Contents

Vol. 14, No. 5 – December 6, 2010

Cover Photo: For Jerry by Lemuel Sibulo

From a Half-Decent Guy by Diego Hernandez Diaz
Here Am I by Gary Kafer
Running Ad Astra by Julie R. Sanchez
Thank You for (Not) Smoking by Michael Field
Thank You for the Job Opportunity by Dan Markowitz
View from Inside a Prison by Alyssa Kaplan
Aesop’s Lost Tale by Kevin Wang
Reflections and Feeling by Janet Chow
The Deluge by Jenny Chen
Procedure by Shivani Srivastav
Photo Spotlight by Samantha Osaki
Life After Commencement by an anonymous alumna

From a Half-Decent Guy

An Opinion
By Diego Hernandez Diaz

Don’t take that to mean the other half is indecent or that from the belt down I’m little more than an animalistic being.

I’m the kind of guy who asks girls out on dates–I’ll shell out the requisite 50 bucks and bottle of wine for the sake of entertaining conversation and the potential to get to know someone. Call me crazy, since in this tiny little bubbly-filled world I live in that seems like a prohibitive cost. Especially because parties provide academically overachieving but socially awkward kids sufficient lubrication to let their inhibitions out.

Here Am I

A prose-poem
By Gary Kafer

The work of his skin against the clean, light streaks of metal is transient.

One black spot that bleeds into the smoke of his breath is a burden for him. More than one is war against a language that no one speaks, but one that he fights to capture and shove through his ears so that his tongue may salivate. He says that his dream is a wound that bleeds into the smoke of his breath. I believe him- he’s witty. I ask him to pretend that the work of his skin against the clean light streaks of metal would touch my emotion, if only for a little while. That he would comply- I tell him prose.

Running Ad Astra

A short story
By Julie R. Sanchez

I can’t tell you that I’m sorry, just as I can’t tell you that I regret it. I’m not, and I don’t. I can tell you that it wasn’t supposed to happen this way, and that would be the truth. But I won’t say that, not now. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way, but it did. That’s the truth, and I don’t see the use in hiding from it anymore.
I don’t expect you to believe me. It doesn’t matter either way. I’m going back to the top of the hill, and I’ve got nothing left—nothing but time. It’s the one thing I don’t want, but I have an eternity of it. The least I can do is use a little of it to explain. To explain. To explain—to whom? I don’t know. You’re dead, and I’m raving mad. That much I know is true. But the worst part? It still doesn’t matter. It doesn’t change anything.

Thank You for (Not) Smoking

Opinion
By Michael Field

Smoking is bad for you. Everyone knows this, yet millions of people continue to risk their health by getting their fix of tar and nicotine. You’ve seen them around campus or camped outside the doors of bars and restaurants. I’ve never smoked, but I’ve always had a sort of morbid curiosity about it. What does it taste like? Do you ever get used to that smell?

Thank You for the Job Opportunity

Please Hire Me
By Dan Markowitz

Thank you for the opportunity to interview with your company.

I am sure you have read my resume and have realized how qualified I am for this position. In fact, I am simultaneously overqualified and under-qualified, allowing my qualifications to surround you. So watch your back, because I could qualify you from any side.

View from Inside a Prison

By Alyssa Kaplan

“What should we sign up for next semester for community?”
“The prison.”
“Definitely!”

This short text conversation between my best friend in nursing and I seemed simple enough at the time. We had to choose a place to have our community rotation, and there was no way in hell we were going back to a nursing home or to deal with more acutely psychotic patients.