  I handed them all of my pocket change and two one-dollar bills.  It was just about four dollars total. 

Their facial expression changed greatly.  You would have thought I had just handed him a gold bar.  He took hold of my hand and mumbled something, smiling and bouncing a little with delight.  A passenger who had been sitting on the seat just to our left said, “He gave you a Gypsy blessing.” 

The gypsy got off the subway at the next stop.  I was not familiar at all with gypsy blessings, but I doubted four dollars’ worth was going to change my life.  I made a comment to that affect to the gentleman seated across from me, and he said, “Don’t be too sure.”

to be continued

 

 

 

 

Neither is it Witchcraft

 

I can stop a clock or a horse at full gallop

I can freeze a moment in time

 or see beyond a smile

I can bring a story to life

or show how Life once was

I don’t use magic or sorcery

I can help you remember

or become an incriminating factor

I can hold an entire vacation

or become a tiresome weight

I can be used to prove a point

or settle an argument

I have many more uses than originally intended

I have survived some technology

while being surpassed by others.

I can keep a memory alive

and do it from a distance

I can distort or enhance 

I can expose the smallest of details

or consume a mountain range

and I can be held in your hand

 

    

            zc

Pesky Advertising

 

It’s what the smart people are doing.  They are buying multiple copies of my book, The Pantry, in case they want to read it more than once.

So, I’m thinking…  If you also want to be smart, you’ll start buying up several copies of The Pantry, some for you and some to hand out as gifts, you know – to your friends and relatives, so they’ll also see that you are wise to the ways of the world.

Then, the next time your book club has an in-depth discussion about The Crow in the Dark Gray Overcoat, you will be able to join right in, sounding like you have first-hand knowledge of that adventure.  (Which you will have).

Simply go to Amazon and type in Harvey Sarkisian,

and when you see The Pantry, click on BUY NOW.

Then just sit back and watch your mailbox.  In almost no time at all a package will be delivered.  It will be addressed to you so it’s OK to open it. 

Find your favorite spot, and with a refreshing beverage, prop your feet up and enjoy.

 

That’s all there is to it.
        (Except to then read your other copies)

 

 

Zc

 

 

 

 

The Absurdity of Idioms

 

You lob a cannonball
        but hurl an insult,

 

Give credit
        but take responsibility,

 

Keep a secret
        but spread rumors,

 

Show appreciation
        but hide your feelings,

 

Jot down a note
        scribble out a memo,

 

Follow your dream
        Lead by example,

 

Go with the flow
        Stop, drop & roll,

 

Chew your food
        Swallow your pride

 

Speak your mind
        Listen & learn,

 

Starve a cold
        Stuff a fever,

Kick around ideas
        Run it up the flagpole,

 

 

Still think it would be fun to have my Brain?

 

 

 

 

 

It's that time of year...

 

The view out of the front window shows me everything is covered by a fluffy blanket of snow.  Even the branches on the trees hold up their offerings, showing winter’s arrival. 

The neighbor’s house sparkles with Christmas lights and festive lawn animals, all in frozen place.  I can see the smoke rising from their chimney.  Hopefully that will be long gone before Santa attempts his entrance.

My neighborhood is presently a Christmas card. In the distance I can hear caroling and it makes me want to make hot chocolate.  I should fix enough so I can offer it to the carolers when they reach my house.  They must be cold.

 

 

 

Foiled by Sound

 

    There was no parade, no farewell banquet, no commemorative plaque hung in a dim alleyway. One morning, the pick‑pockets simply woke to discover their ancient craft had been undone by a sound: riiip—the tiny thunderclap of Velcro announcing itself to the world.

    It wasn’t even an angry sound. More like a small, enthusiastic creature clearing its throat. But it was loud enough to end centuries of quiet thievery. No fingertip, no matter how nimble, could sneak past that jubilant rip. It was the sonic equivalent of a porch light flicking on.

    Pick‑pockets tried to adapt. They practiced on sneakers, on jackets, on lunchboxes. They attempted slow rips, sideways rips, diagonal rips. But Velcro had no stealth setting. It was born honest. It told the truth at full volume.

    And so the pick‑pockets drifted into new professions. Some became magicians, where noisy surprises were considered charming. Others became librarians, where the absence of Velcro was a relief. A few opened shops selling antique trousers with “the old‑fashioned quiet pockets,” though customers were scarce.

    Meanwhile, Velcro went about its business with cheerful obliviousness. It fastened shoes, secured pockets, held together the small, flapping corners of the world. It never bragged about its victory. It never gloated. It simply did what it was made to do: keep things where they belonged.

    In the end, that’s the whimsical truth of progress—sometimes the future arrives not with a bang or a whisper, but with a friendly little riiip, and suddenly the world is different.

zc

Here is the response I got when I asked AI this question

 

Wouldn’t it be grand if we could put Teflon coating on teeth?  No more food sticking, no more plague build-up and no more cavities. 

 

No.  It wouldn’t stick to teeth, but…

  

🔬 The real-world “Teflon for teeth”

Each of these is a real research direction, and each one is basically your idea wearing a lab coat:

• Hydrophobic nano‑films — Ultra‑thin coatings that repel water, bacteria, and food particles.
• Self‑healing enamel polymers — Materials that re‑mineralize themselves when scratched.
• Bioactive glass coatings — They bond to enamel and release minerals over time.
• Graphene‑based barriers — Strong, slick, antimicrobial, and surprisingly tooth‑friendly.

These aren’t science fiction — they’re in active development.

 

 

 

 

 zc