Podcast: The New Yorker Fiction

My latest favorite listening treat is The New Yorker’s Fiction podcast, which asks writers to read and discuss short stories and novel excerpts.

This morning, I heard author Nicole Krauss reading one of Bruno Schulz’s stories: http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/downloads.newyorker.com/mp3/fiction/120217_fiction_krauss.mp3

The Story of The Hawke

The Hawke and Samaro spar in preparation of their next battle with the evil ones.

By Kevin R. Hawke

The Hawke is a superhero of epic proportions. He has seemingly unlimited powers. All of these powers derive from a special ring named Mr. Blue.

You see, this ring was made by a mysterious Navajo Indian in the year 2007. He was called by God to make a special ring for a special person. The Indian didn’t know who the ring was for; he just knew that he had to follow the will of God. He made the ring of sterling silver and turquoise. It was unlike any other ring ever made. Even the turquoise stone had silver strips running through it. He didn’t even quite know how he made it. He had never made anything so beautiful.

By God’s command, it was to be a size 16. The old Navajo thought, Who in the world would be able to wear such a big ring? But God assured him that the man would come along to retrieve it eventually.

The old Indian was told to give the ring to an 80-year-old lady in Greenwich Village. This would be the place that the mysterious owner of the ring would come.

Three years went by. The ring was kept on display for all to see. The lady had been told the story of how God led the Navajo to make the special ring. Even though she wondered if the Indian was crazy, she wanted to make sure that the rightful owner would see the ring if by some miracle he happened to wander into her little shop.

Finally, it was July 21, 2010; the man that would soon bear the ring happened to wander into the old lady’s store. He was there on vacation with his wife of almost five years. They perused the rings for some time and then he saw it.

The man’s last name was Hawke. He was a Cherokee Indian. He spotted the special ring and felt led to it. He asked the old lady if he could see the ring and she refused to show it to him. She had shown that ring to so many people over the years. It was the most beautiful man’s ring ever. Everyone wanted to see it. What would make this tattooed man any different?

Mr. Hawke was a tattooed man with a weird hat on called a trilby. He was a musician. We all know how strange and flamboyant they can be. Let’s face it; the old woman had given up on the dream of the Navajo she had met three years prior. Perhaps the Navajo was just crazy.

Mr. Hawke repeatedly begged her to show him the ring. She refused. She had become so hardened by the streets of New York City. She had lost all hope in God and life. There was so much crime and no one seemed to believe anymore.

The man called Hawke and his wife left and returned to the hotel. He couldn’t sleep that night. The thought of the ring wouldn’t leave his mind. He tossed and turned all night. Why would this ring be so important?

He decided to go back the next afternoon to confront the shop owner about the ring. He entered the store and the woman didn’t seem too happy about it. She was annoyed that Hawke kept asking about the ring. She told him that it was a size 16 and there was no way he could wear it. Hawke insisted that she let him try it.

Finally, she gave in. She searched for the key to open the jewelry case and opened it up. She pulled the ring out and slid it onto Hawke’s finger. Her mouth fell open in surprise. The ring fit perfectly! She couldn’t believe it. After all these years, the prophecy had been fulfilled, or at least part of it.

Mr. Hawke left with the ring that would remain with him forever.

The ring was a gift from God, through a Navajo, through an old woman, to a Cherokee.

What would it mean? Why did God want this man to have this ring?

Not long after leaving the shop, Mr. Hawke witnessed a woman getting beat up by her loser boyfriend.

Without even thinking, something came over Hawke. The ring he had just bought started to change. The silver of the ring started to spread from the ring, up his right arm and then the silver spread over his entire body. And then a strip of turquoise wrapped around his head at the level of his eyes and at the level of his mouth. Turquoise strips also wrapped around his elbows and his knees.

This ring was definitely not a normal ring. It possessed powers given by God for the protection of society.

At that moment, Mr. Hawke turned into The Hawke.

He immediately stopped the man from beating on the woman. He secured him to a pole to wait for the police and got the woman to a hospital.

The ring had made him into a superhero. The ring could do anything that The Hawke could imagine. Its only perceivable limit was The Hawke’s imagination.

When the situation was over, all of the silver and turquoise retracted back into the ring, and Mr. Hawke seemed to be normal again.

But the ring seemed to guide Hawke from then on. It would send him to where a superhero was needed and he would always go where the ring led.

God had made a soldier to fight for His people.

COMING SOON: The Story of Samaro

A Mother’s Day Prayer

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On the bathroom counter — right where he knew I’d come first thing this morning — Kevin left me a sweet, sweet Mother’s Day card.

It lay atop a photo album open to a picture of me, in a blue hospital gown, holding a swaddled still-newborn Atticus with a little, curly-haired toddler Lucas by my side on the hospital bed.

The card begins, “Today I’m remembering how you looked that very first time you held our newborn child so tenderly in your arms…”

I’m crying because it’s so, so sweet, not just the card but the thought he put into choosing it and placing it.

And I’m crying because I miss him and can’t tell him what I’m typing right now until he returns home from his third day in a row working a more than 12-hour shift in the prison…no matter the holiday…

And I’m crying because he just doesn’t do cards. Usually. What a surprise!!!

And I’m crying because not only will I miss my sweet, considerate husband today, but I will also likely only see a third of my children today.

One is with me always, the way I know God intended from the start. The other two got caught in the fault lines when old relationships quaked. One ended up on the other side of the crevasse; the other still walks the thin limb between from week to week.

And this is not even counting the ones who have gone on before me, leaving me with a signature aching to ever hold them tight.

This morning, I pray for them all.

I offer up my joy and my pain for my children, in varying states of distant, and for my husband, who understands and feels with me all this and much, much more. Mother Mary, keep them safe and help them always to know they are loved.

And I pray for all mothers in varying states of longing for children here and gone — including my own mother, who has seen more than her share of suffering from my own distance and woe. May God bless you all and comfort you.

Lucas’ First Communion

Last Sunday, May 6, in a special 2 p.m. Mass, Lucas made his First Communion.

He was one of 50-some 7-year-olds all dressed up in suits and ties (or white satin, lace, or taffeta dresses).

It was a beautiful ceremony, and Kevin and I were both in tears before Lucas even made his way up the center aisle with his (and Atticus’) godmother Cindy Jefferson.

You can click on the first picture below to scroll through enlarged versions.

Thanks to the boys’ godfather Charlie Jefferson, the official event photographer, for the pictures in the gallery and allowing us to post them here.

And thanks to Lucas’ Grammy, Carolyn Dalton, for allowing me to use the picture of him at left. 🙂

And thanks to the dozen or so family members who were there. It meant so much to Lucas and to all of us. 🙂

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The Debut of Mr. Blue: Live at Washington Square

It was Thursday, July 22, 2010, around 6 p.m.

We had just left The Silversmith on West 4th, where we got the most fantabulous Mr. Blue and Jo’s amber ring to celebrate our 5th anniversary.

The vibes were good. We were oozing happiness. It was a beautiful day, not too hot with a little breeze. And — oh, man! — we love playing in the park!

We found a park bench and spread out a bit. Black squirrels greeted, acoustic guitar tuned, H2 recorder ready.

The whole band was there, minus Josephine, of course (no electricity in the park). 😉

The full show (minus encore, below) with all our crazy chatter and everything:

Since we haven’t edited out individual songs yet, here’s a set list with approximate start times:
What Else Can I Say* (0:32)
All Around the World* (6:17)
Music Man* (12:01)
Every Second of Every Day* (18:08)
Baby, What Do You Want Me to Do (23:46)
I Don’t Need No Doctor (27:22)
Amazing Grace: test (37:07)
Amazing Grace: full (39:37)
Danglin’* (42:42)
Johnny LV* (49:50)
Summertime (56:19)

The encore, Going Down the Road Feeling Bad:

*original ESoED songs

Good Friday Art

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While Kevin played the electric guitar (I mean, Josephine) and he and I sang, the boys and I painted with the acrylics.

Mine isn’t finished, but here are Lucas’ Easter Bunny with an egg (left) and Atticus’ “Mom Is Beautiful.” (I swear nobody gave him a suggestion, much less paid him. :P)