Nice to see/hear a longer piece from you. Loved the house/relationship maintenance comparison. You see the rot and cracks and repair them, making everything look good on the outside...but the foundation, the part you don't really "see" but feel something is off...not enough time or money to invest in that...not now.
This is real life. The mundane house maintenance with the life-changing relationship dynamics. The hard-fought civil right of marriage with the usually-less-shiny right to divorce. The humanistic aspect of this literary piece is fantastic, thank you.
"Black as sin, I thought to myself and laughed at my Caucasian assumptions. After all, considering American history, there’s always a better chance that sin is white."
Amazing beginning. I have to agree with Carol about the best quote. Being of English heritage I have dealt with the guilt of my ancestors sins for many years.
Great story. I love the juxtaposition of repairing the house while the relationship decays. Too bad people can't hire experts to repair their relationships for them.
The best quote: "...considering American history, there’s always a better chance that sin is white."
As a newly divorced (1 month) somebody, this story hit me hard. Not in a bad way. Just hard. The way life settles and gets out of plumb so slowly that you don't notice it, and the way it can change completely in an instant.
I've just realised that the only pictures waiting to be hung in our house are the family photos, they've been propped against walls or not printed out at all. I wonder if this is due to an embarrassment in displaying our love/flaws/passage of time. This story has made me think, why? Thanks for sharing.
It's a very beautiful and romantic story, falling in love with the wine guy in a Catholic church. The sweet whispered discussion over not drinking.
The protagonist's husband is enigmatic. I'm curious about what work he makes after leaving. Do you know? The best short stories leave you invested in the characters.
I like this. I had to read it twice--not because I didn't follow it--but because when I first started I thought it was a female voice. There was no hint that it was a gay couple. My question is, when you started it, was it a female voice? Did you change the course of the story as you were writing it because it made sense going with a gay couple? I think it makes the story more powerful as a gay couple, and even more so when you realize the relationship is probably coming to an end. Very good. Truthful, honest, insightful, all the things I think we all try to convey when we write.
Just got to this. A gem of a story.
Nice to see/hear a longer piece from you. Loved the house/relationship maintenance comparison. You see the rot and cracks and repair them, making everything look good on the outside...but the foundation, the part you don't really "see" but feel something is off...not enough time or money to invest in that...not now.
Thank you.
I love this. In the long term, I wonder, is there ever hope for long term relationships?
I've been married for 29 years!
Very sweet
So well written. Thank you...
Thank you, Cynthia.
you wreck me, what a piece
Thank you, Doreen.
This is real life. The mundane house maintenance with the life-changing relationship dynamics. The hard-fought civil right of marriage with the usually-less-shiny right to divorce. The humanistic aspect of this literary piece is fantastic, thank you.
Thank you, Donna.
"Black as sin, I thought to myself and laughed at my Caucasian assumptions. After all, considering American history, there’s always a better chance that sin is white."
"...climb into the death machine of marriage..."
Wow, Sherman.
Amazing beginning. I have to agree with Carol about the best quote. Being of English heritage I have dealt with the guilt of my ancestors sins for many years.
Great story. I love the juxtaposition of repairing the house while the relationship decays. Too bad people can't hire experts to repair their relationships for them.
The best quote: "...considering American history, there’s always a better chance that sin is white."
Thank you, Carol.
As a newly divorced (1 month) somebody, this story hit me hard. Not in a bad way. Just hard. The way life settles and gets out of plumb so slowly that you don't notice it, and the way it can change completely in an instant.
Oh, shit, John. Your pain is so new. Damn. My condolences.
I've just realised that the only pictures waiting to be hung in our house are the family photos, they've been propped against walls or not printed out at all. I wonder if this is due to an embarrassment in displaying our love/flaws/passage of time. This story has made me think, why? Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Treasa. Go hang one of those photos today!
It's a very beautiful and romantic story, falling in love with the wine guy in a Catholic church. The sweet whispered discussion over not drinking.
The protagonist's husband is enigmatic. I'm curious about what work he makes after leaving. Do you know? The best short stories leave you invested in the characters.
I don't know what he makes after he leaves. Hmmm
The body of work with traditional warriors bearing contemporary weapons sounded amazing, it's looks great in my mind's eye!
Is there a building contractor who also happens to be a priest?
This short story reads like a koan.
Gratefully,
Amanda
Thank you, Amanda.
That damn foundation! It will have to wait…
What a great story, Sherman. I love the rich image of all the hands…
Thank you, Kim.
I like this. I had to read it twice--not because I didn't follow it--but because when I first started I thought it was a female voice. There was no hint that it was a gay couple. My question is, when you started it, was it a female voice? Did you change the course of the story as you were writing it because it made sense going with a gay couple? I think it makes the story more powerful as a gay couple, and even more so when you realize the relationship is probably coming to an end. Very good. Truthful, honest, insightful, all the things I think we all try to convey when we write.
Yes, it was always a gay couple.