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THE LAST FIFTEEN MINUTES by Lvdia Jane Morris submitted to the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of American University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master o f Fine Arts m Creative Writing Chair. mau Kermit Moyer D•[ rts and Sciences Date 2000 American University Washington, D.C. 20016 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number 1401041 ___ __<&> UMI UMI Microform 1401041 Copyright 2000 by Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. THE LAST FIFTEEN MINUTES BY Lydia Jane Morris ABSTRACT These five short works of fiction address a series of common themes and motifs within contemporary American literature: withdrawal and alienation, a loss of the self, and the search for essential meaning in both life and human interaction. ‘Fish and Other Problems'’ is the story of a young woman stranded in Arkansas after her car breaks down. The post-modern 'T o Whom It May Concern” reads as a letter written to a recent ex­ lover. A graduate student in the throes o f an identity crisis is the focus of “Why I Quit Smoking,” while the events just after a rape—as if such an incident could be withstood with the aid of an instructional manual—are documented within “See Spot Run.” Lastly, elements of “Fish and Other Problems” are revisited within “For George,” an angry portrait of a one-night stand. (I Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my thesis chair, Glenn Moomau; my other thesis committee members, John Hyman and Kermit Moyer; the chairs of the graduate creative writing program at American University, Richard McCann, Myra Sklarew, and Henry Taylor. In addition, I would like to thank Stella and Gwendolyn, A.B. Paulson, Sekou Sundiata, and my family. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..................................................................................................... iii Short fiction 1. FISH AND OTHER PROBLEMS........................................................................ I 2. TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN......................................................................27 3. WHY I QUIT SMOKING.................................................................................. 31 4. SEE SPOT RUN .................................................................................................. 46 5. FOR GEORGE .................................................................................................... 53 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. I. FISH AND OTHER PROBLEMS Where was she going all by herself? Gwen's mother had prepared a short speech for her in case people, men in particular, were to ask her any questions: “My father recently died and I inherited his car. I am driving it from my hometown of Orlando, Florida, to Seattle, Washington, where I currently live with my boyfriend.” On the phone, her mother knew right away. “Honey, have you started smoking again?" "I just called to tell you I’m in Little Rock.” “You're a little what?” i'm in Arkansas. Little Rock, Arkansas.” “Oh! That’s wonderful, Gwendolyn. That was certainly quick! You're not speeding are you? Your father always said that that car ran best at fifty-five.” “I'm not speeding. I promise. And why is everything about Dad?” “What are you talking about?” "All I’m saying is he’s dead.” “I know that. I, o f all people, know that. And I don’t appreciate your tone.” "What tone?” “That tone you get when you’re mad.” I Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ‘Tm not mad.” Gwen's mother sighed. “I wish you weren't smoking again.” "I know.” "I was so proud of you when you quit last year. Remember when you were eight and you drew me all those non-smoking signs, and then posted them all over the house? And I did quit, Gwenny. I haven’t smoked since—” "Since I was ten, Mom. Two years after that.” “Gwenny, that is not my point.” "Stop calling me that! I'm not five. My name is Gwen, or Gwendolyn. Look, I'll call you when I get to Texas.” “Texas? Oh, honey, I know you’re an adult—that you think you are an adult—but this is silly. You should have taken a few maps. Your father had, I have, lots of maps." “I don’t want maps. I know where I am going.” "That's not enough! You need to have a plan!” "I just get on major highways that go west or north. I’m in no hurry. I like driving, and I'm not speeding.” "But, Gwenny—” Hanging up was the first comfort of the day. It marked the completion of yet one more unpleasant task. After talking to her mother, Gwen couldn’t bring herself to call her other home, the home she shared with Matthew in Seattle. With hours on the road each day, it was hard not to think idly about Matthew, even though there wasn't much to speculate about. He was in Seattle, working, taking care of their cats (really they were Gwen’s cats) and, most likely, stoned out of his mind. She and Matthew had met only Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. two weeks after Gwen first moved to Washington. She didn’t quite know or understand how, two years later, they were still dating, living together even. Though Matthew did work long hours as a waiter, which gave Gwen a lot of time at home alone, and the times that she did want company it was nice to have someone on call. Gwen checked out o f the Little Rock Hampton Inn at noon. When she had checked in the night before, the main staff had been off-duty. She was handed her room keys and told to pay before leaving in the morning. The lobby, drenched now in the morning's natural light, was pink. Pink chairs, pink carpet, pink couch, it reminded Gwen of her childhood bedroom—the room that she and her father had repainted green when she was eight, much against her mother’s wishes. "Gwen doesn’t like pink, not all girls do.” Her father had explained to her mother. “It’s not pink, it’s peach,” her mother had retorted. "And that’s just it! She’s having nightmares that she’s been swallowed up by an enormous piece of fruit,” her father continued in a feigned serious tone. This wasn’t true, but Gwen nodded anyway. “I’m stuck in the peach pit,” she had told her mother, proud of her quick addition to her father’s tale. “I’m stuck and I can't get out!” "My, oh my, all the way from Washington state!” the hotel manager commented after looking at Gwen’s driver’s license for a period o f time that she felt was far too long. “What are you doing in Arkansas?” "Yes, what am I doing in Arkansas?” Gwen asked herself now in her car as she followed signs back to Interstate 40. “Goodbye, Are-can-saw. Art, can you saw? Goodbye, Arc kin saw. See saw. I saw. Arkansas.” And soon, “Arkansas is a state for Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 4 driving, driving through, driving through...." Gwen sang softly for half an hour while contemplating the road. So straight, so flat, so expansive and open, and yet nothing. Vacancy. She could get there—anywhere, nowhere— faster if she sped up a little. A deeper push on the accelerator made an eerie click. Several useless thrusts and stabs and Gwen was losing speed. In the left lane, with another car on her right, she had no choice but to ease onto the left shoulder and stop the car. Reaching into her overnight bag, she grabbed her bank envelope and then got out of the car to properly take in her surroundings. To her right was the highway as far up and down as she could see.

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