James, an assistant editor of a small online literary magazine in Brooklyn, moved to
Alaska. He was recently divorced, and his novel, which had taken him ten years to write, got rejected by every major New York City publisher.
In Alaska he rented a cabin, grew his beard to shameful lengths, took photographs of wildlife and retreating glaciers, and began to hunt his own game. At night he drank too much whiskey and dreamt of Marylin Monroe while laying next to a fire.
One day he found himself on a cliff seriously thinking about jumping. But the image of his deteriorating body among the rocks and bushes gave him pause. The view of the birds flying against the white energy of the sun also dissuaded him.
James went back down the mountain. At the head of the valley, where the fork in the the trail met the river, there was a massive bear. This one didn’t go away easily but came right at him. James held his knife tight with both hands, upwards, tightly, as the bear overcame him like a quilt. When the beast felt the poke of the sharp metal it turned and ran the other way.
James went back to wilderness New York. He settled in a cheap neighborhood in the Bronx. He started writing shorter, more flavorful, novels. Novels that seemed like poetry in some passages. He got published and sold very well. So well in fact that he bought an apartment in a pre-war building.
He even got himself a girlfriend that lived in the semi-industrial city of Bridgeport that resembled Marylin Monroe. Tactfully, Bridgeport was far enough to keep things perpetually interesting.
At a bar in one of the worst sections of Grand Concourse James told the story again and again of his redemption: “My dignity was salvaged by the bear, and my body was preserved from corruption by the birds.”
Image by Klaus Stebani from Pixabay – A grizzly bear looking – grizzly.
literally stories 
Happy new year, Albert
I am glad to see your little tale of hope for the future up today.
Leila
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Short and sweet and containing everything the reader needs to know – a cracking start to the year!
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A heartening tale, neatly told.
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I thought the tone and pace of this was excellent. It ripped by telling the reader all they needed to know and even allowing them to form attachment to the MC – very clever I thought – thank you – dd
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Hi Albert,
The short sentences are judged brilliantly.
This reads as a summary of his life up to that point and that allows the reader to think on his revelation and salvation.
Even though this is sparse, we end up feeling for him and are glad when he finds his success.
I’m quite sure that the birds and bear tale would have got him a few free pints in the pub!!
Have a brilliant New Year my fine friend.
Hugh
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Lovely story. And an optimistic start to the yearl.
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Albert
Wonderous verbs! High dosages of “to be.”
Gerry
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“Overcame him lke a quilt”. Another one of the many times I’m puzzled. Probably comes from my old age. Bear with me. A brief story that should encourage the downhearted that there can be second acts.
Happy new year (for those that celebrate the western version) to all of the LS editors, readers, and writers, Mr.Mirth in the Specific North West.
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Redemption through nature. Very nice.
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Albert
As William Faulkner said, “‘Success’ is for the birds; the real (and lasting) success is how good the art actually is,” or, again, Oscar Wilde: “Writing well is itself the greatest revenge.” Thanks for a vivid tale that wastes no time.
Hugh is right, this story seems to offer the summary of a life so far in very few words, and that’s no mean feat!
Happy New Year from Chicagoland!
Sincerely,
Dale
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This made me smile. Thank you.
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So prosaic and economical in style, but so much punch and action in story – masterful stuff.
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