'The first manifestation began six hours later for Timothy Blaker, who'd stood seventh in line, four behind my wife. He was twenty-seven years old and worked as a bus driver. The object he had given the thief was an engagement ring, one he happened to have been eager to get rid of. He'd been carrying the ring for seventeen months, since the night Nancy Templeman, his girlfriend of two and a half years, had refused to accept it.
Timothy had not seen her or talked with her since the night of his failed proposal, so when he opened the doors two stops east of Shaw on College and she stepped inside, he was surprised to see her. Nancy extended her hand but did not deposit change – instead, she reached into his chest and pulled out his heart. She held it in front of him. He watched it beat. The bus continued to idle as he watched her run back down the steps and into a waiting yellow Ford Mustang.
Nancy stepped on the gas, the back tires producing much sound and smoke. Timothy Blaker gave chase.'
The Tiny Wife
(Page 10-11)
Andrew Kaufman is swiftly becoming one of my favourite contemporary writers.
And i've only read two of his brief but unnervingly affecting novellas to date.
All i can really say is, if you like your literature teetering on the edge of a rather messy hysterical breakdown, with a magic-realism crash mat awaiting your ineludible and somewhat psychedelic impact...then this is the book and the writer for you.
Ps. Please excuse the crappy quality of the above photo. The last of my 'bad-for-the-planet' bulbs went earlier this week and now i'm left in a state of perpetual bluely lit gloom. Good for the planet, not so good for my eyes and photographic prowess. Not to mention my editing abilities - good god, someone point me in the direction of an online computing course right this instant, i need to learn me some skills.
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