BookRix

I hearken back to Singer's comments. To Entertain and instruct. There aren't many better at it than you. This was another gem.

Being Jewish myself, with most of my friends Christian, I can say I have encountered many characters like these. You described them perfectly and ended my Sunday on a very happy note. Love your books....keep on writing.

You have met these people. We (i.e. writers) run into them on a daily basis but don't recognize them as such. A case in point: my wife and I went to Chicago several years back on business. In the hotel lobby a bride, in full gown and elaborate tiara, was storming about screaching about something that had gone wrong with her wedding ceremony. I'll never forget how silly she looked, having a hiisy-fit in a swanky hotel.
That was the basis of the scene with the sister-in-law, Miriam.
When I was in elementary school, I went to visit a friend who lived at the end of our street. The mother was sitting on the toilet with the door wide open reading the newspaper. I was all of eight years old. At the time I was horrified, traumatized, physically revolted by the experience (not really). It seemed dopey but there was nothing vulgar or overtly weird about the woman's behavior. The family was perfectly nice. They raised chickens in the back yard. But twenty, thirty, forty years later it all becomes fodder for a short story. I like to think of it as the 'organic' approach to creative fiction.

Thanks for the positive thoughts. Sometimes you don't know if a plot really works until a few people provide you with feedback. This story was based on an actual event. My wife and I went to Chicago on business and in the hotel we were staying in a bride (in her gown) was storming about threatening the manager because something has gone wrong with the wedding ceremony. It seemed like the beginning of a really neat story.
Anyway, thanks again.

Barry