Other Writings

Audio

  • A Love Affair With Skateboarding (MP3)
    A short audio essay that originally aired on NPR's "All Things Considered." The commentary was produced by Ellen Silva for the January 17, 2005 edition of ATC.
  • Outside the Toy Store (MP3)
    A recording of Bret reading "Outside the Toy Store". The reading was recorded and produced by Dianna Stirpe, and originally aired on WSUI, the NPR affiliate in Iowa City, IA.

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Republican

Page 8

At home, my father was watching General Hospital. He sometimes watched soap operas before work, maybe because my mother had watched them. The shows always left him cross. When he saw me, he clicked off the television and asked if I'd been messing with Elvis's guitar again.

I had been in his closet, twice in the last week, but I hadn't played the guitar. I'd just wanted to see it. I'd started thinking that my father only kept it around to punish himself, and holding the case, I felt sorry for him, and furious; I wanted to cut the strings in half, bash the guitar against the concrete.

I said, “I lost my job today. The health department shut us down.”

My father levered himself from his recliner, set the remote control beside the lamp. He said, “Maybe now you'll have time to work on the ragtop.”

I nodded. I felt my ears going scarlet.

“So, have you been fooling with the guitar?”

“No,” I said.

“It's a collector's item, Jay. I shouldn't have to remind you how much it's worth. When I gave it to your mother, she — ”

“Professor,” I interrupted. “Have you seen my bowie knife?”

* * *

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