mike

I was hesitant about returning to pencil so soon after kilo, but mike wanted to be sharp.

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Two months ago, a family of Hawaiians moved into the neighborhood—dad, mom, two sisters, six and three, and the little brother.

They quickly joined the kids playing in our cul-de-sac.

After school ended, mom and the kids went home for three weeks. The day before they left, the three year old girl started calling me “Uncle Mike”.

The neighborhood kids tried to correct her, “It’s Mister Justus!” but she persisted.

Soon after, we went on our own vacation and got home yesterday. That afternoon, we came out to play on the street. The dad was sitting in his garage.

“Where’s the little ones?”

“They’re not coming back.”

—June 2026