The Dinner Bucket was Scranton’s biggest eyesore. Linard Cooper first founded the original diner by selling his wife’s car, a 1984 Toyota Pickup, and renovating the old dollar store next to the Valero Station on 5th Street. It did well enough during its grand opening, but a kitchen fire burned it to the ground only four months after Linard cut...

In the beginning, there were three or so little fat green things contorted on the small branch of dill my mother brought in from the garden. I only saw because she motioned me fervently with her free hand like she was afraid noise might cause the grubs to fright, stir and fall. I didn’t know they were worms until I managed my way over to her. I...

Three scoops of mint chocolate chip ice cream melted in a bowl on the closed toilet seat. A spoonful melted in my mouth, the chunks of chocolate filling the dips of my molars. I let it rest there until I could no longer taste the mint. Dolly sniffed at the bathroom floor, her torso moving past the threshold as she shuffled to where I sat naked on...