“Boring Tree”
The narrator observes a woman who seems to be following them while they look at a tree. As more people gather, the atmosphere shifts from curiosity to frustration, leading the narrator to entertain the crowd by mimicking the tree. This act brings joy to the woman and the onlookers, creating a moment of shared laughter.
- ▪The narrator feels followed by a woman with a distinct gait.
- ▪As the narrator looks at a tree, more people gather, initially curious.
- ▪The narrator mimics the tree to entertain the crowd, resulting in laughter.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
I feel like I’m being followed by a woman. She has the kind of gait where her feet point a bit outwards, and she kicks them with a little huff to get more from every step, only to land heavy on the heels. She usually lumbers and shifts her weight radically, but tonight she floats behind me.Article continues after advertisement She’s eating something idly, as if it’s secondary to whatever she’s really up to. One-hand food. It’s not a knife, but she holds it like one. And then I feel like when I stop to look at this tree she looks at it too. She looks at me, and then back at the tree, and then at me again, because she’s trying to make sense of why I’m looking at the tree. It’s not so interesting to her because it’s not about her.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Literary Hub.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from Literary Hub
