Ongoing
characters find their way into literature now and then. Mark Twain created Tom
Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn in The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Both characters appeared in the sequel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Not
many people know that he wrote two novels, Tom
Sawyer Abroad and Tom Sawyer,
Detective. Ian Fleming wrote fifteen novels about the now-icon figure of
James Bond. W. Somerset Maugham wrote several short stories and a couple of
novels featuring his ongoing character, William Ashenden. One of my ongoing
characters, Sossity Chandler, has thirty-six published stories to her credit.
An ongoing character about whom I wrote less, Martin Rollins, is the main
character of the story for this blog, "The Space Between."
Martin
did not get as much space as Sossity. He appeared, though, in my first
published story, "The Girl Who Knew Nick Drake," and in my first
published novella, The Gallery; he is
the main character in a few other stories, and in the "The Space
Between." Martin is a musician, a
guitarist, not spectacularly famous, but with a solid fan base, a good
reputation, and loyal fans. He easily makes a living as a musician. In "The Space Between," he meets an
old flame from high school, Talia Metzger, while he out on tour.
He
and Talia had been intimate. The relationship was unusual to Martin because Talia
was deaf. He and she are assigned a lab partners in a high school chemistry
class. They become friends. He is amazed at the way she communicates. At first,
she uses notes and an iPad to talk to him; and she can speak to some degree, even
though she cannot hear what she is saying. Eventually, though, Martin learns to
communicate with her through gestures, expressions, and through silences. She
is beautiful and athletic. They are together two years. Things are going well.
Then something splits them up. That is Martin's budding career as a musician.
Talia
cannot hear his music. He knows that those who have no hearing can comprehend
music, but someone Tania's inability to hear drives a wedge between them and
they split up. Martin makes a name for himself as a musician; he sees articles
now and then on Talia, who has married, had children, manages a chain of
charter schools, and is an advocate for the deaf. He is sitting in a coffee
house, angry over a bad review of a performance when he gets a text message
from her. She wants to see him.
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| Wealthy Street Bakery, in Grand Rapids, MI |
She
comes to the coffee house. Once, more the flame rekindles. He knows she wants him to make love to her. They arrange a
meeting. After consummation, he surveys how things have changed and have not
changed. What has not changed is
his love for her; nor has her love for him. What has changed is
that he has built a career; she has built a life. One more thing has
changed: she apparently now can
understand and comprehend his music.
He
remembers a remark he once read (he thinks it was by Isaac Stern): In music is not the black notes on the page
that mattes; it is the white space between them. This quote is usually
understood to mean that in music timing is everything. But his love for Talia
suggests to him that in music the silences are more importance than the sounds.
Silence is a way of communicating. His relationship with her has taught him as
much. She silently lets him know she wants to begin their relationship again. It
will be an affair. She does not want to break up the life she has built. But he
learns her husband could not reach one
spot in her heart. It sat like an empty room, sending tiny impulses of discord into
her soul. Only he could fill that empty space. Only the love he offered to her
could complete and make her spirit whole. She told him this. She told him with
her body. They part understanding they will see each other from time to
time when Martin tours. Talia is organized and can arrange it. The story ends
with Martin and Talia lying in bed together arms
around each other, speaking with silence, their words more sure than any he had
known before. The
story, which I classify as one the ten or twelve best I have written, appeared
in August 2013 in the journal Scholars and Rogues. Read it here.
To read more stories about Martin Rollins, read "The Girl Who Knew Nick Drake."
A novella featuring Martin is (a very good one, I'll add) is The Gallery.
New novellas coming soon. Stay tuned.
I would love to hear your comments.
