BABY/Paul Dedalus
Baby told Chris to climb inside the old truck tire he strained to hold upright. Chris was small and his body curved to fit the hollow inside the tire. Before he had even settled into place Baby pushed the tire down the rubbled hillside with a railroad track at the bottom. He saw the mistake at once. He had expected it to roll smoothly, a wonderful ride, but the tire leaped, sprang into the air every time it hit a rock, Baby running far behind, hands out and arms trying to extend a hundred feet. Beyond the railroad tracks the tire wearied, spun around like a half-dollar on a bar and collapsed.
Baby ran up to the tire, panting, crying. Chris spilled out. He looked dead. With a scream of despair Adina heard at the house Baby picked up a rock and bashed it against his own forehead. And again.
- Accordion Crimes, Annie Proulx
I just read "Peer Gynt," which you often mentioned. I don't have much work to do, so I can read. Sometimes the books overwhelm me so, I have to read them slowly. I finished Ibsen's play in tears. It would have exasperated you. But that's the way I am. I decided to take a walk to stop my tears. Then I stopped to write this letter.
Paul, you're not here, but sometimes I can hear your absence whispering in my ear. It keeps me company. And your absence asks: "Esther...Where am I? Where was I? Me? Myself? The person I am: Paul. I got so lost that I can no longer find myself." And inside my head, I think: "It's easy. You were, and still are, in my faith, in my hope, and in my love." And your absence asks me: "Am I your child? Am I guilty? Will you forgive me?" And inside my head, I answer: "You made my life enchanting." And your absence says: "Hide me. Protect me." And like Solveig, I answer: "Sleep, my child. All the livelong day, we played and ran and sang together. Now my child needs to rest. So, close your eyes, my little boy, my lover, my love. Don't be afraid. Fear not. I am watching over you."
- Ma Vie Sexuelle
Baby ran up to the tire, panting, crying. Chris spilled out. He looked dead. With a scream of despair Adina heard at the house Baby picked up a rock and bashed it against his own forehead. And again.
- Accordion Crimes, Annie Proulx
I just read "Peer Gynt," which you often mentioned. I don't have much work to do, so I can read. Sometimes the books overwhelm me so, I have to read them slowly. I finished Ibsen's play in tears. It would have exasperated you. But that's the way I am. I decided to take a walk to stop my tears. Then I stopped to write this letter.
Paul, you're not here, but sometimes I can hear your absence whispering in my ear. It keeps me company. And your absence asks: "Esther...Where am I? Where was I? Me? Myself? The person I am: Paul. I got so lost that I can no longer find myself." And inside my head, I think: "It's easy. You were, and still are, in my faith, in my hope, and in my love." And your absence asks me: "Am I your child? Am I guilty? Will you forgive me?" And inside my head, I answer: "You made my life enchanting." And your absence says: "Hide me. Protect me." And like Solveig, I answer: "Sleep, my child. All the livelong day, we played and ran and sang together. Now my child needs to rest. So, close your eyes, my little boy, my lover, my love. Don't be afraid. Fear not. I am watching over you."
- Ma Vie Sexuelle