Nerd in a Fishbowl

Nerd in a Fishbowl

In this quietly funny and poignant short story by Peter Scotchmer, a fledgling teacher learns that the classroom isn’t just a place of learning but a spotlight, a stage, and sometimes, a fishbowl.   The bell rang, and the class quickly settled. The teacher...
Possession

Possession

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. –F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby I have often wondered why it is that some slight and unremarkable memories remain strongly embedded in our waking consciousness while others...
Finding Her Voice

Finding Her Voice

  Finding Her Voice   Lou-Ellen Lewis was a quiet girl given to reading. She was not shy, but her reflective disposition discouraged her from revealing her inmost thoughts openly in class. Unlike so many of the other girls, enthusiastic and vital as they tended...
Confessions of Zadok the Beast

Confessions of Zadok the Beast

Yes, I do like to vomit upon the carpet under the piano.  Of course it is much harder to clean there than it is to clean vomit off the linoleum in the kitchen.  Why else would I do there – if not to make them get on their hands and knees?  It is obvious that the...
Sinister Dealings

Sinister Dealings

{In keeping with our tradition of welcoming a variety of perspectives on everyday life, we at The Ironist are open to submissions of matters relating to public interest raised by aggrieved contrarians. We recently received the following from an anonymous contributor....