This is one of my favorite pieces you've written <3 (Heart because the whole thing made me feel tender.) The writing is absolutely beautiful; I had the thought, "This sounds like the beginning of a novel" on three separate occasions (the first sentence under each new month). You capture restaurant life and also the feeling of summer so well. There is a pointedness and exactness to your writing that makes it extremely satisfying to read, like a dish that is plated with deep intention and no excess. When it comes to subject matter, your specificity is so immersive (I'm thinking of the cleaning and cooking descriptions, although it's pervasive) and really makes the piece shine. Some lines that made me laugh were the Zac Brown Band line, the "seventh-grade boys with abs and pre-pubescent faces," and the four-top who acts like they own the restaurant and the sky (SO relatable. lol). I also really appreciated the black goop paragraph right before the dinnertime rush.
My favorite part was the following:
"Holes are dug, sunburns form, and sandcastles are constructed from wet sand dribbled from fingertips. And we watched it all from our perch on the deck—a deck whose wooden boards bounce, on which we have to walk with care for fear of a stubbed toe. But it’s paradise. It’s home."
Reading that made me want to cry. You should be so proud of this piece -- I have zero critiques and also the structure really works!
Dear Marge,
This is one of my favorite pieces you've written <3 (Heart because the whole thing made me feel tender.) The writing is absolutely beautiful; I had the thought, "This sounds like the beginning of a novel" on three separate occasions (the first sentence under each new month). You capture restaurant life and also the feeling of summer so well. There is a pointedness and exactness to your writing that makes it extremely satisfying to read, like a dish that is plated with deep intention and no excess. When it comes to subject matter, your specificity is so immersive (I'm thinking of the cleaning and cooking descriptions, although it's pervasive) and really makes the piece shine. Some lines that made me laugh were the Zac Brown Band line, the "seventh-grade boys with abs and pre-pubescent faces," and the four-top who acts like they own the restaurant and the sky (SO relatable. lol). I also really appreciated the black goop paragraph right before the dinnertime rush.
My favorite part was the following:
"Holes are dug, sunburns form, and sandcastles are constructed from wet sand dribbled from fingertips. And we watched it all from our perch on the deck—a deck whose wooden boards bounce, on which we have to walk with care for fear of a stubbed toe. But it’s paradise. It’s home."
Reading that made me want to cry. You should be so proud of this piece -- I have zero critiques and also the structure really works!
Love,
Steph
Really enjoyed reading this one Marge - a wonderful summarizing of summer