Over the Top

  by Mike Todd “Somebody’s there,” my seven-year-old son Evan said as we rounded the top of the hill.  Indeed, the bench at the overlook was occupied by an old man, enjoying the peace and quiet that he would soon find in short supply. “HI!” Evan and his four-year-old brother, Zack, yelled at the man […]

by Mike Todd “I think I’ll take a little walk and explore the neighborhood,” I said, not realizing that I could get mauled for suggesting such a thing. “You’ll need to bring bear spray,” replied my brother-in-law Kris, reminding me that even mundane activities are slightly less so when you’re doing them in Anchorage, Alaska. […]

by Mike Todd “Look at this, LOOK AT THIS!” my two sons, Evan and Zack, yelled as they ran down the stairs toward my wife, Kara. Evan waved my phone over his head as the two boys hurtled across the living room. I sat down near the top of the stairs to watch them since they’d […]

by Mike Todd “Maybe we should get a divorce,” my wife, Kara, said, letting that thought hang in the air for a moment. “Nah. I’m too old for Match.com,” I replied. “I’d have to use a profile picture from the 1990s, and then my date would show up expecting a cool guy with lots of […]

by Mike Todd My son Evan lunged for me, and I stepped to the side just in time for his hand to whiff through the air. “I’m gonna get you!” he yelled, whiffing again. When my kids are trying to tag me, I just take one step to the side, and they miss every time. […]

by Mike Todd “You need a professional,” said the professional standing in my kitchen as he jotted notes on his clipboard. I sighed. The problem with professionals is that they always expect money. Why can’t I ever need an amateur? “You’ve seen worse, right?” I asked as a joke. Clearly, if we indeed needed a […]

by Mike Todd “He’ll see you in just a minute,” the woman with the clipboard said, giving us another moment to gather our nerves before heading deeper backstage. “Is he gonna sign my book?” my son Evan asked. “I hear he’s nice about signing autographs,” my wife Kara replied, and Evan gripped his pen a […]

by Mike Todd “Where are you? I know you can hear me!” I whisper-shouted, creeping down the porch steps in my slippers. The crusty snow crunched under my feet because my wife had neglected, for several days, to make me shovel it. Sometimes, it’s like she’s not even trying. I gripped the railing as my […]

by Mike Todd “Adventure time, buddy!” I said, putting on a backpack and a smile, gearing up for a rare weekday of father-son bonding. My son Evan sat on the couch without looking up, his eyes bonded to his iPad. “Dude, ready for an adventure?” I asked, tapping his shoulder to make sure he wasn’t […]