#597 Cowboys- Susan Steinberg
I like reading these stories, if for no other reason than they challenge the normal form of a short story. Of course being different isn’t in itself a virtue, but I appreciate the attempt at originality. For the most part, this piece works. The short sentences are staccato notes peppering the reader, creating anxiety and tension, kind of like oncoming road rage during start-stop rush hour traffic.
A woman gets a three-way call at 4 a.m. from her brother and the doctor who is been trying to revive their father. He is brain dead and on a respirator and they need permission to pull the plug. She is a mess of a woman, emotionally unstable, and unwilling to make this decision alone. Immaturity seems to be her defining characteristic but she is the oldest sibling and it is up to her.
There are moments that come together in this story where an honest emotion makes its way through the barriers. But as the narrator says, don’t look for much meaning:
-There is no intentional metaphor in this story.
-There is no intentional meaning in this story.
-I would not subject you to intentional meaning.
-I would not subject you to some grand scheme.
No comments:
Post a Comment