He Pushed Away From Her And Raised

So Many Vows … They Make You Swear And Swear. Defend The King. Obey The King. Keep His Secrets. Do His Bidding. Your Life For His. But Obey Your Father. Love Your Sister. Protect The Innocent. Defend The Weak. Respect The Gods. Obey The Laws. It’s Too Much. No Matter What You Do, You’re Forsaking One Vow Or Another.

There Is A Savage Beast In Every Man, And When You Hand That Man A Sword Or Spear And Send Him Forth To War, The Beast Stirs.

Fantasy Is Silver And Scarlet, Indigo And Azure, Obsidian Veined With Gold And Lapis Lazuli. Reality Is Plywood And Plastic, Done Up In Mud Brown And Olive Drab. Fantasy Tastes Of Habaneros And Honey, Cinnamon And Cloves, Rare Red Meat And Wines As Sweet As Summer. Reality Is Beans And Tofu, And Ashes At The End.

She Was No Stranger To Waiting, After All. Her Man Had Always Made Her Wait.

Believe It Or Not, I Worked Four Summers In College As A Sports Writer Covering Baseball For A Parks And Rec Department In Bayonne, N.j.