Monday, March 12, 2018

the last book I ever read (Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, excerpt seven)

from Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders:

One thing I dont like is I am dumb! Everyone treats me like I am dumb all my life. And I am! Dumb. Even sewing for me is a hard one. My aunt who raised me sat hours showing me sewing. Do it like this, hon, she would say. And I would. Once. Then next time I needed to do it that way I would just sit there, needle raised. And aunties would say lord child this is the nine-millionth time I am showing you this. Whatever it was. See, now I cant remember! What is was. What aunties showed me that I forgot. When a young man come a-courting he would say something such as about the guv/ment and I would say, oh, yes, the guv’ment, my aunts teaching me to sew. And his face’d go blank. Who would want to hold or love one so dull. Unless she is fair. Which I am not. Just plain. Soon I am too old for the young men to come and be bored and that is that. And my teeth go yellow and some fall out. But even when you are a solitary older lady it is no treat to be dumb. Always at a party or so on you are left to sit by the fire, smiling as if happy, knowing none desire to speak with you.



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