Archive for November 2021
Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like Xanadu
by David Benjamin “Kings are like stars. They rise and set, they have the worship of the world, but no repose.”— Percy Bysshe Shelley MADISON, Wis. — Since monarchy fell out of fashion, it’s gotten tougher to be an autocrat. Donald Trump, for example, appeared to be rising unstoppably toward a sort of reich amerikanisch.…
Read MoreAn overdose of Moxie, dear
by David Benjamin “Judge Rayford: Mr. Kirkland you are out of order! “Arthur Kirkland: You’re out of order! You’re out of order! The whole trial is out of order! They’re out of order!…” — And Justice For All (1979) A COURTROOM SOMEWHERE IN WISCONSIN — The judge pushed aside several empty Chinese food cartons and…
Read MoreThe child soldiers of football
by David Benjamin “I think that they’re making a terrible mistake and they’re injuring children’s brains. It’s the second child abuse crisis in the Catholic Church.” — Denny Doyle MADISON, Wis. — There’s a visionary in Cincinnati, although some consider him a crank, named Denny Doyle, who’s trying to convince the Catholic Youth Organization to…
Read MoreBooks, Blacks and Blondie
by David Benjamin MADISON, Wis. — So, it’s 1965 or ’66 and I’m between classes in high school. I encounter a singularly yummy girl named Sherry, who has a reputation. Gently, she pins me against the lockers and goes into a sort of Mae West “Why don’t you come up and see me sometime?” routine.…
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