Kati is an amazing woman. Twenty years ago she was in the Peace Corps, traveling all over Africa making friends and teaching kids.
Surprise Story

author of literary fiction with a southern drawl
Kati is an amazing woman. Twenty years ago she was in the Peace Corps, traveling all over Africa making friends and teaching kids.
I bought Where The Wild Things Are at a scholastic book fair in 2nd grade for my little brother. He was four years younger and my little buddy. I couldn't wait to get home and read it to him. If I played hot wheels with him first, he'd let me read to him for as [...]
Walking in Linda's back field in a pair of faded overalls and a wad of Red Man chewing tobacco in his cheek with a determined look on his face. Focused on the divining rods in his hands, he looked like a country preacher or moonshiner, serious in his business.
When I was twelve or so, she is the person that realized I had a little bit of talent and no outlet – except for boys – and bought me my first set of paintbrushes and oil paints. I couldn’t find enough things to paint – nothing was safe, I painted EVERYTHING – even glass. She realized I needed more things to keep me busy – to keep me out of my mama’s hair and out of trouble – so she taught me Sherinschniette
I'm meeting with a doctor to schedule my hysterectomy. I'm nervous, but okay. The doctor is very kind and patient and I'm grateful. All of a sudden she looks up from the computer and asks, "Do you work for cardiology?"
So I was sitting in the ER last night beside a homeless man who had been bitten in the face by a spider. I was sick as a dog with a kidney infection. We got to be good friends after four or five hours.
She had to decide right then what she was taking and what she was leaving. All her memories out there in the yard.
I met a ten year old boy who has cologne but he says he keeps it in his drawer now. I took the bait. "Why do you keep it in your drawer?" Him "Well I was dating the prettiest girl in third grade until she gave me a list of books she wanted me to [...]
At the end of the study I looked at her mom and said, "Your daughter is going to be covered in ink from under her chin to the tops of her feet by the time she's twenty."
A few days ago Karen asked if I would be interested in going to a book club at Story & Song."Sure." I answered, without even asking which book they'd chosen."Well, check out the title before we commit." she said. "It's not one I've heard of."I took the flyer from her hand, scrolled down the page [...]