Hal Dygert, Writer
Walker Percy won the National Book Award for The Moviegoer originally published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1961. It concerns a young New Orleanian at existential loose ends who finds solace in going to the movies. Percy subsequently published five more novels, none as polished or successful in sustaining a mood as the first. For more than fifty years Stanley Kaufmann reviewed movies for The New Republic. I remembered him as the critic who never…
From our kayak, we monitor a man fishing, seemingly without success, from a pontoon boat on the north side of the lake. He is at the ramp packing up his gear when we arrive. It seems the two of us are alone when he asks, “What catches ‘em here?” “Worms!” The emphatic answer rattles the side of a Porta-Potty set back in the trees. We look about, puzzled. No third vehicle. No fishing gear laying…
Ray is driving at night when an opossum waddles out in front of his car. Ray slams on the brakes.
