Life Before Man
“Ninny. Fraud. He’s reading the editorial in The Globe and Mail, and he usually says such things while doing this, but right now he means himself. Idiot.
He sees himself hunched forward on the hotel room chair, raving about his scruples while Lesje sits across the room from him, unattainable, shining like a crescent moon. He doesn’t know why he didn’t want to, couldn’t. He was afraid. He doesn’t want to hurt her, that’s it. But she was hurt anyway. Why did she cry?
His hands are still shaking. L...uckily there’s a drink left in his pocket flask. He slides it out from beneath his sweater, gulps quickly, then lights a cigarette to hide the smell. His mother, virtuous woman, does not drink. She doesn’t smoke either, but Nate knows which is lower on her point system of moral crimes. Sometimes she buys beer for him but she draws the line at spirits. Poisoning the system.
The children are out in the tiny kitchen with her, sitting up on the counter, watching her mash the potatoes.MoreLess
He sees himself hunched forward on the hotel room chair, raving about his scruples while Lesje sits across the room from him, unattainable, shining like a crescent moon. He doesn’t know why he didn’t want to, couldn’t. He was afraid. He doesn’t want to hurt her, that’s it. But she was hurt anyway. Why did she cry?
His hands are still shaking. L...uckily there’s a drink left in his pocket flask. He slides it out from beneath his sweater, gulps quickly, then lights a cigarette to hide the smell. His mother, virtuous woman, does not drink. She doesn’t smoke either, but Nate knows which is lower on her point system of moral crimes. Sometimes she buys beer for him but she draws the line at spirits. Poisoning the system.
The children are out in the tiny kitchen with her, sitting up on the counter, watching her mash the potatoes.MoreLess
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