•8:18 PM
Alcohol can make you do some really stupid things, don't you think? Even though it can be a part of a really fun night, it can also lead to some very stupid decisions. Don't deny it ... it's happened to you, too.
When I was in University, some bad decisions were made. What? No, no ... not by me ... by a couple of guys I knew. And, although I was not involved in these decisions, I heard about them the next day. Everyone heard about them the next day.
It all started with a David Wilcox concert at the University of Windsor. Do you remember him, David Wilcox? He was super popular on the University Campus tour circuit in the late '80s and early '90s. As I said, the evening started with a concert at the University pub, and then these two guys, who were friends of mine during University, decided that they needed something to eat. 'Cause everyone is hungry after a night of drinking at the local pub, right? Here is where the first of the stupid decisions occurs ... they decide to drive to a restaurant.
It is important to know that the restaurant they chose is on a 4-lane road ... the road that leads to and from the US boarder crossing. In fact, it is the busiest boarder crossing IN THE WORLD, heavily travelled by transport trucks at all hours of the day and night. I can attest to this first hand because, as any University of Windsor student will tell you, it is difficult to adjust to the noise made by the truckers honking their horns and downshifting gears all through the night. Anyhow, when these two guys pulled out of the parking lot (after consuming more drinks while they ate), they turned into on-coming traffic. That's right, they were driving in the wrong direction ... on a busy four-lane roadway. Luckily, they immediately realized their mistake and quickly pulled into a driveway, out of the on-coming vehicles.
They began to ease out of the driveway in their drunken stupidness, and backed right into the front of a transport truck. It crushed the back end of their small compact vehicle, but (under the pressure, I guess) the car popped up further in the driveway. The truck driver got out to ensure the two boys were all right; then, he left them. Now, at this point, wouldn't you be so scared that the only thing you would consider is to abandon your car until the next morning? Me, too ... but not these two.
They get back in their car and drive home. This is when the really, really bad decisions begin to occur. Upon arriving home, they discover the license plate to their vehicle has been knocked off in the collision with the transport truck. They decide to go back to the scene of the accident and get the license plate ... because they are afraid that if the police find it, they will know about the accident. And then they could get into trouble. So, they drive the completely destroyed compact vehicle back to the very busy four-lane roadway and the scene of the accident to look for the license plate ... because they are afraid they are going to get in trouble from the police. Of course, the police happen upon the drunk boys and arrest my friend for DUI.
Yes, alcohol can cloud your judgment, resulting in bad decisions. The book I just finished made me remember my friend's DUI arrest.
I just read Black Water by Joyce Carol Oates. This was not a bad decision, nor was it clouded by the consumption of alcohol. In fact, it was an excellent decision on my part.
Although Oates denies it, it seems to me that Black Water is closely based on the incidents that occurred at Chappaquiddick. Again, in my opinion, Chappaquiddick was the result of poor decisions as a result of drinking copious amounts of alcohol. The panic. The fear. The very bad decisions. The protection of an image and a family name.
Have you read all the details surrounding Chappaquiddick? It is fascinating ... you cannot make up stuff like that.
Black Water details the final hour(s) in the life of Kelly Kelleher, a 26-year-old political junkie who wrote her Master's Thesis on The Senator, as he is known throughout the story. When she meets the Senator at a party, she is enamoured by him immediately. And he becomes interested in her, as well - even though she is young enough to be his daughter. They leave the party together, the Senator trying to balance his drink and Kelly trying to balance her hesitation with the opportunity she has been presented with. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Kelly does consider an evening with The Senator as an opportunity ... but she's not a gold-digger. She does not want money, she does not want fame. She is truly inspired by him and his vision for the future. She is in awe of him, but I don't think she really wants anything from him, other than for him to think she is smart and an asset to his political team. However, I think you can guess The Senator's interest in a young girl.
Anyhow, they become lost in the dark and The Senator drives off the road into a river ... a dark, black, swampy river. As she awaits his return (with help), Kelly reminisces about earlier in the evening with The Senator as well as some memorable occasions in her life ... until "the black water filled her lungs and she died."
The brilliance of Joyce Carol Oates shines through in the way that she makes the reader feel as though s/he is in the car with Kelly, fighting against the black, smelly water. It's eery, really. Oates makes note of things like the radio suddenly going quiet, the crickets being the only noise. It forces the reader to think about the sounds Kelly listened to as she drowned ... or the silence around her, except for perhaps the running narrative in her head. She details the taste of the dirty black water and its foul, smelly odour, as well. The gasoline in the water. It interests me (as a wanna-be writer) the way in which a few well-placed words can make you feel as though you are experiencing the same thing as the character(s).
There is something about Joyce Carol Oates that draws me to her. And for a reason I have yet to discover, I just find her fascinating. I was first introduced to her when I was in University ... many years ago. I had an assignment to write an essay on a book of my choosing. Somehow, in the vast University library, I found Wonderland by Oates. And, I absolutely loved it ... it's a great read. Plus, I got an A on my paper ... the first A that I ever received on a University essay. I should have realized then that if you feel a connection with something, then you can write about it easily. The words just seem to come ...
But I did learn something from writing that essay ... Joyce Carol Oates was a professor in the English Department at The University of Windsor in the late '60s and into the '70s. In fact, when I went to discuss my essay with my professor, he told me that he worked with Oates when she taught at Windsor. And for some reason, the fact that she once taught at my school made me feel close to her. Which is ridiculous, of course; because I've never met her. But I would love to ... in fact, I would probably burst with excitement if I could ever meet with her.
In reality, the only way I'll really get to know her is through her writing ... so I will continue to read what she has written. A few months ago, I found a copy of her fourth novel, Them, which was published in 1969 ... during the same time she was a professor at The University of Windsor, and it was the same year I was born. I cannot wait to read it, but now I want to read Wonderland again. What's a girl to do? Read them both, I guess ...
Pick up something by Joyce Carol Oates ... surrender yourself to her.
When I was in University, some bad decisions were made. What? No, no ... not by me ... by a couple of guys I knew. And, although I was not involved in these decisions, I heard about them the next day. Everyone heard about them the next day.
It all started with a David Wilcox concert at the University of Windsor. Do you remember him, David Wilcox? He was super popular on the University Campus tour circuit in the late '80s and early '90s. As I said, the evening started with a concert at the University pub, and then these two guys, who were friends of mine during University, decided that they needed something to eat. 'Cause everyone is hungry after a night of drinking at the local pub, right? Here is where the first of the stupid decisions occurs ... they decide to drive to a restaurant.
It is important to know that the restaurant they chose is on a 4-lane road ... the road that leads to and from the US boarder crossing. In fact, it is the busiest boarder crossing IN THE WORLD, heavily travelled by transport trucks at all hours of the day and night. I can attest to this first hand because, as any University of Windsor student will tell you, it is difficult to adjust to the noise made by the truckers honking their horns and downshifting gears all through the night. Anyhow, when these two guys pulled out of the parking lot (after consuming more drinks while they ate), they turned into on-coming traffic. That's right, they were driving in the wrong direction ... on a busy four-lane roadway. Luckily, they immediately realized their mistake and quickly pulled into a driveway, out of the on-coming vehicles.
They began to ease out of the driveway in their drunken stupidness, and backed right into the front of a transport truck. It crushed the back end of their small compact vehicle, but (under the pressure, I guess) the car popped up further in the driveway. The truck driver got out to ensure the two boys were all right; then, he left them. Now, at this point, wouldn't you be so scared that the only thing you would consider is to abandon your car until the next morning? Me, too ... but not these two.
They get back in their car and drive home. This is when the really, really bad decisions begin to occur. Upon arriving home, they discover the license plate to their vehicle has been knocked off in the collision with the transport truck. They decide to go back to the scene of the accident and get the license plate ... because they are afraid that if the police find it, they will know about the accident. And then they could get into trouble. So, they drive the completely destroyed compact vehicle back to the very busy four-lane roadway and the scene of the accident to look for the license plate ... because they are afraid they are going to get in trouble from the police. Of course, the police happen upon the drunk boys and arrest my friend for DUI.
Yes, alcohol can cloud your judgment, resulting in bad decisions. The book I just finished made me remember my friend's DUI arrest.
I just read Black Water by Joyce Carol Oates. This was not a bad decision, nor was it clouded by the consumption of alcohol. In fact, it was an excellent decision on my part.
Although Oates denies it, it seems to me that Black Water is closely based on the incidents that occurred at Chappaquiddick. Again, in my opinion, Chappaquiddick was the result of poor decisions as a result of drinking copious amounts of alcohol. The panic. The fear. The very bad decisions. The protection of an image and a family name.
Have you read all the details surrounding Chappaquiddick? It is fascinating ... you cannot make up stuff like that.
Black Water details the final hour(s) in the life of Kelly Kelleher, a 26-year-old political junkie who wrote her Master's Thesis on The Senator, as he is known throughout the story. When she meets the Senator at a party, she is enamoured by him immediately. And he becomes interested in her, as well - even though she is young enough to be his daughter. They leave the party together, the Senator trying to balance his drink and Kelly trying to balance her hesitation with the opportunity she has been presented with. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Kelly does consider an evening with The Senator as an opportunity ... but she's not a gold-digger. She does not want money, she does not want fame. She is truly inspired by him and his vision for the future. She is in awe of him, but I don't think she really wants anything from him, other than for him to think she is smart and an asset to his political team. However, I think you can guess The Senator's interest in a young girl.
Anyhow, they become lost in the dark and The Senator drives off the road into a river ... a dark, black, swampy river. As she awaits his return (with help), Kelly reminisces about earlier in the evening with The Senator as well as some memorable occasions in her life ... until "the black water filled her lungs and she died."
The brilliance of Joyce Carol Oates shines through in the way that she makes the reader feel as though s/he is in the car with Kelly, fighting against the black, smelly water. It's eery, really. Oates makes note of things like the radio suddenly going quiet, the crickets being the only noise. It forces the reader to think about the sounds Kelly listened to as she drowned ... or the silence around her, except for perhaps the running narrative in her head. She details the taste of the dirty black water and its foul, smelly odour, as well. The gasoline in the water. It interests me (as a wanna-be writer) the way in which a few well-placed words can make you feel as though you are experiencing the same thing as the character(s).
There is something about Joyce Carol Oates that draws me to her. And for a reason I have yet to discover, I just find her fascinating. I was first introduced to her when I was in University ... many years ago. I had an assignment to write an essay on a book of my choosing. Somehow, in the vast University library, I found Wonderland by Oates. And, I absolutely loved it ... it's a great read. Plus, I got an A on my paper ... the first A that I ever received on a University essay. I should have realized then that if you feel a connection with something, then you can write about it easily. The words just seem to come ...
But I did learn something from writing that essay ... Joyce Carol Oates was a professor in the English Department at The University of Windsor in the late '60s and into the '70s. In fact, when I went to discuss my essay with my professor, he told me that he worked with Oates when she taught at Windsor. And for some reason, the fact that she once taught at my school made me feel close to her. Which is ridiculous, of course; because I've never met her. But I would love to ... in fact, I would probably burst with excitement if I could ever meet with her.
In reality, the only way I'll really get to know her is through her writing ... so I will continue to read what she has written. A few months ago, I found a copy of her fourth novel, Them, which was published in 1969 ... during the same time she was a professor at The University of Windsor, and it was the same year I was born. I cannot wait to read it, but now I want to read Wonderland again. What's a girl to do? Read them both, I guess ...
Pick up something by Joyce Carol Oates ... surrender yourself to her.
1 comments:
I will definitely look for some of her books on my next visit to CLEM'S!