By Kelly Keene In early May, the earth was damp and cool. Icy patches had thawed and fresh warm sunlight breathed new life into the green trees and nesting birds. There was still a chance of rain, but the sun threatened to melt clouds away in equal measure. Mom and Dad had prepared a meal, … Continue reading Spring

by Kelly Keene “Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.” -Earnest Hemingway It started with the basics. I think we all had smartphones in our pockets before we realized just how smart they’d actually become. Then, once my phone was capable of talking to me, and following directions, my imagination ran wild. … Continue reading Smart and Happy

By Kelly Keene There was a flash, a BANG! And next thing I knew I was flat on my back looking up at the ceiling of my own kitchen. Clicking and chirping sounds brought me back, and I could still smell the faint aroma of papaya fruit cake. I’ll admit, it was one of the … Continue reading Aliens

By Kelly Keene “Today, we are going to talk about passive voice.”  The class groaned. Riley didn’t even look up from their phone. Sebastian continued to doodle.  “Passive. Voice. What does it really mean to give something a voice?” Ms. Dominguez said. “You have a voice. I do too.”  Sam turned to his backpack to … Continue reading A Lesson on Passive Voice

By Kelly Keene “It’s kind of fun doing this in the rain” she said, handing off a red and white bag to the boy as he wiped his shaggy hair out of his eyes.  “Yeah it is,” he smiled up at the dripping sky, “Although I feel kinda bad when I hand people their order, … Continue reading Returns

By Kelly Keene Sweet On You Candy store used to be on the corner of Bancroft way and Telegraph avenue in Berkeley, California. When I worked there, I watched hundreds of students, professors, tourists and shoppers scurry past the windows on their way up the historic street. The smell of chocolate, tutti frutti, and bread … Continue reading Sweet

By Kelly Keene 3:43 p.m. “40 this is 42.” “Go ahead 42.” “Can we get more towels?” “Sure thing.” “Has it been like this all day?” “Well, I’ve only been here forty-five minutes. I doubt its been that crowded though, with this kind of weather.” He laughed and continued swimming.  “...it’s a bitter-sweet symphony that’s … Continue reading A Rainy Day At the Pool