Tom Bissonette
Stories (10/0)
Free Art Lessons
Paul was staring at the Monet’ when something moved, teasing his peripheral vision. The object was on his right side, so he had to verify that something was actually there. He always had to check the right side because he had a “floater”, a tiny scar on his retina that, in certain lighting conditions, created the illusion that he had company. He liked to josh that he got the scar fighting for a maiden's honor, but it really was a tussle with a weed eater that left him with this annoying little blind spot.
By Tom Bissonette2 months ago in Fiction
How My Guilt Informs Me about a Woman’s Right to Choose
I was a boy of twelve, in a sprawling field of tall grass. I was alone — very alone. I climbed my favorite tree — my favorite because perched on the higher branches, I could swing side to side until I almost touched the ground. The ‘to and fro’ that day was halted by a persistent thought.
By Tom Bissonetteabout a year ago in Humans
The Nervous Breakdown of Authority in America
Heckling at a State of the Union address, teachers quitting in droves because confused parents and students are executing hostile takeovers in the classroom, expertise replaced by uninformed opinion, and conspiracy theories dominating the public discourse — all are traceable to some pivotal historical events.
By Tom Bissonette2 years ago in The Swamp
How Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Schooled Me on Grace and Hope
The word “grace” is beautiful in both its meanings. One meaning is elegance and refinement. Another meaning is that life (or God) will provide what we need without considering whether we deserve it or not. Viewing the world as a stage on which grace plays out can be hard when we carry guilt and shame.
By Tom Bissonette2 years ago in Humans
Can Broken Families Heal Themselves?
I have a standard joke whenever a mechanic tells me I need the wheels aligned on my car. I respond by saying, “No thanks, I’ll wait until the road knocks them back into alignment.” Families can get out of alignment too and sometimes they can restore balance (equilibrium) of their own accord, and other times they need to be steered (or jolted) back into place by a professional?
By Tom Bissonette2 years ago in Families
I Wanted to be a Womanizer
I learned about healthy relationships the long painful way... I had all the moves. I was physically attractive enough and had a line of bull that would make pants fall off by themselves. I dated two beauty queens in high school at the same time. While in college, I would go to strip clubs and seduce strippers into paying for my drinks. Hell, I visited prostitutes in my twenties, and one asked me to come back and see her on her day off.
By Tom Bissonette2 years ago in Confessions
The Night Screamer
Margarette tried to visit as often as she could but her job, even working from home two days a week, was too demanding. As she looked in the car mirror to check her makeup, she thought, “I got the promotion of a lifetime and now I have no time for life.” She was still in the driveway when her dad came out to meet her. He looked tired and she noticed that he seemed to be aging faster. She could tell by his walk which was slower, and he was more hunched over. The bags under his eyes would have to be checked in if he were flying anywhere.
By Tom Bissonette2 years ago in Fiction