The Hot Seat

I remember the first Christmas I spent at Polly’s house after Mom passed. We watched the Jim Carey version of The Grinch together and I personalized the whole experience. I sat in the hot seat for the whole family to judge me. It was misery. They all seemed to hate me so. To my mind I had done nothing wrong. My crime was having been a Graden. It was then that I realized how my siblings’ two families were united in hating my parents… I also remember that the first novel I finished reading after Mom died was Typee by Herman Melville. It would’ve been such a culture shock for my siblings to know the content of my book. It was so epicurean, especially the chapters about the Marquesas woman Fayaway. But I was perfectly at home with pleasure, especially intellectual. The remaining family would not have understood, and still wouldn’t… The imminent rebuilding of my house is stirring up old dust and making me think again. But again I still love my Melville books, and I believe Typee is my favorite.

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