Monday, November 9, 2009

David Sedaris and Dylan Thomas inside of my mouth

It's like I say we have this tradition of me reading aloud to him in the car, but it has only been the last two years. But the tradition is beginning I believe. It has been David Sedaris the last two winters. The tip tops of the Southeastern Ohio trees stark against the sky fly by and I trip giggle over the amazing essays of the person I want to be when I grow up. I rest my head against the cold window and my mouth unhinges and tells Joe all the things written in tiny type and he laughs hard in the car. I introduced him to David Sedaris. I also made him read "On the Road" and "The Catcher in the Rye" and he kissed me so many times because of those.
He gives me gifts too- like appreciation of British punk music.
I get it now. After a decade of resistance.

I have read "Holidays on Ice" twice to Joe and we both enjoyed it immensely.
I like to read to Joe and have started to share chapters of my novel with him.
My voice is shaky and sometimes I even cry a little because let's not pretend that beginning writers don't weave some of their own shit into the mix.
Let us not pretend I am not raw and open in parts of my book. I know it. I wrote it.

This year I think I am going to read to Joe
"Under Milk Wood: A Play for Voice" by Dylan Thomas. We will be bundled up in the truck and driving down the stretch of highway that rolls right back in time to a place I try and filter through me now. We will have the radio on low and the kids will be clutching new toys against chests and faces crusty with cinnamon sugar morning and we will be happy and I will tell him things.
I will read to him and the tone of my voice will wrap around his heart and pulse it all day long.

11 comments:

Piper of Love said...

You are the most romantic kinds of lovers.

I want to hear you read too, like all the time. So excited for your novel.

<3

karey m. said...

oh.

i used to read to unle sugar.

maybe i need to start again.

i adore. you.

Elan Morgan said...

I love reading aloud. You almost make me wish we had a car so that we could drift down the highway with a good book.

Melisa Wells said...

I ADORE David Sedaris & have appeared to stalk him at 3 book signings and one reading at the Chicago Theater.

I just bought the audio versions of "Me Talk Pretty One Day" and "Holidays on Ice" for our Thanksgiving trip to Tennessee. :)

SelimaCat said...

My husband seduced me by reading to me (PJ O' Rourke and other things to make me laugh) while I cooked dinner. And then he kept me company during the awful nursing hours by reading then, too (Neil Gaimen).

He nearly gave up on me when I fell asleep during one of his favorite books, but there's nothing I love more than falling asleep to a gentle voice telling me stories.

Abby said...

You're so sweet.

Kate Coveny Hood said...

You know what is also kind of wonderful? Your children are old enough to have memories of this now. I was just thinking how nice it would be to sit in the back seat with my eyes closed (I'm a child in this daydream and have no responsibility to add to the conversation), listening to the parts I understand and dozing during the ones I don't. And then of course, waking up to ask my startled parents a question that they are not yet ready to answer.

Laurie said...

You just inspired me. Again.

www.pepperpaints.com said...

Hahah I read to my Joe too. He loves when I read something to him or he listens when I read chapter books to the kids.I secretly pretend I am a librarian at story time.

ChefDruck said...

Amy,
I want to hear you read David Sedaris too. Somehow that would be a perfect marriage - your wit and his wit united. I've been trying to get my husband to read him so he can understand why I giggle like a lunatic when I read his books, but maybe I just need to trap him and read it aloud to him when we drive back from Jersey after Turkey day.

Have you read "This is Where I leave you"? It is awesome and would be a great read aloud.

Vanessa

Alexis said...

That sounds so fantastic! Will you make podcasts so we can listen too?

I can't read in the car for fear of carsickness. Bleh. :(

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