5/12/2023 0 Comments Tenth of december stories![]() ![]() ![]() And the title character of “Al Roosten” develops a toxic grudge against a neighbor who seems to have the perfect life (beautiful wife, “elflike” children) and a mansion on a hill.Ĭlass envy of a former spouse’s new mate is a pretty predictable theme, and so are the setups Mr. The narrator of “Home” resents his ex-wife’s new husband, who has a fancy house in a fancy part of town, and three cars for two adults. ![]() Keeping up with the neighbors - or feeling envious of them - is the theme of several other stories in this volume too. ![]() The hero of “The Semplica Girl Diaries” calls it a “feeling of special destiny” he used to have “when tiny, sitting in cedar-smelling bedroom closet, looking up at blowing trees through high windows, feeling I would someday do something great.” Now this husband and father finds himself stuck on a hamster wheel of familial responsibility, trying to juggle credit card payments to get his daughter the birthday present she wants so she doesn’t feel poor or “poorish” next to her more entitled friends. Before they grew up or things spiraled downward, many of these people recall having had intimations of specialness, a sense that the glittering promises of the American dream were actually within reach. ![]()
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