Story

Dolly Parton and Carl Dean were married for fifty-nine years after meeting at a Nashville laundromat in 1964. She was eighteen and newly arrived to pursue music; he was twenty-two and certain enough about her to introduce her to his parents early in their relationship. They married privately in Ringgold, Georgia, in 1966. The detail … Read more

“Where did all those larvae come from?” the young doctor shouted as he examined me after I was rescued from the swamp. The words echoed through the emergency room. “Why are there live larvae inside this woman’s wound?!” the resident doctor yelled again, his voice filled with shock as he uncovered the leg of the … Read more

I had imagined my 60th birthday a hundred different ways, but none of them looked like this. The dining room was glowing with candlelight. Seven plates sat neatly around the table. The roast I had spent the morning preparing was cooling in the kitchen, and six empty chairs seemed to stare back at me. I … Read more

When an enormous stranger was brought into town in an iron cage, the sheriff announced that he would be executed the next morning for murdering several people. But suddenly, a lonely woman stepped out of the crowd and said, “I agree to marry him. Give him to me.” The next morning, the entire town was … Read more

Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80. The country star was a true legend in music, but did much more than just music. Parton was always keen on helping others, doing the best she could by giving away books to young children and trying to brighten people’s days during the COVID-19 pandemic, as … Read more

The death toll from devastating flash floods and mudslides near the Nepal-Tibet border has climbed past 160, while hundreds of tourists remain missing — including dozens of Americans and Canadians. Nepalese police said Thursday that 162 bodies had been recovered in the badly affected Rasuwa region, with the death toll expected to rise as rescue … Read more

Country music legend Dolly Parton has died at 80 following what her team described as a brief battle with cancer. While the type of cancer she was battling has not been revealed, a doctor is highlighting several warning signs people should know about. Dolly died Tuesday at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, surrounded by loved ones. The … Read more

Reaching Into The Murky Current A small spotted fawn paddled frantically through the brown, open floodwaters, its nose barely keeping clear of the surface. A man wearing sunglasses and a blue shirt leaned over the green edge of his aluminum boat, stretching one arm out across the water. The young deer kicked its slender legs, … Read more

An Unexpected Visitor On The Polished Floor An elderly man with grey stubble and worn denim walked through the glass doors of a luxury showroom. His jacket carried frayed seams and small tears across the canvas fabric. His boots scuffed lightly against the spotless white tile floor as he approached a bright red sports car. … Read more

A Cold Reception An older man wearing a weathered brown trench coat walked into the bright jewelry showroom and placed a worn leather folder onto the glass counter. He raised an index finger, pointing directly toward an elaborate diamond necklace displayed under spotlighting in a glass case. The saleswoman in a tailored black blazer stepped … Read more

A Sudden Discovery In The Rain A woman pulled her boots through wet street puddles and stooped down to pick up a rain-soaked leather wallet lying on the pavement. She unclasped the leather fold while rainwater dripped off her hair and coat. Inside, several crisp hundred-dollar bills sat tucked into the main compartment beside a … Read more

A Demanding Confrontation A man in a sharp grey suit gripped the back of a vinyl diner booth and leaned over an elderly man, shouting directly into his face. The seated man held a few silver coins flat against his palm, pointing toward his empty white mug on the table. He explained that he had … Read more