Day 263, Quasi-Quarantine: "Calypso" Struggles To Balance Poignancy And Levity

 

"At this particular moment of our lives, no one belonged together more than us."

In "Calypso," David Sedaris goes a bit outside his comfort zone to tackle weighty, emotional issues. Critics have described it as his most personal book, and while the customary humor is certainly there, this work can certainly get dark. 

"Another word I've added to 'the list' is 'conversation,' as in 'We need to have a national conversation about _________.' This is employed by the left to mean 'You need to listen to me use the word "diversity" for an hour.'"

As Sedaris wrestles with his own mortality and struggles to keep his family unit together, the tone can suffer. The reader isn't always certain when he is being serious or ridiculous -- or both at the same time. The author/narrator can also come across as unlikeable, which is a not-insignificant consideration when digesting a book.

There were more than a few powerful moments. When Sedaris describes one of his family's first experiences while living in the South, hearing about the Martin Luther King, Jr., assassination while dining at 42nd Street Oyster Bar -- a restaurant I worked at -- I found myself completely mortified.

He cleverly contrasts this scene -- of an entire establishment cheering at the killing of a cultural icon -- with the pervasive quasi-religious tenor found in the region.

"Increasingly at Southern airports, instead of 'good-bye' or 'thank-you,' cashiers are apt to say, 'Have a blessed day.' This can make you feel like you've been sprayed against your will with God cologne. 'Get it off me!' I always want to scream. 'Quick, before I start wearing ties with short-sleeved shirts!'"

As a series of essays, the work certainly jumps around, but the messages feel vital and important in a way that previous efforts by this author have not conveyed. Underneath it all, this is a middle-aged man grieving over the deaths of his sister and mother and asking himself real, pressing questions about the time left.

"One day she'd throw a dish at you, and the next she'd create a mosaic made of the shards."