SOUNDTRACK:
[READ: December 7, 2022] “Lexapro”
This year, S. ordered me The Short Story Advent Calendar. This is my fifth time reading the Calendar. I didn’t know about the first one until it was long out of print (sigh), but each year since has been very enjoyable. Here’s what they say this year
Like we always do at this time: the Short Story Advent Calendar is back for 2022. We had such a great time last year working with our first-ever guest editor, the one and only Alberto Manguel. This year, however, we’re bringing things back to basics. No overarching theme or format, just 25 top-class short stories, selected in-house, by some of the best writers in North America and beyond. It’s December 7. To officially kick off the 2022 Short Story Advent Calendar, here is a story about faith and carbs from the author of The Prince of Mournful Thoughts.
This story had interesting components but overall I felt uncomfortable about it.
It is set in a treatment center for people with OCD. The story focuses on two young men. As part of their treatment they are meant to try to do “normal” things without worrying about the intrusive thoughts. The narrator is concerned that he will hit somebody while he is driving. So they make him drive around and drive over speed bumps but the don’t let him check to make sure he hasn’t hit someone.
One of the things both guys wants to do is to go on a date. So they get pictures taken for Tinder profiles. When the other guy gets a date, he is totally freaked out about it, but just going to it is a huge step for him.
The narrator, meanwhile is worried that he will hurt his dog. He remembers hurting his dog, but with OCD, you can’t tell if memories are real. He decides, when he gets out, that he will name his dog Lexapro, because that the medication he s taking to make him better.
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