My pleasant day began with Peter at the front desk, a delightful young man. Notes of turmeric and cardamon, and just the right balance of heat; chicken tikka masala and saag paneer, I believe. It’s a shame he struggled so much, those injuries were totally avoidable.

Hey Cody,

How cute! I’ve never heard of that before. Dr. Silverman wants you to bring your cat in for an exam.

-Sincerely,

Sierra

Twin Pines Animal Hospital

The classroom wall is a journal
that spurns me day after day.
These editors, I swear to God—

Please stop writing about death.
Is everything okay at home?

(How could anything be okay anywhere?)

One Saturday afternoon after a sparring session,
my sensei and I shared a sudden lesson
across the two front seats of my hybrid sedan—
another spontaneous spiritual dojo.

We considered gathering at the water cooler
(it’s where you spent most of your time)
but decided to have a morning tea
(to honour your homemade muffins).