Susan Poole
Bio
Mother, lawyer, nonprofit executive, breast cancer survivor, and aspiring novelist. I haven't narrowed in on my niche just yet. Life is complicated, so I write about it all!
Stories (14/0)
Unplugged
We drove up the snowy, winding road towards the cozy A-frame cabin. Wind and ice pummeled our car. Giant snowflakes fell from the sky and crashed against the windshield. The meteorologists had been right this time. Blizzard-like conditions blanketed the entire state, and it looked as if everyone else had heeded the travel ban.
By Susan Pooleabout a year ago in Fiction
Unpacking the Box
Alone on the back patio, I jumped from my seat when a sudden swarming noise cut through the silence. It was coming from around front and sounded like a mob of angry bees. I made it to the opposite side of the house just in time to see a delivery drone drop a large cardboard box on my porch. It landed with a thud, almost as if the drone could barely carry the box any further. It looked heavy. The drone had reached its limit, wobbling side to side before hoisting itself back into the sky. The propellers sputtered. Then buzzed. Then carried the drone up and away as it disappeared into the dark grey clouds of the late October morning.
By Susan Pooleabout a year ago in Fiction
Remembering September 11th—Twenty-One Years Later
The kindergarten bus was late. I peered up at the clear blue sky and held my oldest daughter’s hand at the bus stop, trying not to appear anxious as I obsessively checked my watch. It was my turn to drive the preschool carpool and the timing couldn’t have been worse. I had an amniocentesis scheduled later that day, so I needed to move fast getting to and from the school across town. When the bus finally arrived, I sprinted home to get ready for Round 2 of my hectic morning.
By Susan Poole2 years ago in Families
The Loss of Our Dog During the Pandemic
You may find it peculiar that when prompted to write about a fond memory with a pet, I chose to describe the day our 15-year-old Bichon Frise crossed the Rainbow Bridge. It would be impossible to pick one moment in time that stands out above the rest, but that day—that sad…and emotional….and inevitable final day, will be forever embedded in my mind—and perhaps not necessarily for the reasons you might think.
By Susan Poole2 years ago in Petlife
I Finally Understand Why Other People Were Staring
When my kids were little, I proudly paraded them through Target, the grocery store, and the mall, always conscious of how some people would stare at us. I remember strangers leaning over to get a closer look at one of my adorable offspring, expressing their delight over how cute they were.
By Susan Poole2 years ago in Families
- Top Story - August 2022
Why People Crave ConnectionsTop Story - August 2022
Human beings are social creatures. We crave connections and close relationships, feeding off our interactions with others. It’s no surprise that love and belonging comprise the third level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, next up in terms of significance after our physiological and safety needs.
By Susan Poole2 years ago in Humans
Runaways on a Northbound Train
A low rumble drew Virginia from a deep sleep. She gagged at the smell of cheap plastic and coughed violently until a clump of mucus cleared her esophagus. Uncurling herself from the fetal position, she slowly sat upright and placed her feet on the floor as a thick haze filled her brain like a dense cloud.
By Susan Poole2 years ago in Fiction
- Top Story - July 2022
Intruders
The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. It caught Grady’s attention as he made his way up the hill, lugging a duffel bag full of beer cans behind him—contraband he and his best friend had smuggled from the refrigerator at home.
By Susan Poole2 years ago in Fiction