Kickass and Those of the Forest

Shadowmeld Photography, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper has finally finished his before-sleep book—”Those of the Forest” by Wallace Grange, which is an accounting of the symbiotic existence of all things, complete with all the necessary predatory/parasitic violence and transformative extinctions.  There are no people …
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Kickass and Gambling

Antoine Taveneaux, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes        Kickass, the doorstop dog, agrees with the keeper that there are those who marvel at the weekend gatherings of humans in search of spiritual sustenance, but for a more puzzling example of the species “searching” behavior, the keeper suggests visiting the so-called casino …
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Kickass and Banning Books

Artwork by Michael DiMilo By Bill Stokes    Kickass, the doorstop dog, is trying to assist the keeper in getting his novel—Margaret’s War banned; and has only succeeded in getting Phyllis to toss it out of the kitchen when the keeper carelessly leaves his ever-present promotional copy too close to a stove burner.          Nothing is …
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Kickass and Beginnings

Image by Roy Harryman from Pixabay By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, encourages the keeper to avoid dwelling on endings and to concentrate on beginnings, and so it was most welcome to see a public message welcoming Phyllis’s granddaughter Alexis to the Marshfield Fire Department. Alexis has been building EMT experience with other agencies, …
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Kickass and AJ’s Book Review

Photo by Jaredd Craig on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports on how the cold January day was warmed beyond belief when great grandson AJ insisted that his parents—Tony and Kristen, contact the keeper with a preview of his—AJ’s, first book, which he produced as a school project.          In a rare session of “face” technology, …
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Kickass and Political Posts

Photo by Artem Beliaikin from Pexels By Bill Stokes      Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper was advised by a friendly reader that if he would keep his political views to himself, his writing would be appreciated by more people, which caused the keeper to announce that, in light of the fact that the Repubs wouldn’t …
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Kickass and Winter Car Starting

Riksarkivet (National Archives of Norway) from Oslo, Norway, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, indulges the keeper on another of his—the keeper’s, “good ol’ days” rants, this one comparing present day automatic remote car starters with such things as hand engine cranks and frozen boiled-out radiators and frozen oil …
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Kickass and Talking Snowflake

Kevin C Chen, CC BY-SA 2.0 TW, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper in watching an occasional snowflake waft down from a cloudless sky as snowplow and sanding vehicles patrol the cold morning streets like giant predators. In doing an anthropomorphic cartwheel, the keeper gives voice to the slowing …
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Kickass and Capitol Hot Air

USCapitol, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper in watching the clouds of condensing hot air expelled by Madison Gas and Electric as it wafts over the distant State Capitol in the early morning; and he—the keeper, sees the symbolic absurdity of a money-dominated, minority-responsive government composed …
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