Need a Rewrite week 8 Journal introduction fiction

7 July 2020

Lydia Davis- Five Short Stories

These stories as a whole really weren’t my cup of tea but they weren’t the worst.

I had to read “A Story of Stolen Salamis” three times. First time I thought “what did I just read?”

By the third time I realized that this was about others inability to often empathize and to value

things/ feelings that aren’t important to them. The stolen salamis were not important to the

narrator’s son but were very important to the man. This is why he made a point to correct

‘sausage’ to ‘salami’. The narrator said his son sympathized with the landlord over the theft, but

he didn’t really care or have empathy.

“A Story Told to Me by A Friend” really was a sad story as it told us it was in the beginning. I

felt like this was about how we are all searching for love and sometimes we are pushing for these

ideas of the perfect fit. The ultimate compatibility and sometimes we lose love when we are

looking for that perfect person.

“Notes During Long Phone Conversations with My Mother” really seemed to be exactly how

those conversations go. I love across the country from my mother and she is used to seeing me

every day so naturally we talk every day. Sometimes I don’t know what to say because I have

nothing to talk about or I’m just no longer interested in listening to my mom ramble about

something for 30 minutes when I get home from a long day at work. That’s exactly what I drew

from this story.

“On a Train” really did not enjoy it. But I believe I understand it. The narrator was quick to judge

the two women in the beginning as having “bad manners” for talking loudly to each other on

public transport across isles. Then the narrator and the other man are picking noses and eating

messy on public transportation. Probably a worse or comparable offense. Maybe I am

stereotyping or assuming, but I believe the narrator is a man. Then he further judges the woman I

feel by expressing how perfect they seem quietly reading now….”blameless”

“Susie Brown Will Be in Town” was also, most definitely, another one I didn’t care for. It’s very

awkward. I feel a sense of disgust that someone is trying to convince you to buy their used

goods. I mean, her bath items... Weird.