The Logger of Ellwood Forest
“The blade itself incites to deeds of violence.” Homer, The Odyssey
Mrs. Rayes crossed the rented cabin foyer, her silk kimono slipping off her shoulders, and the ice-cubes in her glass of whisky clinking against one another as both of her hands shook; one hand gripping whisky and the other reaching for the brass knob of a garishly designed front door, “Laurence,” she said, throwing open the door and grabbing a hold of her son’s left elbow. “Please, Laurence, who taught you to knock so insistently? You’ve given me a migraine.” She complained. “You’ve been here four seconds and already you’ve affected my head quite awfully. Do you know that since you were a little kid, you’ve loved nothing more than to arrive …show more content…
He glanced at his watch, his tone grave as he said, “I thought you wrote that the dog had died, mother. I had a goddamn day of mourning for the dog and now you’ve told me he is running around drinking whiskey.”
“He is.”
“Who is what?”
“The dog, I’ve only just remembered, the dog is dead, he died —”
“Fucking beautiful,” said Laurence, his back and head aching from his train and his taxi ride on the back country road. “Forget the dog. Listen, it happens to be 11 o’clock. I’ve said I’d arrive at this door at 11 o’clock Tuesday morning, and here I am. Would you like me to leave and come back?”
“Of course not, Laurence, but you could at least try to —”
“Listen, where should I put my bags. I—” he thought he heard voices from the adjacent room, “do you have company, mother? There are about a million cars in the driveway—the cab driver said he’d hardly be able to leave— you’ve about cut off the circulation in my upper arm, mother. Listen, who’s all here? I thought you said Father was away on …show more content…
Rayes answered, now seated at the card table. From the foyer, Laurence could see that she was waving her card hand wildly, so that Laurence and, he guessed, the other women too, could make out both the suit and the numbers printed on the face of her cards. The women in the foyer seemed oblivious to his presence in the cabin. “Didn’t see what I’ve got in my hand, did ya?” Mrs. Rayes accused them. Laurence thought he saw her wink at him before turning to the other women, “Didn’t see what I got, have ya?” she repeated.
The women who were playing cards with Mrs. Rayes all said, “No, no, we didn’t see what you have got in your hand.”
And Mrs. Rayes said, “Good, that’s very good.”
“Well, I’m going upstairs.” Laurence said. He had followed his mother as far as the parlor room doorway, but he knew better than to enter the room without her
“The blade itself incites to deeds of violence.” Homer, The Odyssey
Mrs. Rayes crossed the rented cabin foyer, her silk kimono slipping off her shoulders, and the ice-cubes in her glass of whisky clinking against one another as both of her hands shook; one hand gripping whisky and the other reaching for the brass knob of a garishly designed front door, “Laurence,” she said, throwing open the door and grabbing a hold of her son’s left elbow. “Please, Laurence, who taught you to knock so insistently? You’ve given me a migraine.” She complained. “You’ve been here four seconds and already you’ve affected my head quite awfully. Do you know that since you were a little kid, you’ve loved nothing more than to arrive …show more content…
He glanced at his watch, his tone grave as he said, “I thought you wrote that the dog had died, mother. I had a goddamn day of mourning for the dog and now you’ve told me he is running around drinking whiskey.”
“He is.”
“Who is what?”
“The dog, I’ve only just remembered, the dog is dead, he died —”
“Fucking beautiful,” said Laurence, his back and head aching from his train and his taxi ride on the back country road. “Forget the dog. Listen, it happens to be 11 o’clock. I’ve said I’d arrive at this door at 11 o’clock Tuesday morning, and here I am. Would you like me to leave and come back?”
“Of course not, Laurence, but you could at least try to —”
“Listen, where should I put my bags. I—” he thought he heard voices from the adjacent room, “do you have company, mother? There are about a million cars in the driveway—the cab driver said he’d hardly be able to leave— you’ve about cut off the circulation in my upper arm, mother. Listen, who’s all here? I thought you said Father was away on …show more content…
Rayes answered, now seated at the card table. From the foyer, Laurence could see that she was waving her card hand wildly, so that Laurence and, he guessed, the other women too, could make out both the suit and the numbers printed on the face of her cards. The women in the foyer seemed oblivious to his presence in the cabin. “Didn’t see what I’ve got in my hand, did ya?” Mrs. Rayes accused them. Laurence thought he saw her wink at him before turning to the other women, “Didn’t see what I got, have ya?” she repeated.
The women who were playing cards with Mrs. Rayes all said, “No, no, we didn’t see what you have got in your hand.”
And Mrs. Rayes said, “Good, that’s very good.”
“Well, I’m going upstairs.” Laurence said. He had followed his mother as far as the parlor room doorway, but he knew better than to enter the room without her