When gods die, they die hard. It's not like they fade away, or grow old, or fall asleep. They die in fire and pain, and when they come out of you, they leave your guts burned. It hurts more than anything you can talk about. And maybe worst of all is, you're not sure if there will ever be another god to fill their place. Or if you'd ever want another god to fill their place. You don't want fire to go out inside you twice.
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I want to share with you, my dear cousins, this book I've been reading. I'm not quite finished, but I love it. It's a young adult book with so much life and feeling. I don't think i've ever read a book with this much reality in it. It shows the ups and downs of a adolescent without leaving you sick or betrayed. Does that make sense? Sometimes I set down a book (even if I love it) feeling a little bit like it's not real life. But this. This is real life.
It's about a 7th grade boy during the Vietnam War who lives with his family in Long Island. After a short series of events he ends up staying after school with his teacher Mrs. Baker every Wednesday. They read Shakespeare together, and learn about life. If you have a smidgen of time to read a book, try this one, you'll really enjoy it.
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And, on the last day before the holiday break, to Mai Thi: "Pick it up and be glad you're getting it. You shouldn't even be here, sitting like a queen in a refugee home while American boys are sitting in swamps on Christmas Day. They're the ones who should be here. Not you."
Mai Thi took her Something. She looked down, and kept going.
She probably didn't see that Mrs. Bigio was pulling her hairnet down lower over her face, because she was almost crying.
And probably Mrs. Bigio didn't see that Mai Thi was almost crying, too.
But I did. I saw them. And I wondered how many gods were dying in both of them right then, and whether any of them could be saved.
Mai Thi took her Something. She looked down, and kept going.
She probably didn't see that Mrs. Bigio was pulling her hairnet down lower over her face, because she was almost crying.
And probably Mrs. Bigio didn't see that Mai Thi was almost crying, too.
But I did. I saw them. And I wondered how many gods were dying in both of them right then, and whether any of them could be saved.
3 comments:
I'm reading it!
Yowza, deep. Reading it.
Warning: Do not read my previous recommendation South Riding. Not worth it.
I Put it on hold at the library! Also, i'm reading flora(jane) thompson's Lark Rise to Candleford...its a very long compilation, but a good one for your inbetween readings to pick up and enjoy a chapter or two of old-fashioned country sweetness. As soon as i get a few bucks, i'm getting my own copy for keeps because the library is sick of me re-checking it out. Btw, she lives on Juniper Hill and that just may be the name of the little girl that resides in my body....we'll seeeeee
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