The simple irony in the title of Claire Vaye Watkins’s “Man-O-War” (otherwise known as One Story #140) is that Edwin “Bud” Harris, the main character of the story, is anything but. A former miner, he’s lived alone for twenty-five years in a house in the desert, maintaining a few claims, pondering his long-gone marriage, and every July 5th, venturing out to gather unspent fireworks from a dry lakebed in order to turn a quick buck. But on this July 5th when Harris finds an unconscious girl at the lakebed, he’s knocked out of his routine and into circumstances that are dangerous on multiple levels.
The situation is, of course, terrific. The reader has many pressing questions: How did the girl – Magda – end up in the lakebed? What sort of trouble is following her? How will Harris react to this new and unexpected intimacy with an attractive stranger? Does he still remember how to behave around another person after all this time? Will he say the wrong thing? Can the old miner unlock the girl’s story before it’s too late? What’s going to happen with the fireworks?
Harris is a fascinating character, more personable and saner than you’d expect a hermit to be, which is part of the reason why he’s also a rather tragic figure. The author, Watkins, does a stellar job of layering the character’s appealing qualities – his self-reliance, his easy way of talking – over the top of the vulnerable core. On the one hand, for instance, it’s sort of funny that Harris still goes outside to smoke because his Kewpie doll-loving ex-wife demanded it a quarter of a century before. It’s also a warning signal that this man is terribly stunted, brooding greedily on ancient losses. Later, when Harris sees Magda in wet, clinging clothes, the old miner abruptly becomes interested in the rocky soil. Watkins plays this casually, letting the actions speak for themselves. Her restraint is impressive. For you aspiring authors out there, please note in this (beware: spoiler-tastic) interview where Ms. Watkins mentions that she spent something like two years working on “Man-O-War.” Making something look this easy is damned hard.
For the low-low price of $2.50 you can get “Man-O-War” from the good folks at One Story right here, and find out for yourself what happens to Magda, Harris, and all those unspent fireworks.
Cheers,
Owen
Bonus Pick-of-the-Month
We grew a bunch of these this year, and if there’s a vegetable that’s closer to candy, it must be something that’s grown in Wonka Land. Sugarsnap Peas are sweet and good and crunchy.