I’d say she’s about 250 pounds and carries it all in her middle. There are three children with her, all under the age of seven I’m sure. The smallest one sits on her lap, grasping onto the roll of fat just below her breast as he sleeps soundly. She’s looking off into space, I wonder what she’s thinking. I feel sorry for her. She looks poor, on welfare probably. She’s wearing a faded red shirt with the... 

When I was seven, I saw a man get shot in the back of his head. He had no warning. Just a loud bang, and he was hit. He crumpled to the ground in slow motion, his head slumped forward. It almost looked like he was diving, head first into the cold, heartless earth. I just stood there. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even breathe. To this day I don’t know where the bullet came from, nor the identity of its victim. But I know... 

“You must not tell anyone, dear child, what I am about to tell you.” The child’s left eyebrow peaked as if to say, “Oh I won’t tell.” Knowing full well he would leave this gentle stranger and tell the kid down the street within the hour, who would then tell the kid around the block. All before supper, of course. The gentle stranger smiled and revealed the most perfect white teeth the child had ever seen....