Absolutely stunning. I was intending to watch something mindless on Netflix this evening, but this story set its hooks into me and wouldn't let me go. Absorbing, delicate, heart-stopping. Should be read and shared widely!
Your comment made me sit down in the woods, I can walk my dog a little later, and as I read about the blackberries, I sat on what turned out to be a memorial bench!
I want to be a crying white woman at a powwow! But I don’t want to photograph it. I want to film it, dancer behind the camera to dancer in front!
Dang, I’d love to not know the backstory on this piece.
My father killed a young woman in a head-on collision. She was to be married in a month. He wasn’t my father yet. My mom was still his dental assistant and became his prison pen pal. He died when I was six, less than a decade after the accident. I found out about all this when I was 15. I wonder daily and often subconsciously what it was like to live with this shame. I just awoke at 5 am from a dream in which I run a stop sign and hit three empty cars. My mom is in the car and takes the wheel before the police pull us over. I willed myself awake from that dream only to read to this. Wow.
As always, well written and unexpected in ways I find difficult to describe. Touching and thoughtful. I will be thinking about it for a while, I'm sure.
Today is my birthday and to get a new story, especially this one, from you, is a terrific present ( even though you were unaware it was my birthday-ha) You can surmise I loved this! Thank you!
This quote from the narrator, after the red salmon woman absolves her: "It was something only another Indian could’ve said. It gave me a sense of relief." I feel the same about the story. Powerful.
Yes. And I thought it was a true story. I’m not a religious person but In my life I’ve made bad choices that haunt me. ‘ forgive us for our trespasses.
WHEW. Stunning. Always the humor and heartache working together in your writing. This line made me laugh out loud: “My soul is bulletproof. And bulletproof is expensive.”
Absolutely stunning. I was intending to watch something mindless on Netflix this evening, but this story set its hooks into me and wouldn't let me go. Absorbing, delicate, heart-stopping. Should be read and shared widely!
Thank you, Michael.
You're welcome! Your story is superb, I definitely want to get to know more of your work.
https://bookshop.org/lists/books-by-sherman-alexie
Where might I find the Fancydancing movie? I’ve looked everywhere
There are DVDs on EBay.
A beautiful, compelling story. Thank you.
Your comment made me sit down in the woods, I can walk my dog a little later, and as I read about the blackberries, I sat on what turned out to be a memorial bench!
I want to be a crying white woman at a powwow! But I don’t want to photograph it. I want to film it, dancer behind the camera to dancer in front!
Dang, I’d love to not know the backstory on this piece.
A very well written story, captivating. Love it.
Thank you, Laurent.
My father killed a young woman in a head-on collision. She was to be married in a month. He wasn’t my father yet. My mom was still his dental assistant and became his prison pen pal. He died when I was six, less than a decade after the accident. I found out about all this when I was 15. I wonder daily and often subconsciously what it was like to live with this shame. I just awoke at 5 am from a dream in which I run a stop sign and hit three empty cars. My mom is in the car and takes the wheel before the police pull us over. I willed myself awake from that dream only to read to this. Wow.
As always, well written and unexpected in ways I find difficult to describe. Touching and thoughtful. I will be thinking about it for a while, I'm sure.
Thank you, Sharon.
I felt every drop of guilt.
Thanks, Gwendolyn. That's a very nice compliment.
This made me cry on the train. A wonderful story, Sherman.
Thanks, Elizabeth. Tears are flattering. Trying to write fiction that feels real.
Today is my birthday and to get a new story, especially this one, from you, is a terrific present ( even though you were unaware it was my birthday-ha) You can surmise I loved this! Thank you!
Happy Birthday, Jim!
Beautiful story, Sherman. Captivating from the beginning, I loved it.
Thank you, Ginerva.
Just so beautiful. Melody and Aria were perfect names for the twins. A few tears were shed.
Thank you, Marguerite.
Tears for all of them.
Thank you, Charlotte.
This quote from the narrator, after the red salmon woman absolves her: "It was something only another Indian could’ve said. It gave me a sense of relief." I feel the same about the story. Powerful.
Thank you, John. In terms of structure, I really enjoyed being the Indian writer writing about a white person's life inside the Indian world.
Yes. And I thought it was a true story. I’m not a religious person but In my life I’ve made bad choices that haunt me. ‘ forgive us for our trespasses.
Dear Sherman and the Metropolitan Review,
This is a beautiful, powerful story.
I love this line a lot: “My smile is my rifle.”
Thank you for sharing.
Love
Myq
Thanks, Myq. It was great to drop into the head of that angry Apache man.
He felt very real to me, especially having lived in urban Los Angeles. "Why are you speaking Mexican at me?" Haha.
WHEW. Stunning. Always the humor and heartache working together in your writing. This line made me laugh out loud: “My soul is bulletproof. And bulletproof is expensive.”
Thank you, Antonia.
It felt real and hard and helpless to change what we’ve done that we’ll never not regret or forget.
Thanks, Patris
Just absolutely, guttingly sad and beautiful at the same time. Thank you.
Thanks, Irena.
Felt that emptiness. Enjoyed this disturbing read.😢
Thank you, Birgit.