626.) Territory- David Leavitt
Neil’s mother is a strong independent woman. His father is never around, so his mother seems like a single mom. It’s the eighties and she he is also a kind of lefty activist, standing out front with placards and petitions railing against nukes:
“In the age of Reagan, she has declared, keeping up the causes of peace and justice is a futile, tiresome, and unrewarding effort; it is therefore an effort fit only for mothers to keep up.”
Neil is homosexual and has known since he was about twelve. Now past college age he is bringing a lover home for the first time. Mom is trying hard to be welcoming and act normal, but she is finding it difficult. It’s one thing to say you support something, believe you support something and see it up close. Those reactions and nervousness are hard to cover up.
“I wanted you to be happy. And I’m very tolerant, very understanding, but I can only take so much.”
It’s a touching mother/son story, very well done.
Rating: 8-8-8-8=32
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