Limerick Friday #633: Escapism To The Rescue In Florida, Of All Places -- Day 1,856

Through all the parks we swirled

On so many rides we twirled

Plus beers and dishes

Against my fervent wishes

Left part of my heart at Disney World

The local no-talent hacks

With an absence of facts

Ignoring UNC drama

With Belicheat's sugar mama

Paying off that fanboy tax

As the works did plummet

They found more ways to gum it

Morale was bad enough

'Til they caved on DEI stuff

But hey, at least there's Summit

With a fragile MAGA QB

And a checked-out Ramsey

Plus a psycho receiver

I can't find a believer

In what the 'Fins are trying to be

His at bats like a yo-yo

What to make of Juan Soto

He's even lost his swag

And yes, it's early, but dag

Not sure that contract is for so-so

Last time ...

Day 1,855, Quasi-Quarantine: Up Here, I'm Still On Space Mountain

 

It's been almost two weeks since we returned from another stellar trip to Disney World, notwithstanding a 10-hour drive back punctuated by projectile vomiting on a gas-station median in Nowheresville, North Carolina.

The moments when the kids agree to be seen with me are shrinking by the day, so knowing that we'll always have Space Mountain -- and especially Space Mountain while wearing a "Yoda Best Dad" T-shirt -- gives me exactly the feeling below.

Day 1,854, Quasi-Quarantine: Many-Genred "The Intuitionist" Serves As Compelling Introduction To Colson Whitehead

 

“Inside the late-night denizens, the midnight refuse, slouched over java and racing forms, tuna on stale rye and their doomed itineraries. No one look at anyone else in this crumbling sanctuary: that would risk the perfection of their isolation, their one last comfort in this concrete city.”

The debut of one of America's finest novelists, "The Intuitionist" features the strong, subtle writing that would come to be the hallmark of Colson Whitehead's career.

“Time to sift the facts through her fingers and shake out the fine silt until what is left in her hand is what happened.”

Using the pursuit of the ideal elevator as a racial allegory, the author weaves a compelling story that spans noir, suspense, humor, and drama. 

“They can turn rabid at any second; this is the true result of gathering integration; the replacement of sure violence with deferred sure violence.”

Whitehead's rendering of a moment in a dime-a-dance club makes for a truly beautiful scene, offsetting a rather odd one-night stand midway through the book.

“The men think, this is the last night on earth and I am spending it in the arms of a beautiful woman. The women are not necessarily beautiful, but anything is possible. The women count dimes, ponder the bills waiting on top of the icebox. The bills are gratified a dime at a time, steadily.”

His wide cast of characters can be challenging to sort and place, but the result is an original tale that reveals a unique take on issues of identity and belonging.

“Anyone can start a religion. They just need the need of others.”

Day 1,846, Quasi-Quarantine: Disparate Themes Clash In The Caribbean In Short, Challenging "Tentacle"

 

“As he listened to Giorgio give Malagueta Nenuco’s number and instructions about what kinds of tea Linda liked, Argensi caught sight of the canvases he hadn’t touched in days, the paint dried on the used brushes which he’d neglected to clean because he’d been busy giving sips of water to a one-armed buccaneer who was shitting all over himself in the infernal swamp in his continuous and exhausting other life.”

Often reading like a fever dream, "Tentacle" features a frenetic pace and manic jumps across three different timelines and many characters, making following along a true challenge. However, Rita Indiana's fresh, boundary-pushing writing and imagination make the effort worthwhile.

“Katherine sounded like a woman beaten down by piles of dirty dishes and a construction worker husband who showed his affection by not spitting on the rug.”

The themes are nearly all-encompassing (pick your -ism), as the book documents environmentalism, racism, sexism, classism, eco-tourism, gender, immigration, and capitalistic issues. Indiana is incredibly explicit, but her words are poignant, timely, and brave, overcoming a translation that can feel balky on occasion.

“Lies, thought Acilde, are like beans, they have to be well seasoned or no one will swallow them.”

"Tentacle" is a wild ride, packing weighty topics in a short amount of space -- and challenging the reader in unexpected and confusing ways.

“You’re going to do fine: in this country being white is a profession.”