Table of Contents
Introduction 1
1 Domestic Disasters
1 Home Alone Jennifer Clark Vihel 5
2 In the Kitchen, With the Knife, No Clue Nick Walker 7
3 H Is for Humor Robin K. Melvin 11
4 Stuck in the Ceiling Nancy Emmick Panko 13
5 Amish Friendship Bread Ann Morrow 16
6 Tuna Delight NancyLee Davis 19
7 Holly and Mistletoe Barbara Bondy-Pare 21
8 Dieting Disasters Linda Carol Cobb 24
2 That Was Embarrassing
9 Breakdown on the Batchellerville Wendy Hobday Haugh 28
10 Beginners Welcomed Mary Lee Moynan 32
11 A "Short" Misunderstanding DeLila R. Lumbardy 34
12 Restaurant Rules Heather Rae Rodin 37
13 Fishin' and Sinkin' Butch Holcombe 41
14 The Naked Truth Kathy Dickson 45
15 Detained by the CIA Carol Senn Ruffin 48
16 Treasure Hunting Sharon Rosenbaum Earls 52
17 The Handcuffs' Tale Barry M. Grey 55
3 Parenthood
18 Shower Shock Cassidy Doolittle 59
19 Are You There? Terry Burnett 61
20 Getting Gobsmacked Christy Breedlove 64
21 Nightlight Shannon Cribbs 66
22 Hair Raising Jennifer Quasha Deinard 68
23 Milestone Daniel Ginsberg 71
24 Four-Letter Words J. E. Erickson 75
4 Happiness Ever Laughter
25 My Wife Tried to Kill Me Marty Anderson 78
26 The Headlight Diane Stark 81
27 King Solomon's Sheets Fred First 84
28 Man Shall Not Live on Bread Alone Ann Morrow 86
29 The "Invisible Chair" Irene Maran 89
30 First Anniversary Doug Sletten 91
31 A Soft Whisper in the Ear Carol L. MacKay 93
32 Money Talks Stacey Gustafson 95
5 Pets and Other Creatures
33 Playing It by Ear Tracy Beckerman 99
34 No Good Deed Linda Bittle 103
35 Bitsy and the Pickup Truck Kerrie R. Barney 106
36 Guest Appearance Sandy Nadeau 110
37 The Telltale Meow Kathleen Gemmell 113
38 Making a Good Impression Sharon Landeen 116
39 Impressive Rachel Weaver 118
40 Canine Confusion Debbi Mavity 121
41 Wedding Night Blues Sue-Ellen Sanders 123
6 Mistaken Identity
42 Best Foot Forward Heather Rae Rodin 127
43 Intentional Coffee With an Unintentional Stranger Chelsea Walker Flagg 130
44 Sweet Delusions Susan Schuerr 134
45 Eddie Gwen Sheldon Willadsen 136
46 The Ghost in the Monastery James A. Gemmell 138
47 I Am Standing Here Not Dead Sally Willard Burbank 141
48 Down the Hatch Shayna R. Horowitz 144
49 Short-Timer Alice Muschany 148
50 Out of This World Carole Fowkes 150
7 Work Whoops
51 The Klutz Julie de Belle 155
52 Total Physical Response Melanie A. Savidis 159
53 Hold the Phone Nick Walker 162
54 Vigilante Crossing Guards John J. Lesjack 165
55 Professional Jealousy Sheri Bertaux 168
56 Stress Test Sally Willard Burbank 170
57 Pierre's Pliers Larry Carter 174
58 The Toilet Paper Incident Monica Agnew-Kinnaman 178
8 Laughing at Ourselves
59 Looking Good Corrie Lopez 182
60 Gobble, Gobble January Gordon Ornellas 185
61 Seeing Double Crescent LoMonaco 188
62 The Bell Ringer Kaye Lucas 191
63 Number 7 Lacey L. Bakker 194
64 Almost Taken January Gordon Ornellas 196
65 Snaccident Alice Muschany 200
66 Out of the Closet Monica A. Andermann 202
67 Miracle at Split Rock Lynne Daroff Foosaner 204
68 Jazz Fans Matt Geiger 208
9 Child's Play
69 Going Commando Gary Zenker 212
70 The Family Business David Hull 215
71 Sunday Morning Smiles Gail Gabrielle 218
72 The Revolving Door Maureen C. Bruschi 221
73 Busted Curt Zeck 224
74 Just Wondering Lisa McCaskill 226
75 My First Confession Phyllis Reilly 228
76 Do You Have Jesus? Joan Dubay 231
10 Not What I Meant!
77 Kauai Kaffee Kaper Karen Blair 234
78 Not So Reserved Justin Hunter 237
79 Booking Fiasco Doug Sletten 240
80 Trick or Treat Deb Palmer 243
81 Love Thy Neighbor Heather Norman Smith 245
82 Shortcut to Disaster Marsha Porter 246
83 Just a Bite Sara Escandon 249
84 Textarmageddon Alice Muschany 251
85 One Sec! Viji K. Chary 253
11 Innocently Inappropriate
86 A Scene from Psycho Sheryn Smith 256
87 I'm Going Straight to Hell Stacey Gustafson 259
88 How to Impress the In-Laws Ronnie Dauber 261
89 The Grammar Lesson Daniela Trivino 264
90 A Nun Walks into a Library… Roz Warren 266
91 Kiss of Peace, Italian Style Joyce Newman Scott 268
92 Bavarian White Elephant Christina Tolan 272
93 Family Viewing Debby Johnson 276
12 Family Fun
94 Excuse Me? Jennifer Sienes 279
95 What Could Go Wrong? Elaine Maly 282
96 Round Trip Elynne Chaplik-Aleskow 285
97 Gram's Pie Maureen Longnecker 287
98 My Hallmark Moment Terry Hans 289
99 Uncle Ed John M. Scanlan 291
100 Tread Lightly Jennifer Sienes 294
101 Backseat Driver Barbara LoMonaco 298
Meet Our Contributors 301
Meet Amy Newmark 315
Thank You 317
About Chicken Soup for the Soul 318