NaNoWriMo

2004-2006; East Coast, United States of America Damon Vargas would be the first to admit he could be something of an idiot. Unlike most politicians, he was unable to disassociate himself from his past record. Not that he was much of a politician, losing the only race he’d ever run, as an independent candidate – translation: no financial backing worth mentioning – for mayor of New York City back in 2005. According to New York City Board of Election Records, he’d received less than 1% of the vote, relatively few of them cast by close friends or family. Prior to…

Friday, October 30, 2015: Bronx, NY, USA Diane Rodriguez ran her fingers through her long dark hair, pulling it back from her neck and wrapped it around itself in an inelegant version of a ponytail. The bags under her eyes were full from lack of sleep and she blinked constantly in an attempt to moisten her contacts. “You look like you need some sleep,” offered Damon Vargas. “I probably look worse than you, no?” Diane laughed. “You look like you need a new wardrobe and a doctor. I can help with some clothes but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow…

Tuesday, October 15, 2013: Mt. Pleasant, NY, USA “Maybe we could domesticate one?” “Dude! No fucking way can you domesticate a zombie!” Anthony DiBlanco passed the cup of warm Budweiser to Jason Reed, his vision slightly blurred, nodding his head in mock annoyance. “You’ve taken one sack too many, I think!” They both laughed like it was the funniest thing they’d ever heard. Jason, star quarterback for Mt. Pleasant High School’s varsity football team and boyfriend of Anthony’s sister, Jennifer, was known for holding on to the ball too long, preferring a sack to an incompletion or an interception. “Scouts…

Wednesday, October 30, 2013: Mt. Pleasant, NY, USA According to its web site, the Mt. Pleasant Police Department was officially organized in 1941 after decades of operating as the Bureau of Water Supply Police, an extension of the NYPD created to police the Kensico Dam, its workers and area residents, and later as the vaguely-titled "Special Patrolmen," keeping the peace in the unincorporated areas of the town. It was cleverly assigned 769-1941 as its primary phone number and remained such 72 years later as 16-year old Anthony DiBlanco dialed it nervously from the wall phone in his parents’ kitchen to…

Friday, October 30, 2015: Bronx, NY, USA My father never thought that the Boston Red Sox finally winning the World Series back in 2004, breaking the legendary “curse of the Bambino,” would ultimately be seen as the turning point of American civilization. It’s downfall, some might say. Yankee fans, mostly. He certainly never thought it would signal the end of his playing career so early in its prime, run out of the Bronx the following year when the Tampa Bay Devil Rays won the division title, losing the World Series to the Chicago Cubs in five games, while his Yankees…