Tag: Michigan

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, February 22, 2026

Randall Krzak

In the past, today would be celebrated as the birthday of George Washington, the first president of the United States. Now it’s celebrated as President’s Day, the third Monday of February, to recognize all presidents.

We’ve seen a rise in temperatures this week, hitting a high of 81 degrees on Friday. We also had a couple of brief downpours, and the pansies we planted last year are now producing seedlings.

The Detroit Pistons have come out of the All Star break picking up where they left off, winning two more games and increasing their record to 42-13. They are in first place in the Eastern Conference’s Central Division, seven games ahead of second place Cleveland.

The Michigan Wolverines briefly moved into first place in the NCAA rankings. Although they won another game this week, they lost 68-63 to 3rd-ranked Duke. The Wolverines are now 25-2 on the season. Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans, who had dropped to 15th in the rankings, improved their record to 21-5 with a win over UCLA.

“Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers.” — Ray Bradbury, WD. Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 22ns, the 8th Sunday of 2026 and the fourth and final one in February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Rashi, French rabbi who wrote commentaries on the Talmud and Hebrew Bible; Tahmasp I, shah of Iran (1524-76) and author (Tazkire-i Shah); Louis-Georges de Bréquigny, French historian; Alexander Campbell, Scottish composer and writer (associate of Walter Scott); Arthur Schopenhauer, German philosopher (“The World as Will and Representation”) known for his philosophical pessimism; Józef Kremer, Polish philosopher, art historian and psychologist; Oskar Kolberg, Polish ethnographer, folklorist, and composer (Lud); James Russell Lowell, American poet, critic and diplomat (Biglow Papers); James Barnet Fry, American historian and Brevet Major General (Union Army); Robert Alexander Cameron, American soldier and newspaper publisher (Union Army); Francis Pharcellus Church, American editor and publisher (The New York Sun – “Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus”); Leon Vanderkindere, Belgian historian and mayor (Ukkel); Aldredo de Escragnolle Taunay, Brazilian writer (Inocencia), musician and politician; Karen Hulda Garborg, Norwegian playwright (Mot Solen/Eli; Jules Renard, French writer (Poil de Carotte; Zitkala-Sa, also known by her Anglicized and married name, Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, Native American (Yankton Dakota) writer, violinist, librettist (The Sun Dance Opera), educator, and political activist; Yme Schuitmaker, Frisian-Dutch potato merchant, actor, and playwright (Maerteblom (Snowdrop); Lysbet); Norman Lindsay, Australian artist and novelist (The Magic Pudding); Alfred Wikenhauser, German RC exegetist (John-Apokalyps); Hugo Ball, German playwright and social critic (co-founder Flametti, Dada); Robin G. Collingwood, English philosopher. historian (“The Principles of Art”; “The Idea of History”) and archaeologist (Roman Britain); Edna St Vincent Millay, American poet, dramatist and feminist (Harp Weaver-Pulitzer Prize); Victor Raúl Haya de la Torre, Peruvian politician and author (founder of Peruvian Aprista Party); Paul Van Ostaijen, Belgian-Dutch poet, writer and critic (Occupied City); George O’Hara, American silent era screenwriter and actor (The Sea Beast, The Grapes of Wrath); Giorgos Seferis [Georgios Seferiades], Greek poet (Nobel 1963); Seán Ó Faoláin [John Whelan], Irish short story writer (Murder at Cobbler’s Hulk); Stefan Lorant, Hungarian-American writer, photojournalist, filmmaker; Morley Callaghan, Canadian author and radio personality (Toronto Star, Native Argosy); Edward Robb Ellis, American diarist and journalist who is the most prolific diarist in the history of American letters with an estimated 22 million words; Jane Bowles, American writer; Wayne Booth, American literary critic; Edward Gorey, American author and artist (The Curious Sofa, The Gashlycrumb Tinies); Gerald Stern, American poet, (The One Thing in Life), essayist (Some Secrets), and educator; Paul Dooley, American character actor (Sixteen Candles; Strange Brew; Grace Under Fire), comedian, and screenwriter (The Electric Company); Jules van Neerven, Dutch economist, journalist, and editor (Limbourg Daily); oanna Russ, American sci-fi author (Hugo, Female Man, Alyx); Ishmael Reed, American author (Last Days of Louisiana Red); Felice Picano, American publisher, memoirist and novelist (The Lure, Like People in History); and Richard Greenberg, American playwright (Take Me Out, Three Days of Rain).

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me this week. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work in Progress

Work slowly continues on Temples of Abydos as multiple external activities are consuming most of my time. Over the past week, there was one additional chapter review, bringing the total to seventy. As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s the next snippet:

Ali led them to the same vehicle he used the night before. “Our chariot awaits.”

Once everyone climbed inside, Ali tapped the dash. “We are at peace today. Our conveyance will take us where we want to go.”

As promised, the engine fired on the first try without the black smoke.

He pulled out of the parking spot and plunged into the traffic without a glance at other vehicles.

While some drivers blew their horns, most just gave way to another Cairo driver.

“It will take much longer to reach the warehouse than coming from the airport. Traffic is very bad, so I must go slow. However, the warehouse is exactly what we will need to prepare for our excursion to Abydos.”

“How is the money holding out?” Charles attempted to keep his hand away from the panic strap, although he did grab it from time to time. He kept working imaginary brakes whenever he thought they might collide with another vehicle.

“Your benefactor was most gracious with his funds. I have used no more than half of what he sent. Of course, I shall inform you right away if I need more.”

“Excellent.” Charles glanced at Sylvia. “I shall let him know in due course. After our visit to the warehouse, I’d like you to take us on a drive around the city and point out some of the tourist spots. We will want to visit some of them before we head to Abydos.”

“Yes, Professor. When would you like to put the charms of Cairo behind us?

“How soon can we be ready?”

“If I am not so mistaken, we could depart the day after tomorrow. If it is permitted, I would like to take Sylvia and Finley to the nearby pyramids.”

“Aye. Good idea. I wonder how much has changed since I was here five years ago?”

Many more tourists, along with those who prey upon them.” Ali slammed on the brakes as he blew the horn.

Ahead, a bus and a truck had collided, blocking both lanes. A horde of people surrounded both vehicles, yelling and shouting, with some making threatening gestures with their hands.

“I am thinking everyone should hold on.” Ali twisted the wheel, turning around in the narrow street. “We shall go a different way, as this could be blocked for many hours. Even longer if fights break out among the onlookers.”

He made a right at the first crossroad. Rows of three and four-story buildings lined each side of the street. Various shops, including pharmacies, family-owned grocery stores, and clothes merchants, occupied the ground floor of each building, with apartments on the upper ones.

“I think—”

An overloaded truck trundled through the next intersection, the load careening toward them. The driver ignored the horn of Ali’s smaller vehicle and continued by, forcing Ali to give way.

“Driving in Cairo can be challenging at the best of times. It is not for those with a faint heart.” He grinned. “But this is what makes Cairo a special place to live.”

For the next thirty minutes, Ali weaved and swerved around pedestrians, mopeds, and cards, the van rocking in time with his movements. He glanced in the rearview mirror. “Keep an eye on the car behind us—he might try to squeeze between us and the parked vehicles.” He shook his head. “That driver is crazier than I am.”

“Watch out!” Charles pointed through the windscreen as he mashed on the imaginary brakes at his feet. “Camels!”

Metal crunched and crumpled as Ali sideswiped a parked vehicle blocking part of the street. He managed to dodge the camels. “Whew! I thought I would be buying someone a camel.”

“What about the car you hit?” Charles jerked a thumber over his shoulder.

“It is the cost of doing business when parking on Cairo streets.” Ali shrugged. “Besides, the driver tried to park in a spot half the size of his vehicle. It is his fault.” He gestured forward. “Our turn will soon be upon us.”

* * *

Two teenagers grabbed the ropes attached to their camels. As they managed to calm the skittish animals, a car sped toward them.

“Hurry, Omar. They’re getting away!”

“Relax, Pisir. He gunned the green Ford Fiesta’s engine and aimed for a small gap between the lead camel and the car Ali sideswiped. Omar yanked the wheel, crashing into the rear side panel of the vehicle, which blocked part of the street.

Both men slammed forward with the impact, their heads meeting the dash.

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2026 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

 

 

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, February 8, 2026

Randall Krzak

Last weekend’s snow disappeared by Tuesday as the temperatures rose. We did have some flurries on Thursday, but they didn’t amount to anything as they melted as soon as they hit the ground.  Even the wildlife visitors cut back on their appearances as they seem to be able to forage. The temperature is supposed to be in the upper 50s for a few days this coming week, before dropping back into the 40s.

The Detroit Pistons were busy this past week, dropping one game but winning three games to raise their record to 38-13. They’re still in first place in the Eastern Conference’s Central Division, seven games ahead of second place Cleveland. I hope they to continue to win and improve as the season moves forward.

The Michigan Wolverines moved back into second place in the NCAA rankings. They played on game this week, rolling over Penn State 110-69, to up their record to 21-1. The Wolverines play Ohio State this evening.

The Michigan State Spartans dropped to 10th in the NCAA rankings but returned to their winning ways last night by knocking off 5th-ranked Illinois in overtime 85-82. The Spartans are now 20-4 on the season.

“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” — Ernest Hemingway. Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 8th, the 6th Sunday of 2026 and the second one in February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Théodore-Agrippa d’Aubigné, French soldier, historian and poet (Histoire Universelle / Universal History); Robert Burton, British writer and Anglican clergyman (The Anatomy of Melancholy); Samuel Butler, English poet and satirist (Hudibras); Gabriel Daniel, French Jesuit, historian and historiographer of France, appointed by King Louis XIV (History of France; harles-Jean-François Hénault, French writer and historian (A Chronological Abridgement of the History of France; Moritz Gottlieb Saphir, Austrian satirical writer and journalist; ohn Ruskin, English writer and art critic who championed Gothic Revivalist and the Pre-Raphaelites; Maxime Du Camp, French writer, traveler and early photographer (Les Buveurs de Cendres); Jules Verne, French novelist known as the “Father of Science Fiction” (Around the World in 80 days); Kate O’Flaherty Chopin, American writer; Theodor Lessing, German writer; Henry Roth, American writer (Call it Sleep); Elizabeth Bishop, American poet (North & South, Pulitzer Prize 1956); Henri Knap, Dutch journalist and writer (Per Ongeluk, De Weg naar Peruwelz); Lisel Mueller, German-American poet (Alive Together – Pulitzer Prize for Poetry 1997); James Deetz, American anthropologist and historical archaeologist (In Small Things Forgotten: The Archaeology of Early American Life); José Maria Sison, Filipino writer, poet, and founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (Philippine Society and Revolution); Averil Cameron, British historian; Pirzada Qasim, Pakistani poet and VC of Karachi University; Z’EV [Stefan Weisser], American poet, percussionist and sound artist; John Grisham, American writer (Client, Firm, Pelican Brief; Yucef Merhi, Venezuelan artist, poet and computer programmer (Poetic Clock; Quetzalcoatl 2.0.1.2.); and Bethany Hamilton,  American pro surfer (shark attack victim; author Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board).

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Jules Verne and John Grisham. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work in Progress

Work slowly continues on Temples of Abydos as I’m dealing with multiple external activities. Over the past week, there have been an additional six chapter reviews, bringing the total to sixty-one. As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s the next snippet:

A porter stepped forward, took the keycards from the receptionist, and gestured toward the elevators. “Right this way, please. You are in adjacent Madina deluxe suites. Both have balconies with views of the city. Your own butler is included, along with access to the executive lounge. My colleagues will bring your luggage to your suites, so we do not have to wait.”

They stepped off the elevator, and the porter took them to the first suite. He unlocked the door and handed the keycards to Charles before gesturing for them to enter. “There is a separate living room and bedroom. If you require anything during your stay, please let the butler know. Thank you for choosing the Kempinski.” He turned and left the suite.

Charles handed a keycard to Finley. “Guess you’re next door. Go check it out and see what you think.”

An hour after checking in, Charles, Isabella, and Finley entered the Osmanli Restaurant. The restaurant was decorated in oranges, creams, and yellows. A myriad of Turkish pottery, kilims, and ornaments clung to any available wall or shelf space. Featuring traditional Turkish meals derived from the Ottoman Empire, the various aromas of cooking meats and hot dishes permeated throughout the restaurant.

The maître d’ escorted them to a table overlooking the Nile River. A reserved placard indicated the table was for Professors Rennie, Burness, and Burness.

“Cool. May I keep the card?” Finley grinned. “I’ve never been called a professor before.”

Charles laughed. “Aye. Keep it and may it be an omen for the future.”

“Now you’re starting to speak like Ali.”

They laughed.

Charles glanced at the menu. “Shall I order for everyone, or do you want to choose your own?”

Isabella closed her menu. “Lead on, Professor.” She chuckled.

“Go ahead, Uncle Charles. I’m sure you won’t lead us astray.”

“I hope not.” He turned to the hovering waiter. “We’ll begin with the soğuk and sicak meze. For the main course, please bring Osmanlı karışik kebab. We’ll finish with baklava and Turkish coffee.”

“Very good, sir. And to drink?”

“Bottled water and one Coke.”

After the waiter departed, Charles turned to Finley. “We’re starting with the chef’s selection of cold and hot appetizers. Afterward, we’ll eat one of the house specials, a mixed kebab.”

“This is awesome! So this is how the rich live.”

“Don’t get too used to this.” A glint of a smile creased Isabella’s face. “After we acclimate to the Egyptian weather and begin our excursion, we’ll be sleeping in tents.”

* * *

Two men dressed in tan trousers and long-sleeved blue shirts sat at a nearby table. One held a cell phone in the air as if he was reading a text, but in reality, he was taking photographs of Charles, Isabella, and Finley.

The second man sneered. “More rich foreigners coming to rob us of our culture. Tarik will be pleased we spotted them.”

“Yes, Omar. The money you paid to the porter to keep us informed of new foreign arrivals and get their details was worth the expense. We shall keep an eye on them while they lavish in style and report back to Tarik.”

“Agreed, Pilis. When the time is right, we shall strike.”

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2026 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, February 1, 2026

Randall Krzak

January is now behind us, although it closed with a huge storm, dumping at least six inches of snow on our area. It’s cold, too–16 degrees, although it’s supposed to reach 35 and be mostly sunny, so that should start melting some of the snow.  By the end of the week, it’s supposed to be in the lower 50s. We had quite an array of wildlife visitors this week–several wild turkeys, seven deer, eight squirrels, and a myriad of cardinals, blue jays, robins, sparrows, black birds, and pigeons. As we always do during inclement weather, we did put out seed/corn for all of our visitors.

The Detroit Pistons played four games this week, winning three and dropping one. They are now 35-12 in the Eastern Conference’s Central Division, with a 7.5 game lead over 2nd place Cleveland. Hopefully, their winning ways will continue throughout February!

The Michigan Wolverines (3rd in the NCAA, 19-1) and the Michigan State Spartans (7th in the NCAA, 19-2) faced off in East Lansing on Friday night. The Wolverines didn’t have any problems dealing with the Spartans, beating them 83-71. They’ll take their 20-1 record against Penn State this week while the Spartans will try to return to their winning ways against Minnesota.

“All readers come to fiction as willing accomplices to your lies. Such is the basic goodwill contract made the moment we pick up a work of fiction.” — Steve Almond, WD. Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 1st, the 5th Sunday of 2026 and the first one in February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Johannes Trithemius, German Benedictine Abbot of Sponheim who amassed a monastery library of 2,000 books; Elkanah Settle, British poet and playwright (The World in the Moon, The Empress of Morocco); Abraham Emanuel Fröhlich, Swiss poet and fabulist (Ulrich von Hutten, Hundert neue Fabeln); ames A. Herne, American playwright (Hearts of Oak; Margaret Fleming); Paul Fort, French poet (founder of Vers et Prose); Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Austrian poet, dramatist and essayist (founded Salzburg festival); Yevgeny Zamyatin, Russian writer and Soviet dissident (We); Charles Nordhoff, British-American author (The Bounty Trilogy, The Hurricane); Denise Robins, English romantic novelist (1st Long Kiss); Stephen Potter, English writer and humorist (School for Scoundrels, Shipbuilders); Langston Hughes, American poet (Weary Blues), playwright (Mulatto), and librettist (Troubled Island); Georg Rendl, Austrian writer (The Bees Novel), beekeeper and painter; S J Perelman, American author, humorist and screenwriter (The New Yorker, Around the World in 80 Days); Michael Kanin, American director, writer and actor (Woman of the Year, Teacher’s Pet); Zhang Chunqiao, Chinese politician and writer (member of the Gang of Four); Muriel Spark, Scottish author (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie); Ben Weider, Canadian businessman and author (The Murder of Napoleon); Douglas Johnson, British historian; Galway Kinnell, American author (Body Rags, Book of Nightmares); Reynolds Price, American writer (A Long and Happy Life; Kate Vaiden; Strengthened By a Pale Green Light); Jerry Spinelli, American children’s author (Stargirl, Wringer); Kevin McCarra, Scottish sports journalist (The Guardian, Scotland on Sunday, The Times); Andrew Upton, Australian playwright, screenwriter, and film director (Riflemind, Little Fish, Gone); and Meg Cabot, American author.

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me this week: S J Perelman. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work in Progress

Work slowly continues on Temples of Abydos as I’m dealing with multiple external activities. Over the past week, there have been an additional fourteen chapter reviews, bringing the total to fifty-five. As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s the next snippet:

Two weeks later, the Lufthansa Airbus 321 Neo touched down on time at Cairo’s International Airport. After the plane bounced once, the tires gripped the tarmac and began to smoke. The pilot weaved through several aircraft taxiing toward their gates or preparing to depart.

When they arrived at their gate, Charles, Isabella, and Finley waited for the aircraft to come to a complete stop before unbuckling their seatbelts and climbing out of their seats. Charles slid into the center of the aisle to block the flow of passengers pushing forward while Isabella and Finely retrieved belongings from the overhead bins.

“Uncle Charles, I was disappointed we didn’t travel first class, as you mentioned, but business class was perfect.”

Charles grinned. “The only way to travel first class from Edinburgh to Cairo would have taken twice as long and meant two additional stops. I think you’ll find our hotel will make up for it.”

“Finley, Charles and I would like you to do something for us.” Isabella smiled at her nephew. “Please drop auntie and uncle—at least when other people are around.”

“Okay, Aunt—I mean, Isabella.” A grin etched across Finley’s face. “This trip is a dream come true.”

As they worked their way to the exit, economy passengers tried to push their way forward but were kept at bay by the cabin crew. Upon disembarking, Charles, Isabella, and Finley marched up the access ramp into the terminal. They followed other passengers heading to the baggage claim area.

“Finley, we better grab two trolleys.”

“I’ll get them Un—Charles.” Finley pointed to a sign over two rows of empty carts. “Be right back.”

Charles began pulling their suitcases off the luggage belt as they came by and stacked them on the floor.

When Finley returned, he assisted Charles in transferring everything to the trolleys.”

“Ready?” Isabella gestured toward the exit. “Follow me.”

After a quick stop to have their passports stamped, they headed out of the arrivals hall. Outside, a cacophony of shouts, screams, and laughter assaulted them.

“Look, Uncle—Charles, the guards are all armed.”

“Typical for this part of the world—nothing to be alarmed about.” Charles glanced around and smiled when he spotted Ali and another man heading toward them.

Dressed in a red tarbouche and Bedouin-style white thoab, both men looked as if they had just stepped off a film set.

“Ali! I love your fez and your robe. But, shouldn’t you be wearing a keffiyeh instead of the fez?”

Ali shook Charles’s hand and kissed him on both cheeks. “You mentioned Professor Burness enjoyed Raiders of the Lost Ark, so I thought I should look the part.’ He gestured toward the other man. “This is my cousin, Darius. He will be your head porter.”

Charles shook hands and nodded toward Isabella.

Ali had already approached her. After kissing her outstretched hand, he pecked her on both cheeks. “Professor Burness, welcome to the land of the pharaohs. Allow me to introduce myself.” He stood to attention and seemed to grow taller. “My honorable lady, I am Sheikh Mohammad Ali Mustafa Kafir El-Badawi, at your service.” He removed his fez and bowed. He removed his fez and bowed. “At your service.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Sheikh—”

He laughed. “I agree my full name is quite a mouthful, especially for people who aren’t used to Egyptian names. Henceforth, I shall respond to Ali.”

“I’ll call you Ali on one condition.” Isabella smiled. “You must call me Isabella. Professor Burness is too formal.” She turned to her nephew. “This is Finley. He will be with us most of the time.”

Ali shook hands with the lanky young man with light red hair and blue eyes. “Welcome to Cairo, Finley. I hope you will do me the honor of allowing me to teach you everything I know.”

“Thank you, Ali. I’m sure you will help me a lot.”

“I think we’re ready to depart, Ali.” Charles stepped behind one of the trolleys.

“No, Professor. I shall take one, and Darius will take the other. We have two vehicles outside, so follow us.”

Once in the baking sunshine, Ali led them toward a pair of battered once-white vans. A guard cradling an AK-47 leaned against the first one.

Ali shook hands with the guard and introduced him. “Professor Charles, this is Jabari. He lives up to the meaning of his name, as he is known for his bravery. Jabari is another of my cousins, and he will be in charge of your guard force.”

When Jabari smiled, sunlight bounced off his four gold front teeth. “Welcome, Professor Charles. Upon my family’s honor, I shall protect you, your wife, and your nephew.” He glanced at Ali and Darius. “And my cousins, should they require it.”

Ali turned to Charles. “Take only the luggage you will require during our stay in Cairo. Everything else will be placed in the second van. Darius will take it to the warehouse I rented to serve as your office and staging area.”

After the luggage was distributed, Ali opened a passenger door and gestured toward Isabella. “If you please, I shall take you to the wonderous hotel your husband has picked out for your first visit to Cairo.”

She laughed as she climbed inside.

Moments later, with everyone in the van, Ali leaned toward Charles, who sat in the front passenger seat. Ali whispered, “What is the name of your wonderous hotel?”

Charles grinned. “The Kempinski Nile Hotel.”

Ali whistled. “It is good for you I did not know this before we agreed upon my wages. I would have held out for more.” He rapped his knuckles on the dash and turned the key.

Nothing happened.

Ali tilted forward and mumbled a few words in Arabic and tried the key again.

A thick cloud of smoke blew over the van as the engine sputtered to life.

Charles glanced at Ali. “What did you say?”

“I told this son of a modern camel if he embarrassed me again, I would take him to the Nile and push him in.”

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2026 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

 

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, January 25, 2026

Randall Krzak

When we went for our regular grocery shopping trip on Wednesday, I was surprised to find the store so busy. Of course, I had forgotten about the predicted snow storm but was quickly reminded when I noticed the eggs, milk, bottled water, and bread had all but disappeared from the shelves. The storm was anticipated to begin around 1pm on Saturday and last for twenty-four hours. As of midnight, there hadn’t been any precipitation, but by 8am this morning we had a bit of a dusting of snow. Will be interesting to see if we get more as the day progresses.

The Detroit Pistons played three games this week, winning two and dropping won. They are now 32-11in the Eastern Conference’s Central Division, with a seven-game lead over 2nd place Cleveland. Hopefully, their winning ways will continue!

The Michigan Wolverines moved up to 3rd in the NCAA rankings after winning last week. They won two games this week, improving their record to 18-1. Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans moved up to 10th in the rankings. They also played two games this week, winning both of them. Last night, they rolled past Maryland, 91-48. Good luck to both teams as they continue their winning ways!

“When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art.’ I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing.” — George Orwell. Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing. 

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on January 25th, the 4th Sunday of 2026 and the fourth and final one in January. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Gaspar Fagel, Dutch statesman and writer; Robert Burns, Scottish poet (Auld Lang Syne) considered the national poet of Scotland; Arne Garborg, Norwegian writer and playwright (Bondestudentar); Julije Kempf, Croatian historian and writer; W. Somerset Maugham, British novelist and poet (Of Human Bondage);  Virginia Woolf, British author (Jacob’s Room, To the Lighthouse); Kitahara Hakushū, Japanese poet and children’s writers; Diego Valeri, Italian author and poet (Le Gaie Tristezze); Yojiro Ishizaka, Japanese writer; Gerard Knuvelder, Dutch literature historian (Vocation, Kitty); Frans Goedhart, Dutch journalist (Het Parool); Lord Iliffe, English publisher (Coventry Evening Telegraph/Autocar); Michael Duane, British progressive educationalist and author; Russell Reading Braddon, Australian author; Jules de Palm, Antilles writer; Raymond Baxter, English television presenter and writer (Fast Lady); Eva Zeller, German poet and novelist; Paavo Haavikko, Finnish poet and writer; Kathleen Tynan Halton, Canadian-British journalist and author; Shotaro Ishinomori, Japanese manga author; Silvio Blatter, Swiss writer; John Cooper Clarke, English performance poet;  Gloria Naylor, American author (Women of Brewster Place), born in New York City; and Geoff Johns, American comic book writer.

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Robert Burns (today is the anniversary of his birth) and Virginia Woolf. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work in Progress

Work slowly continues on Temples of Abydos as I’m dealing with multiple external activities.. Over the past week, there have been an additional five chapter reviews, bringing the total to forty-one. As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s the next snippet:

To: Charles Rennie

From: Finley Burness 

Many thanks for the invite, Uncle Charles. Egypt sounds cool. My mum and dad said I could go as long as I’m helpful and don’t get in the way. I’ve read all the information about the Temples of Abydos on the links you sent me. I’m terribly excited and look forward to the trip. Thank you and Auntie Isabella for inviting me. I’ll be ready to go on Friday.

Charles smiled as he reread Finley’s email before sending the details about the firearms training. He typed a second email, this one to his sister, Grace.

Hey, Sis. Many thanks for allowing Finley to participate in our excursion. This will give him a leg up when he starts his archeology training after his gap year. I promise to keep him out of trouble and teach him everything I can about being an archaeologist.

After booking a flight from Edinburgh to Cairo, he sent a final email—this one to Ali, with their flight information for a Friday evening arrival in two weeks.

“I’m gagging for a tea.”

Charles glanced up and smiled when Isabella entered the office. “Don’t sit down. I’ll get you one and meet you in the living room. You need to sort through the myriad of Amazon packages that arrived this afternoon. What on Earth did you buy?”

Isabella laughed. “We can’t go on an archeological dig without being properly attired. I bought clothes, hats, and shoes for all three of us, along with matching backpacks and belts.”

Oh, great! She must have watched Raiders of the Lost Ark again! “Yes, dear. Let me get your tea and freshen up my coffee. I’ll meet you in the living room.”

When he joined Isabella, she had most of the boxes opened. He studied the stack of clothing, shoes, and hats she bought for him. “Very impressive. I expected you to dress me like Indiana Jones, and I’m relieved you didn’t.”

Isabella rolled her eyes. “It did cross my mind, but I thought it would be better to be prudent. After all, I wouldn’t want you to look like a complete imbecile.” She handed him a final package.

He shook it—something moved inside. “What’s this?”

A mischievous smile crossed her face. “Nothing an experienced archaeologist should be without. Go on—open it.”

They both burst into laughter when he opened the box and pulled out a whip similar to the one used by Indiana Jones. He went to the balcony, stepped outside, snapped the whip in the air. “Now, I’m ready.”

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2026 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, January 18, 2026

Randall Krzak

The number and variety of birds visiting has increased over the past couple of weeks. We’re also seeing more squirrels, wild turkeys and deer. Not sure why the change, but it’s great to see the wildlife!

The Detroit Pistons played two games this week, winning both of them. They’re now 30-10 on the season, in first place in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference, 7.5 games ahead of second-place Cleveland. Hopefully, they will continue their winning ways!

The Michigan Wolverines also played two games this week, winning both of them by ten points. Although they dropped to fourth in the NCAA rankings, they are now 16-1 on the season. Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans, ranked twelfth, improved to 16-2. Both teams play again on Tuesday.

“Making people believe the unbelievable is no trick; it’s work. … Belief and reader absorption come in the details: An overturned tricycle in the gutter of an abandoned neighborhood can stand for everything.” — Stephen King, WD (this quote is from an interview with King in the WD May/June 2009 issue). Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on January 18th, the 3rd Sunday of 2026 and the third one in January. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Antoine Houdar de la Motte, French playwright and poet; Montesquieu, French philosopher and writer (Letters Persanes); Peter Mark Roget, British lexicographer (Roget’s Thesaurus) and inventor (slide rule, pocket chessboard); William Henry Havergal, British composer, hymn writer, and Anglican clergyman; Johannes van Vloten, Dutch literary figure and theologist; Louis van Haecke, Belgian chaplain and author (Blood to Bridge); Jan Ferguut [Jan van Droogenbroeck], Belgian poet; Austin Dobson, English poet, critic and biographer; Ioan Slavici, Transylvanian-Romanian writer, founded the Young Romania Social and Literary Academic Society; Rubén Darío, Nicaraguan journalist, diplomat and poet; Paul Léautaud [Maurice Boissard], French writer and theatre critic (Petit ami); Gaston Gallimard, French publisher (Librairie Gallimard); A.A. Milne, English author of the Winnie-the-Pooh books; Arthur Ransome, English author, journalist and critic (Swallows & Amazons); C. M. Eddy, Jr., American writer; Hans H. Holm, Norwegian poet (Jonsoknatt); Jacob Bronowski, Polish-born British mathematician and science writer best known as the presenter of the BBC television series, The Ascent of Man; Charles Delaunay, French writer, magazine publisher (Le Jazz Hot), jazz musiclogist (Hot Discography), record label founder, and music promoter; William Sansom, English writer (Loving Eye); Arno Schmidt, German writer; James Crow, American geneticist and educator (Genetic Theories and Influences: Comments on the Value of Diversity); Gilles Deleuze, French philosopher (Difference and Repetition); Robert Anton Wilson, American sci-fi author (Trick Top Hat); Jon Stallworthy, English poet; Raymond Briggs, British children’s book author and illustrator (The Snowman; Fungus the Bogeyman); Anthony Giddens, English sociologist (theory of structuration), and prolific author; Bill Keller, American founding editor-in-cheif of nonprofit “The Marshall Project” and executive editor of “The New York Times”; Dave Attell, American writer and comedian (Captain Miserable, Insomniac with Dave Attell; and Binyavanga Wainaina, Kenyan author and journalist.

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me this week: A. A. Milne. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Published Work

I found out on this week that Mission: Yemen is now on the finalist list for the 2025 Chanticleer International Book Awards for Global Thrillers. The 6-8 first in category winners and the genre grand prize winner will be announced on April 18th. Fingers crossed that Mission: Yemen becomes one of the first in category winners, or even better, the genre grand prize winner!

The cover of Mission: Yemen is still competing in the monthly competition held by http://www.allauthor.com.  It’s currently in the third round but in order to move forward, it’ll need your help.

If you like the cover and are so inclined, please go to the website and vote for it. Here’s the link: https://allauthor.com/cover-of-the-month/20355/.

Thanks in advance!

My Work in Progress

Work slowly continues on Temples of Abydos. Over the past week, there have been an additional nine chapter reviews, bringing the total to thirty-six . As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s the next snippet:

Charles glanced out the office window at the West Sands, famous for the opening scenes of Chariots of Fire, as he waited for someone to answer the phone. He sipped from his first mug of coffee for the day while he counted the number of rings. After reaching ten, he gave up, and began to put the phone down when he heard a male voice.

“Hello. You have reached the Supreme Council of Antiquities within the Egyptian Ministry of Culture.”

“Hello. Could I speak with Ali?”

“It is I who is speaking. To whom do I have the indubitable pleasure of addressing?”

“This is Charles Rennie. We met about five years ago at an Egyptian symposium.”

“Ah, Professor Charles. How could I not forget my favorite Scotsman?”

Charles chuckled. I was the only Scot at the symposium.

“To what divination from the gods do I owe the pleasure of your call?”

Charles laughed. “I’m looking for a charismatic character, full of wit, and knowledgeable about Egyptian antiquities. Are you aware of any such individual?”

“As it so happens, I do. You are talking to the most charismatic—and witty Egyptian in the whole world.”

“Aye. Well, I’m taking a one-year break from teaching and want to explore some Egyptian sites. The first one I chose is Abydos.”

“It is most fortunate for you I am well-versed with the temples of Abydos and happen to be available. In fact, my boss said if I never came back, it would be too soon.” Ali burst into laughter. “I do not know how he would function without me to keep him in line. But, there is an important question I must ask.”

“What’s that?”

“Do you think you can afford me? My serious self comes with a modest price tag of seventy-two thousand Egyptian pounds a year, but I charge extra for wit and knowledge.”

“Aye. But how do you keep them separate?”

“It is in the knowing of what a client wants. After all, it takes much work to be my charming self, so why not charge for it?”

“What about a base salary of seven thousand Egyptian pounds a month plus expenses?

Ali laughed. “That appears to be a fair amount. But ten thousand Egyptian pounds would be even better. Toss in meals, and I will be your humble servant as long as you require. Mind you, I do eat a lot.”

“I’m sure we can accommodate you.” Charles chucked. Okay, ten thousand Egyptian pounds, which is just over one hundred fifty British pounds, My wife, Isabella, will be accompanying me, plus one of my nephews, Finley Burness, who wants to be an archaeologist. Can you arrange the necessary dig permits and extended visas for us from the ministry? What about workmen?”

“For the appropriate stipend, I can arrange anything you will require. There will be the usual modest fees plus my commission.”

“How much is your commission?”

Ali coughed. “Ten percent.”

“Hmm. A bit steep. Make it five, and we have a deal.”

“How about seven and a half?”

“Six—my final offer.”

Ali chortled. “Professor Charles, you are almost as good at bargaining as an Egyptian. I am happy to accept your gracious offer. At the first available opportunity, which will be today, I shall begin arranging vehicles, supplies, diggers, porters, and armed guards.”

“Why armed guards?”

“Since you were last in Egypt, there has been an increase in attacks at antiquity sites. Some people were kidnapped for ransom, and several were shot for no apparent reason.”

“I see. Aye, armed guards would be prudent.”

“I am glad you understand my thought processes, Professor Charles. When are you wanting to begin?”

“Isabella, Finley, and I will be in Cairo in three weeks as we need to time to arrange our visas and get requisite shots. Give me your email address, and I’ll send the details to you.”

Ali gave his address to Charles. “Upon receipt of your email, I will send you the account information for you to do a transfer of funds to me so I may begin preparations.”

“Aye. How much will you need?”

“It is, of course, up to your esteemed self, but I am thinking the princely sum of five thousand of your pounds will be sufficient for me to begin.”

“That much?”

“Yes, Professor Charles. Antiquity search is no stranger to price increases. Everyone wants more money. Of course, I shall only hire the very best, you can rest assured.”

“Very well. Anything else?”

“Yes. It would be prudent for you and Missus Professor, as well as your nephew, to learn which end of a weapon to point at nefarious individuals. It might make the difference between breathing and not.”

“Aye. I will enquire about what is available for the average person in Scotland, but I think it’s reserved for armed police officers and the military. If not, can I assume something will be arranged in Cairo?”

“On the grave of my father, I shall promise to teach all three of you. It is in my best self-interest to do so. After all, I am not wanting to join my ancestors just yet.”

Charles chuckled. “We will leave things in your capable hands, Ali. I shall send the flight details as soon as they are confirmed.”

“Excellent, Professor. I shall work with unbridled desire.”

Charles broke the connection. He’s still a character. Wonder what Isabella will think of him?

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2026 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, December 7, 2025

Randall Krzak

There’s been more squirrels visiting than we’ve seen for some time. Same with the birds, deer, and turkeys. I suppose it’s due to the colder temperatures. The kittens we adopted certainly are enjoying the visitors as they spend time on our enclosed deck checking them out. One squirrel even ventured onto the deck railing and one of the kittens ran to the screen to investigate. The squirrel seemed to sense the kitten couldn’t get any closer and it continued to eat the bird seed we left for our visitors.

The Detroit Lions defeated the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday evening, roaring past them 44-30. Their record improved to 8-5, and are still in the hunt for a NFC wildcard playoff spot. Of course, they probably need to win their remaining games to do this as NFL.com only gives them a 54 percent chance of making it.

The Detroit Pistons played four games in the past week, winning three and losing one. They still have the best record in the Eastern Conference, with a 19-5 record and are in first place in the Central Division, 5.5 games ahead of second place Cleveland.

The third-ranked Michigan Wolverines extended their winning record to 8-0 with a convincing win over Rutgers, 101-60. This is the third consecutive game in which Michigan scored 100 or more points. Meanwhile, the seventh ranked Michigan State Spartans suffered a defeat at home to Duke, 66-60, taking their record to 8-1.

“Genius gives birth, talent delivers. What Rembrandt or Van Gogh saw in the night can never be seen again. Born writers of the future are amazed already at what they’re seeing now, what we’ll all see in time for the first time, and then see imitated many times by made writers.”
– Jack Kerouac, Writers Digest. Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on December 7th, the forty-ninth Sunday of 2025 and the first one in December. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Abū-Sa’īd Abul-Khayr, Persian mystic and poet; Allan Cunningham, Scottish poet and author; Johann Nestroy, Austrian actor, singer and playwright (Judith und Holofernes); Otto Ammon, German anthropologist and sociologist (schedelmetingen); Paul Adam, French writer (La Bataille d’Uhde); Svetolik Ranković, Serbian writer (Forest King); Johan Huizinga, Dutch culture historian (Homo Ludens); Willa Cather, American Pulitzer-Prize winning author (One of Ours; My Ántonia); Akiko Yosano, Japanese poet (Tangled Hair); Heywood Broun, American journalist (1st President of American Newspaper Guild); Joyce Cary, Anglo-Irish writer (House of Children); Jacques Gans, Dutch author and journalist; Leigh Brackett, American sci-fi author (Ginger Star); Tatamkhulu Afrika, South African poet and writer; Noam Chomsky, American linguist (founded transformational grammar), philosopher and political activist; Kumar Shahani, Indian writer and director (Kasbam Tarang, Maya Darpan); James Tate, American poet (Pulitzer Prize 1992); Nikola Wapzarow, Bulgarian poet and writer; and Mohamed Diab, Egyptian screenwriter and director (Cairo 678, Marvel’s Moon Knight).

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me this week. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work In Progress

The second edit pass on the manuscript for Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion is now underway. Edits are based on reader feedback and make adjustments based on what I think works best.  There were another three new chapter reviews, bringing the total to 344. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

Izabella flinched as she peered around the ballroom. Where on earth was Annabelle? Being a hostess and having to chase down her daughter and Annabelle was the most nightmarish debacle that Izabella ever found herself in the middle of. Both girls were thorns in her side.

She pondered whether anyone would recognize her family dynamics were unlike anything they allowed the public to perceive. In truth, Izabella felt a bit sorry for her niece from time to time, but it was much better to remain silent.

The repercussions of telling anyone what happened to her sister were terrifying. Still, Izabella didn’t regret the favor she received by showing loyalty and respect to the man she called her husband. He possessed a degree of handsomeness, even as callous as he was. The luxury in which Izabella found herself living was nothing to dismiss either. She could, on a technicality, be a slave.

The only real drawback to her agreeable life was living as Evangeline’s mother. The one reprieve from restless nights, caring for the wailing infant Evie, was in having her handmaiden. Izabella was not an evil woman, and she would never allow anyone to imply it. Still, the welling of guilt gnawing at the back of her mind left a shadow that crept up, attempting to stifle her words. While it terrorized her, it also taught Izabella the value of silence.

How easy was it to remain unassuming if one merely slipped into the shadows and minded their manners? If she didn’t choose to do so on her own, her husband would have made sure by other means that she was silenced.

Peculiar was the most fitting word for her daughter; but as she considered it, what else could she have expected? A smile plastered across her face, and the beauty of her visage was the only thing Izabella ever needed. As she saw it, her sister’s belligerence and stupidity were her problems and no one else’s.

If she possessed any sense at all, she would have long ago learned to use the beauty she was blessed with to beguile gentlemen.

Izabella and Vivien were fools to think their beauty, paired with a sharp tongue, would be sufficient to stay safe. And most assuredly in Tankard Town, in the heart of the Confederacy, no less. Though, as Izabella moved through the parlor, she could not help but wonder how differently things may have gone if Abraham Lincoln hadn’t been exiled. If only the North had prevailed.

But they hadn’t, and Izabella’s wits were the thing that kept not only her but her niece safe. Who was anyone to judge her for doing the best with what she was given? Still, the way Annabelle regarded her was like a nagging itch in the back of her mind. Izabella wrung her hands. Somehow, in some way, the girls put two and two together.

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, March 23, 2025

Randall Krzak

We’re now officially in Spring. The trees continue to bud, while the daffodils are now past their best, and lawns are turning green. Not a good time for those with seasonal allergies!

The NCAA’s March Madness kicked off this week, with sixty-four team vying to move forward. My two teams are both in the South bracket and have started out with wins. Michigan (5) beat UC San Diego (12) 68-65 in round one, while Michigan State (2) slammed Bryant (15) 81-62.

Michigan continued in round two with another win, this time over Texas A&M (4) 91-79. Michigan State plays New Mexico (10) in round two this evening.

Michigan is now in the Sweet Sixteen, were they’ll face Auburn (1). All being well, Michigan State will move into the Sweet Sixteen as well.

The Detroit Pistons are now 39-32, with five regular season games remaining. Right now, they’re still in the top eight in the conference and will continue into the playoffs.

The Detroit Tigers played six Spring training games this week, splitting 3-3. They are now 12-12, but still in second place in their division. They’ll begin the regular season on March 27th against the LA Dodgers.

 “When all else fails, write what your heart tells you. You can’t depend on your eyes, when your imagination is out of focus.” – Mark Twain. Compliments of https://press.barnesandnoble.com/bnpress-blog/inspirational-quotes-writing/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on March 23rd, the twelth Sunday of 2025 and the fourth and final one for March. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Jeronimo de Bosch Kemper, Dutch sociologist and historian (Statistic yearbook); Alekey Pisemski, Russian novelist and playwright (A Bitter Lot); Eduard Schlagintweit, German writer; Uchimura Kanzō, Japanese religious writer and pacifist (How I Became a Christian); Roger Martin du Gard, French novelist (Les Thibault, 1937 Nobel Prize for Literature); Frank Sargeson [Norris Frank Davey], New Zealand short story writer and playwright; Akira Kurosawa, Japanese director and screenwriter who was posthumously named “Asian of the Century” in the “Arts, Literature, and Culture” category (Rashomon, Drunken Angel, Seven Samurai, Ran); Francis Berry, British poet and academic (Shakespearean scholar); Jimmy Edwards, British comedy writer and actor (Take It From Here, Whack-O!); Barry Cryer, British comic, writer (The Kenny Everett Show; Ross Abbot; The Two Ronnies), and actor (All You Need Is Cash); Alan Bleasdale, English author, playwright and scriptwriter (Are You Lonesome Tonight); Kim Stanley Robinson, American sci-fi author (Mars Trilogy); Gary Whitehead, American poet; Mitch Cullin, American novelist (A Slight Trick of the Mind); Judith Godrèche, French actress (The Man in the Iron Mask; L’Auberge espagnole), and novelist (Point de côté); Randall Park, American comedian, writer, and actor (Fresh Off the Boat); and Jayson Blair, American journalist and author.

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me this week. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work In Progress

I completed chapter sixteen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series this week. It’s now posted to the two  online subscription writing sites I use. There were another six reviews this week, bringing the total to 226. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s another snippet:

Evelyn glanced around the otherwise empty office. “Ahem. We’d like to make some flight reservations, please.”

Dolores eased her glasses over her eyes as she continue to blow bubbles. “Where to and when, hon?” She spoke with a New York accent.

“Well, my dear. If you could pull yourself away from your bubble blowing, we’d like to book three tickets from here to Johannesburg.”

Dolores frowned as she spit her gum into a wastepaper basket. “Don’t get uppity with me, hon, or I’ll find flights that take the longest to arrive.” She smirked. “Come back in a day or two, and I might have something for you.”

“Ahem. Our trip is rather urgent.” Trevor introduced himself. “I am Colonel Trevor Franklin, Retired. Lady Evelyn and I are on our way to meet with South African officials who requested the meeting.”

“Spaz. And I suppose Miss Smart Mouth here is the queen of England.”

“Not quite, hon. But I am a cousin of the king.”

“So? Unless the ambassador tells me to kiss your butt, you’ll wait like everyone else.”

“Perhaps we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot.” Evelyn glanced at Trevor as if to keep him quiet. “It’s imperative that we depart as soon as possible.”

Dolores popped a new piece of gum in her mouth and chewed. “Well, hon. Since you sorta apologized for your rude behavior, I’ll see what I can do.” She pulled her keyboard closer as she squinted at the screen. “You said Joburg, right?”

Evelyn bit back a retort, electing to give the woman the benefit of the doubt. “Yes, but I suspect it will be listed as Johannesburg.”

Dolores began blowing bubbles as she used two fingers to peck at her keyboard. “No direct flights.” She continued to type, tilting her head. “It looks like you won’t be able to depart for at least a week. All the economy seats out of Tocumen are booked.”

“That won’t work.” Evelyn sighed. “What about business class or first class?”

Dolores used a long fingernail painted bright red to pop a bubble. “Hon, no one, and I mean no one, gets a business class ticket without the ambassador’s prior authorization.” She laughed. “I’ve been here ten years, and I’ve never booked a first class ticket—not even for the ambassador.”

“Well, our boss authorized us to travel ASAP, even if it meant the higher-priced tickets.”

“What your boss says has no merit in this office, hon. You might as well get used to the idea you’re not going anywhere right away.”

Evelyn sighed as she pulled her Hyperion encrypted cellphone from a back pocket. Thumbing through her contact list, she selected the number she wanted and dialed, turning on the speaker phone.

Moments later, a high-pitched female voice answered. “Gosh, Lady Evelyn. It’s so great to hear from you. What can I do for you?”

“Hello, Georgia.” Evelyn chuckled. “How soon can you get CC, Trevor, and me to Joburg?”

“CC called earlier and told me to expect to hear from you, so I dug right in. I have you booked first class, which Admiral Blakely authorized, for tomorrow morning, departing at 09:30 for Washington Dulles. After a brief layover, you’ll fly to London. Here’s where it gets tricky—you’ll have a twelve-hour delay before your flight to Johannesburg.”

“Not a problem, Georgia. We can spend the day with Sir Alex. What’s the overall flight time, including layovers?”

“Let’s see.” The clatter of Georgia’s fingers on her keyboard echoed through the speaker. “Tomorrow’s Tuesday. You’ll reach South Africa on Thursday morning. The total number of hours for your trip is—holy smokes! It’ll take thirty-nine hours. I’ll arrange for transportation from Joburg to the embassy in Pretoria. CC said you’ll be meeting with Hendrik Webster, the director general of the State Security Agency, so I’ll request the embassy set up an appointment with him.”

“Many thanks, Georgia. You’re a gem.”

“Just doing my job, Lady Evelyn. Although I do wish I was going with you. I’ve always wanted to visit Kruger National Park and the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. By the way, each ticket costs just over fourteen thousand five hundred dollars.”

Evelyn laughed. “Both locations are on my bucket list. Perhaps one day we can visit them together. Glad we’re not paying for the flights, although I could use my AMEX Black Card.”

“That would be a trip of a lifetime—save your card to cover our personal flights.” George chuckled.  “I just sent the flight info to your phones.”

Pings came from Evelyn and Trevor’s phones.

“Just came in, Georgia. Many thanks.” Evelyn glanced at Trevor, who gave her a thumbs up.

“Anything else I can do for you today, Lady Evelyn?”

“No, that’s all. Thanks again for your help. Talk with you soon.” Evelyn broke the connection, put the phone back in her pocket, and faced Dolores. “You could learn a lesson or two from Georgia on how to deal with customers.”

Dolores popped more bubbles but didn’t reply.

Evelyn turned and walked out of the office, followed by Trevor.

As they walked along the corridor, Trevor chuckled. “I expected some resistance from the travel office as they always think they’re a law onto themselves. Good job in dealing with her.”

“Typical plebian. Let’s find CC and Rufus. As Robin Williams once said, “How about you and me blow this Popsicle stand?”

They both laughed as they entered the almost-empty canteen.

CC and Rufus sat at a table in the corner, nursing coffee cups. They stood as Evelyn and Trevor approached.

“I see you got things sorted.” CC tapped his shirt pocket from where his phone protruded. “The canteen is about to close. Why don’t we head to the hotel, get checked in, and find a place for dinner?”

Evelyn nodded. “You know how to talk a girl off her feet. Lead the way, my shining knight.”

Rufus stuck a finger in his throat as if he was going to puke.

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, March 16, 2025

Randall Krzak

It’s been a dry and warm week, at least until early this morning when we were hit with a couple of thunderstorms. Tornadoes are in the forecast for the east of South Carolina. Meanwhile, during the week I did get a fair bit of yard work done, but will have to wait for things to dry out before doing any more.

Michigan and Michigan State played last Sunday. State won the game, 79-62 and upped their record to 26-5 while Michigan dropped to 22-9.  This was Michigan State’s 11th regular season championship under coach Tom Izzo, and they inched up to 7th in the Top Twenty-Five, while Michigan tumbled to 22nd.

Both teams played on the 14th in the Big Ten Conference Championship. State was the number one seed and played Oregon (8) while Michigan (3) played Purdue (6). State won their game and played Wisconsin (5), losing 77-74. Michigan beat Purdue 86-68 and went on to beat Maryland (2) 81-80.  Michigan will play Wisconsin on Sunday for the Big Ten Conference Championship.

The Detroit Pistons won one game this week, while dropping two. They’re are now 37-31, but still in contention for the Eastern Conference playoffs, as long as they return to winning ways.

I watched my first Detroit Tigers spring training game this week. They won 5-1. As of yesterday, they are  in 2nd place in the AL Central Division with a 9-9 record plus one tie.

“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.” – George Bernard Shaw. Compliments of https://press.barnesandnoble.com/bnpress-blog/inspirational-quotes-writing/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on March 16th, the eleventh Sunday of 2025 and the third one for March. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/). 

Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, Dutch historian and writer; Gerbrant Bredero, Dutch poet and playwright (Klucht van de Koe); Michael Franck, German composer, poet, and baker; Madame de La Fayette [Marie-Madeleine Pioche de la Vergne], French novelist (La Princesse de Clèves -1st historical novel in French); Bengt Lidner, Swedish poet (Medea, Yttersa Domen); Anna Atkins, English botanist, photographer and the 1st person to publish a book illustrated with photographic images; Peter Ernst von Lasaulx, German philosopher and writer; Ernest Feydeau, French author, friend of Flaubert (Fanny); Sully Prudhomme, French poet and the 1st winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1901; F. A. Forbes, Scottish author; Ethel Anderson, Australian poet; César Vallejo, Peruvian-French poet and novelist (Los Heraldos Negros; Trilce; Russia in 1931); Francisco Ayala, Spanish writer; Samael Aun Weor, Colombian writer; Sid Fleischman, American author, and screenplay writer (The Whipping Boy; Blood Alley: The Abracadabra Kid); Geoffrey Freeman Allen, English railway writer; Harding Lemay, American writer (head writer for soap “Another World”; Don Richard Carpenter, American writer (Hard Rain Falling); Don Richard Carpenter, American writer (Hard Rain Falling); Kate Worley, American comic book writer (Omaha the Cat Dancer); and Lauren Graham, American actress and author (Gilmore Girls, Parenthood).

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me this week. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work In Progress

Since I concentrated on outdoor work this week, I didn’t finish chapter sixteen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series. I’ll get it finished this coming week and post it to the two  online subscription writing sites I use. There were another eight reviews this week, bringing the total to 220. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s another snippet:

Five hours later, the three-vehicle convoy reached Panama City. Bob weaved through the crowded streets to the American embassy on Demetrio Basilio Lakas Avenue, Clayton. Rufus and Trevor followed.

“Sir, wake up. We’re here.” Bob blew the horn to notify the Panamanian guards of their arrival.

After Bob showed diplomatic ID to the guards, they opened the gate, and the three vehicles entered. Bob continued to the motor pool area, where the Suburban and the Toyota Land Cruisers were handed over to the maintenance team. He told the maintenance chief about Jim’s body.

Bob led CC and the others up the hill to the six-story chancery. Once again he showed his ID, this time to a Marine standing inside a bullet-resistant booth.

The Marine asked for CC, Evelyn, Rufus, and Trevor’s ID. Upon viewing Trevor’s, the Marine came to attention and saluted.

Trevor smiled as he returned the salute.

The Marine pointed to a table to the left of his booth. “Please sign in. Once you’ve done so, Bob can take you inside. Admiral Blakely and the ambassador will join you soon.”

Fifteen minutes later, Bob escorted them into a conference room adjacent to the ambassador’s office. Everyone grabbed a seat at the rectangle table for twelve as a steward brought in a trolley laden with tea, coffee, water, juice, and pastries.

After they had something to eat and drink, they relaxed until the door leading to the ambassador’s office opened.

In strode the ambassador, followed by Admiral Blakely.

Everyone jumped to their feet.

The ambassador laughed as he took his seat at the head of the table with the admiral seated next to him. “Welcome back from your excursion into the Darien. I’m Charles Sanderson, the ambassador to Panama, at least as long as the president allows me to be here. But you can call me Chuck.”

Everyone smiled at the ambassador, who resembled the fictional character used in the KFC commercials—white hair, a white goatee, black-rimmed glasses, and dressed in a white suit with a red bowtie.

“Aye, Ambassador. Thank you for the loan of the vehicles.” CC grinned. “I’m afraid we added a few dents and scrapes to them.”

“Don’t worry about it. Can’t be helped when you go into the jungle.” The ambassador turned to Admiral Blakely. “Richard, it’s your show, so please take over.”

The admiral nodded. “I’ll expect a full report by the end of the day. In the meantime, I want to inform you about your next assignment.” He glanced around the room, stopping when he reached Trevor. “At a request from Ambassador Sanderson, we will be sending Bedlam Bravo sans Trevor, back to Yaviza to keep an eye on the Embera-Wounaan.”

“I was asked by the Panamanian president if we could assist in supporting their indigenous tribes in the Darien given the recent increase in crime originating in the area.” Chuck stroked his goatee. “Since I concur with the president’s request, I tried to hoodwink Richard in providing support.”

“I spoke with Sir Alex and Harrison yesterday evening, and both agreed to the use of Bedlam Bravo for this mission.”

Trevor raised a hand. “Sir, if I’m not going with my team, who will lead them?”

“Good question. Sir Alex, Harrison, and I had a lengthy discussion about this. We’d like Rufus to take over as Bravo team lead on a temporary basis. August will assume command of the quick reaction force until Rufus returns.”

“Aye, Admiral.” CC gestured toward Evelyn and Trevor. “What do you have planned for us?”

“I spoke with the president of South Africa while you were running around the jungle. At last, he’s agreed to have Bedlam Delta positioned in the country. You’ll be meeting with the State Security Agency. The director general of the SSA will become the overseer for Bedlam Delta.” The admiral frowned as he glanced at Trevor again. “He’s driving a hard bargain as he wants a South African in charge of the team. You know what that means.”

“Understood, Admiral. We only have one experienced South African in our existing teams—Gerhard Badenhorst. I’m confident Gerhard is up to the task.”

The admiral nodded. “He’ll remain with Bedlam Bravo pending our finding a suitable replacement for him. In the meantime, our existing Bedlam team leaders will head to South Africa to establish the groundwork for setting up our newest team. I’ll speak with Gerhard and explain his promotion. Keep him posted as much as you can.”

“Aye, Admiral. Anything else?”

“As a matter of fact, there is, CC. We still need to discuss your transition to my deputy and your replacement as Alfa’s team lead.” The admiral shook his head. “We might need to go on a snatch-and-grab with the military and intelligence communities for volunteers.”

“Och aye, Admiral. Things have a way of working out.”

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

 

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, March 2, 2025

Randall Krzak

Wildlife continue to visit on a regular basis. In addition to an abundance of various birds and at least eight squirrels, wild turkeys are prevalent. We haven’t seen as many deer recently, but there were four on Thursday and five on Fridays. As it gets warmer, we expect to see our larger visitors decline.

As college basketball heats up with conference championships on the horizon, followed by March Madness, which begins on March 18th, Michigan State (ranked eighth in the Top Twenty-Five) and Michigan (ranked fifteenth) site atop the Big Ten standings with 14-3 conference records (23-5 and 22-6, overall, respectively). 

Both teams have three conference games remaining. Assuming each team wins the first two, this will set up an exciting rematch on March 9th, when Michigan travels to Michigan State for the finale. Meanwhile, Michigan State plays Wisconsin later today, while Michigan takes on Illinois.

Over the past week, the Detroit Pistons won three games while dropping another. There record is now 34-27.  They have twenty-one games remaining on their 2024/25 schedule and are currently 6th in the Eastern Conference.

We’re now getting some warmer temperatures, with highs getting into the lower 70s.  However, the forecast for the following week shows temperatures primarily in the lower-mid 60s. Most days will be dry, but there is a slight chance of rain a couple of days and even a thunderstorm.

“Step out of the history that is holding you back. Step into the new story you are willing to create.”
– Oprah Winfrey. Compliments of https://copyblogger.com/inspirational-quotes-for-writers/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on March 2nd, the ninth Sunday of 2025 and the first one for March. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Thomas Bodley, English diplomat and scholar (founder of the Bodleian Library); George Sandys, English colonist and poet; Camille Desmoulins, French journalist, pamphleteer and revolutionary leader (his oratory led to storming of the Bastille); Evgeny Baratynsky, Russian poet; Janos Arany, Hungarian epic poet (Toldi, Death of King Buda); Multatuli [Eduard Douwes Dekker], Dutch writer (Max Havelaar); Henry Beebee Carrington, American lawyer, professor, prolific author, and Brigadier General (Union Army); Carl Schurz, German-American journalist and Major General (Union Army); Herman Schaepman ‘the Doctor’, Dutch poet, Roman Catholic priest, theologian, and politician; Sholem Aleichem [Solomon Rabinowitz], Yiddish author and playwright (Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye the Dairyman); John Jay Chapman, American poet, and writer (Learning & Other Essays); Dr, Seuss, American children’s author (The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham); Godfried Bomans, Dutch humorist and writer and TV personality (Pieter Bas); David Goodis, American crime fiction writer; Tom Wolfe, American journalist and author (The Right Stuff); John Cornell, Australian screenwriter (Paul Hogan Show; Crocodile Dundee), and director (Crocodile Dundee II); John Irving, American short-story writer (The World According to Garp; The Cider House Rules); Peter Straub, American award-winning fantasy and horror author; Mark Evanier, American writer; Michael Salinger, American poet known for his Poetry Slam performances; Morioka Hiroyuki, Japanese science fiction writer; and Glenn Rubenstein, American writer and journalist.

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Dr. Seuss and John Irving. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work In Progress

I finished chapter fourteen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series this week. It’s now posted to the two  online subscription writing sites I use. There were another eighteen reviews this week, bringing the total to 206. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s another snippet:

An hour later, Andres woke with a start. After glancing around and not spotting anyone, he donned his hat, rolled up the blanket, and mounted Shadow.  Soon he was back at the stables, turning Shadow’s reins over to the servant who brought out the horse earlier. “Gracias. Give him a good rub down and a portion of oats.”

“De nada, Jefe. I shall look after Shadow.” The servant took the reins and led Shadow away.

In a better mood, Andres returned to the hacienda. He walked along the veranda and entered through French doors into his office.

A servant appeared, holding a cup of coffee. “Did you enjoy your ride, Jefe? I thought you might like a drink to refresh you.”

“Gracias. Yes, the ride was worthwhile. I should do it more often. Has my guest arrived yet?”

“Sí, Jefe. He is meeting with Señor Juan at the moment. Shall I send them to you?”

“Sí, gracias.”

After the servant departed, he glanced around the room.  It was once the refuge of the previous owner. Its Brazilian cherrywood floor contrasted with the two walls lined with floor-to-ceiling oak bookcases. One day I should start reading the books.

A stack of hardwood in a stone fireplace waited to be ignited when the evening weather turned cool. The outer wall boasted glazed windows, with two sets of French doors opening onto the veranda. A massive portrait of his father seated on a brown quarter horse took center stage on the wall behind the desk. If only Padre could see me now.

His reminiscing was interrupted by a knock on the door. “Enter.”

Juan Guzman, Andres’ primary accountant, opened the door and stepped aside to let a short, stocky man with bowed legs enter.

They took easy chairs in front of Andres’ Italian-made oak desk.

“Jefe, this is Obasi Bankole, the deputy leader of Nigeria’s Black Shadow.”

Andres stood and shook hands with Obasi before the three men sat.

“I understand Black Shadow is looking to purchase cocaine from us.” Andres rubbed his upper lip, which was clean-shaven as was Obasi’s.

“Yes. I am authorized to arrange an agreement between our organizations.” Obasi smiled. “Of course, you must realize Africa is an impoverished continent compared to the Americas, so our purse strings are not as deep.”

Andres laughed. “I assume Juan gave you our initial price, which might be negotiable if terms can be reached.”

“Yes.” Obasi nodded as he lifted the briefcase he brought with him and extracted a document. He glanced at it before handing it to Andres. “As you can see, our leader, Mongo Abara, has proposed fifteen thousand dollars a kilo, if you can provide at least five hundred kilos to start.”

Andres turned to Juan. “What do you think? I know we can handle five hundred kilos without any difficulty. What about the price?”

“Jefe, I believe the best price we can do is eighteen thousand a kilo.”

Andres glanced at Obasi. “Will this work for you?”

Obasi shook his head. “I suggest sixteen thousand.”

“Hmm.” Andres stared at the ceiling. “Make it seventeen thousand and we have a deal. How would you like the cocaine delivered?”

“If I agree to seventeen thousand, we would like the merchandise delivered to one of our ships outside the Nigerian maritime border, which extends two hundred nautical miles from the coast.”

“Agreed. We would use a Panamanian-registered freighter for delivery. The initial funds must be sent to a bank of our choosing. Juan will help you with this. Future shipments can be paid to the ship’s captain for transferal to us.”

Obasi nodded. “Your terms are acceptable. Thank you.” He stood and reached out a hand.

Andres lumbered to his feet and shook the outstretched hand. “It will be our pleasure to do business with you.” He pushed a bell on the telephone console.

A servant appeared.

“Show Mr. Bankole to his vehicle por favor.” Andres turned to Obasi. “Do you require anything before your departure?”

“No.” Obasi glanced at his watch. “If I return to the airport now and depart, I shall be back in Nigeria this evening. Until we meet again.”

The servant escorted Obasi from the office.

 Andres turned to his accountant. “Keep a close eye on the progress with our new partner, Juan. If you find anything untoward, it might be necessary to contact someone in Miami to send a message. They’ll know just what is needed.”

Sí, Jefe.” Juan grinned. “My cousin’s friends are always looking to expand their influence. They will show these Black Shadow people not to mess with the CDG.” He drew an imaginary knife across his throat. “Otherwise, they shall become bait for the sharks.”

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

Uncategorized

Randall’s Rambling, February 23, 2025

Randall Krzak

The wild turkeys put in appearances almost every day during the past week. Most times, it was just a group of 15-20 females, but on a couple of occasions, they were accompanied by a tom.  While the females pecked at the ground, the gobbler remained in the background as if keeping watch over the group. They usually departed en masse about twenty minutes after arriving.

This week we received a list of our next participation in the local farmer’s market. We have eight confirmed dates (all Sundays) between the beginning of May and the end of August. In addition, we’re wait listed for the other Sundays. Some time during this period, we should also receive word about our inclusion for September through the end of the year.

On Wednesday and Thursday morning, we had a few snow flurries–no real accumulation except a bit in sheltered areas. However, the temperature was sufficient so even this accumulation didn’t hang around long. It was funny hearing people in the stores talk about the flurries as if a major storm was going to hit us. It didn’t.

Turning to college basketball, Michigan won last Sunday and moved up to 12th in the Top Twenty.  Michigan State also won on Tuesday, but slid to 14th. On Friday, the two teams played each other in Ann Arbor. Michigan State won, 75-62, raising their record to 22-5, while Michigan dropped to 21-6.

The Detroit pistons won their first game after the All-Star break. This was their 5th consecutive win, and they are now 30-26. They play again tonight.

“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” – Stephen King. Compliments of https://copyblogger.com/inspirational-quotes-for-writers/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 23rd, the eight Sunday of 2025 and the fourth and final one for February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Samuel Pepys, English navy administrator and Member of Parliament famous for his Diary of the English Restoration period; Wilhelmus Schortinghuis, Dutch theologist (Profound Christianity); Richard Price, Welsh philosopher; John Walter II, English newspaper owner (who made The Times into an important newspaper, 1812-47); Herman Neubronner van der Tuuk, Dutch philologist (Tobasch’ Grammar); W.E.B. Du Bois, American civil rights activist, writer (Souls of Black Folk) and co-founder of the NAACP; B. Traven, German novelist (“The Death Ship”; “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”) who is cloaked in mystery and whose identity, real name and birthplace is disputed; Erich Kästner, German writer; Mien van ‘t Sant, Dutch author (Mieke serial); William L. Shirer, American journalist and historian (Rise & Fall of 3rd Reich); Walter Allen, English writer and literary critic; Heinrich Schirmbeck, German author and activist (Das Spiegellabyrinth); David Wright, South African-British poet (Deafness: A Personal Account; Gery Florizoone, Flemish poet; Gerry Davis, British screenwriter (Dr Who); Jef Geeraerts, Flemish writer (Black Venus) and crime novelist; Donna J. Stone, American poet (Wielder of Words); Bernard Cornwell, English historical novelist; John Sandford, American novelist; and Doug Moench, American comic book writer known for his work on Batman and “Master of Kung Fu”.

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Bernard Cornwell and John Sandford. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work In Progress

I finished chapter thirteen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series this week. It’s now posted to the two  online subscription writing sites I use. There were another seven reviews this week, bringing the total to 188. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

As previously mentioned the cover is a filler, as the final cover won’t be done until the entire first draft is completed.  Here’s another snippet:

“Mis amigos, later today, I shall meet with a representative from a Nigerian group interested in purchasing more of our product as they try to increase their influence in Africa. I’ve been in discussion with them for several weeks, and yesterday, we reached an agreement.”

“Well done, Jefe.” Carlos grinned. “what will be our profit?”

“That is something we will settle during today’s negotiation. While we only receive about one thousand eight hundred dollars a kilo in Colombia, I hope to get at least half of what we earn in Estados Unidos, or about eighteen thousand a kilo.”

Diego rubbed his jaw. “B-But, J-Jefe, why the l-lower p-price?”

“Call this an introductory price.” Andres laughed. “When they realize the quality of our product, they will be willing to pay more, perhaps as much as twenty-nine thousand dollars a kilo.”

Carlos whistled. “Dios mío, Jefe!” We shall be richer than ever.”

“Sí and we shall give the church her due to worship God.” Andres clapped his hands.

A servant hovering in the background brought him fresh coffee.

After sipping on the hot brew, Andres glanced at his watch. “Felipe should be arriving soon from Yazivi to give us an update about the men he sent to deal with the outsiders.”

“J-Jefe, you m-mentioned last t-time that I w-would become the deputy j-jefe for Carlos and Felipe. W-When will I s-start?” As normal, Diesgo struggled with his words, caused by a stutter he developed in childhood.

“Do not worry, mi amigo.” Andres smiled. “After you discuss your duties with Carlos and Felipe, I shall pick a start state that is convenient to everyone.”

Diego nodded. “G-Gracias, J-Jefe.”

The door opened, and Felipe stormed in. He walked past the buffet and joined Andres and the others. “Sorry, Jefe. It took longer for me to return than I expected.”

“What happened?” Andres turned and waved a hand at the servant.

The servant brought a pot of coffee and an extra cup. After refilling Andres, Carlos, and Diego’s cups, he poured one for Felipe before returning to his station near the buffet.

Felipe took a sip of the steaming brew. “When I arrived at Yaviza, I expected to find our men were victorious.” He shook his head. “Much to my amazement, three of them were dead and the other three had suffered minor injuries. Arturo, the man I put in charge of the team, suffered the most serious injury, with a puncture near his heart. I brought him back with me, and he’s been taken to the hospital for treatment.” Felipe shrugged. “If he does not survive, there are other men who want to go.”

Andres crossed his arms as he grimaced. “So, who are these interlopers who dared to enter our territory?”

“I do not know, Jefe. But, they must be seasoned warriors.”

“Find out. This is an outrage, and their interference cannot be accepted.” Andres slammed a fist on the table, causing cups to spill. “I have an important meeting today. If details of this indignity were to get out, it might disrupt our expansión plans and make me a laughing stock among the other cartels.”

“Sí, Jefe.” Felipe started to rise.

“Sit.” Andres glared at Felipe. “I will tell you when to go. You must be famished. Eat first and return to Yaviza. Find out who dared to challenge us and get rid of them. If you must take additional men with you, do so.”

“Sí, Jefe. With your permission, I will arrange for more men to return with me. Afterward, I shall eat.”

Andres remained silent as he waved a hand in dismissal.

After Felipe departed, Andres glanced at Carlos and Diego. “Seems we have more work to do. I cannot believe Norteamericano federales are behind this. Must be someone else—perhaps their CIA?” Andres shook his head. “In any event, we must show we are powerful and not someone to be trifled with.” He jumped to his feet. “I’m going for a ride and will return in a couple of hours, in time for my meeting. You are dismissed. Adios.” He left the dining room, slamming the door behind him.

Carlos and Diego climbed out of their seats and echoed Andres’s farewell.  They looked at each other and shrugged.

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved