#862 Their Story- Thomas Glave

#862 Their Story- Thomas Glave

Mr. Winston and Uncle Makenkie are memories in this part of the Bronx, isolated from most of the rest of the city. They are thought of fondly and also with regret and shame. They are ghosts, and like ghosts they stay with the living in perpetuity.

“We knew they came and went as surely as the summers came and went until our fire-shadowed days of autumn; there were beneficent ones and those troubled and—depending on how one had treated their personages in life—those who could bring terrible dreams and vengeance.”

This is a sad story about acceptance, secrets and community. The writing is absolutely beautiful.

Rating: 9-7-8-7 Total=31

#833 And Love Them? – Thomas Glave

#833 And Love Them? – Thomas Glave

Glave writes this as a white woman having an internal discussion with herself. She has race-guilt and is trying, but failing to work out her feelings on “them.” Hitting all the race hot spots and trying to bring up moments where she felt she was noticeable sympathetic to black people, but then of course equivocating strongly. Saying all too familiar common things like:

“Haven’t we all been hurt by something? But some of us still manage to think.”

“I know I’m a very compassionate person. I can feel sorry for anybody.”

“How I try, as God is my witness how I try.”

Life must be hard for such a compassionate, well-meaning person, who just wants to be kept out of the race issues of the world. Privilege has its…privileges, even if you yourself don’t acknowledge it.

Rating: 7-7-8-8 Total= 30 

#805 Flying- Thomas Glave

#805 Flying- Thomas Glave

Craig is a flight attendant for an airline. He has taken around 200 flight by now and he uses the time to ponder his life. He thinks about his native Curacao, his culture, the way the world thinks about him. Most of all he thinks back on his love, Mercedes. The good, the bad, full of regret and full of false promise. He is bitter and forlorn. He flies and he wishes they would all let him have his peace.

“They were at it again: breaking in. He might be a million miles away from all of them, safe, clean, at peace, and they would insist on breaking in.”

Freedom is unattainable.

Notable Passage: “The one thing there will always be, finally, is time.”

Rating: 7-6-7-7 Total= 27

#777 Commitment- Thomas Glave

#777 Commitment- Thomas Glave

In less than twenty-four hours, Ricky, the youngest of seven boys, will marry Renee. The marriage is not a welcomed blessing for Ricky, he doesn’t want to get married, especially not to a woman. He sits in the bedroom, of his long-time lover, Lou Jay and laments the lie that his future will become. Renee is pregnant, and his father has threatened him about getting married, and he doesn’t want to go against his family or social norms for that matter. He is afraid, confused and only eighteen.

“I just don’t see that y’all got much choice now. You know Daddy Malcolm ain’t playing. I think he would rather see you dead. He don’t want him no sissy son no matter what.”

They argue about it, having the back and forth of guilt, promise, resentment and passive aggressiveness that one can imagine given the circumstances. Lou Jay is more secure with himself and what he wants, although he isn’t the one under pressure. They struggle with the unfairness of having to live a lie, and wonder, as many have who they think they are fooling:

“Do they know. Do they know. The disgust in his face and voice cruel enough to slash cane.”

In the end, how far can a soul be pushed? How far can you repress true feelings before they bust out? When they finally do, they often come out as anger and violence. Tough subject here but well written.

Rating: 7-7-8-7 Total= 29

#749 Accidents- Thomas Glave

#749 Accidents- Thomas Glave

The story opens with a large mob of people crushing to get a look at an accident. Cars, mangled bodies splayed in pools of blood, and people everywhere clamoring for a better view. Melvin and his boyfriend finally get to the front where the police are forcibly keeping the crowd back, but quickly flee when the view makes them sick. 

This view keeps Thomas up for days. He has a history with accidents and this one may be one too many. He can’t sleep, can't function, can’t decipher reality from nightmare. When Melvin finally drives him to the hospital for an evaluation, the speed of the moving car freaks him out and causes his own accident.

Notable Passage: “Loving another man wasn’t strange; people can’t hate the idea enough to change it, for us or anybody.”

Rating: 7-6-7-7 Total= 27