For the most part I was amused by the short stories. Some of the stories had bizarre ideas, like ears falling on the floor, and some just flat out boring, like the run on sentence in “The letter from home”. However there was one story I particularly liked. “Morning News” by Jerome Stern.

            This story stuck out to me, just because of its interesting subject matter, dealing with death. Essentially, summarizing a short story into a shorter sentiment, a man gets bad news, thinks about death, his wife, a fairy tale, then decides to go “screw it” and buys a big ass TV. It really is a simple idea, but the story is something that anyone can relate to. When I was younger I always thought about death and dying (it sounds creepy) but more or less the mystery that has to do with what happens when you die.  The man in the story was given bad news for his health, and immediately thinks about his mortality, as really anyone would. Thinking about your mortality isn’t really a fun thing, but when it is put right in front of you, it’s just all you can think about.  Wanting something beautiful, “A final meal atop the Eifel Tower” as quoted in the story, is only a natural response.

            This story particularly stuck out to me because of its ending. Instead of doing any of those fantastic things, or figuring out what will happen after he dies, he goes out and buys a 60-inch TV, “The largest set in the whole god damn store”. It is such a funny realization, that even after death is staring you in the face, you waste your time in front of a screen.  Every day I say I’m going to do something, and instead of doing what I want think I should be doing. And even when the shortness of life is put in front of you, you still go and buy a TV. It’s funny, how everyone considers watch TV a waste of time, but I love spending time watching TV, even though it isn’t constructive. It is just funny how life can be.

            Kim Addonizio also brings up the idea of mortality in the story “Survivors”. That story brings amongst a different sense of mortality, as the characters are hoping to die so they don’t have to deal with the repercussions of staying alive. It kind of is a funny story, two gay men who are about to die from a most likely AIDS related death, just wanting out already, for the most selfish reasons, not having to deal with family, and even having to take care of a parrot. I found this story most amusing, and how it isn’t really a story, but more or less just painting a setting, and allowing you to imagine a setting. Dark comedy is always a plus; I hope I get to read more in this class.