James Schaeffer
Bio
”What haven’t you done?” was the question from my friend. My stories come from humble beginnings as the twin son of a single mom in Georgia to an airline pilot flying the world. My stories, hopefully, reflect the fact that we are all alike.
Stories (2)
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Single Mom. Georgia Heat. Icebox Cake. Top Story - October 2023.
Growing up with a single mom in Marietta, GA was tough. My twin brother and I would see our dad every other weekend and then spend two weeks in the summer with him. Unfortunately, mom was bitter and this caused her to lash out at us, berating him and whoever he was with. After a while, we would just stop saying anything about our time with him but this made the atmosphere at home so dark and depressing. This summer was hot and we had just returned from our two weeks with Dad in Florida and our air conditioning was not keeping up with the sweaty Georgia heat. We were not looking forward to the onslaught of mom’s ranting about dad when mom came out of the kitchen with a smile on her face. “I made your favorite,” she said. “Favorite what?” was all I could think. She went back into the kitchen and brought out a plate my grandmother handed down to her and perched on top was a big mound of Icebox cake. “Your grandmother used to make this for us in the summers – they call it Icebox cake because we would put it in the icebox to keep cold back before refrigerators,” she said proudly. She sliced off two large pieces for us both – careful to cut across the cake so the result was a zebra stripe effect that made it look even better. “Some people just keep it in the fridge,” she continued, “…but I like it better in the freezer. Plus, it lasts longer!” It didn’t last longer with us. Next thing I know we are going back for seconds, and mom had the sense to put it back before we could devour it. Simple. Cold. Refreshing. Fun. I forgot about how hot it was, and mom focused on putting a smile on our faces instead of interrogating us. What a wonderful, simple treat that was.
By James Schaeffer2 years ago in Feast
Max & Maggie
The room was bathed in a soft, ethereal glow, as if the very walls whispered secrets about the strange world outside. A gentle hum of the ceiling fan provided the backdrop noise, while the occasional, distant barking and meowing from the neighborhood served to break the monotony. Asleep next to the lifeless fireplace, Max shared this curious silence with his friend, Maggie.
By James Schaeffer2 years ago in Petlife
