Walking Toward the River
Every morning and every afternoon I walk toward the river. The river flows past the oversized window at the end of our hallway. Sometimes when I walk, a behometh ship passes, rusty hull slicing the air. At other times it’s the train passing, the cars laden with graffiti. On the rarest of occasions, the train runs in front of a ship and even though the train is raised on a concrete retaining wall, the ship behind it is higher still, because this is New Orleans and we are almost underwater.
I am now five weeks post-surgery. I have a new hip, and diminished resolve. My sense of need to accomplish, which usually flares like a coke-stoked oven, has died into embers. Only yesterday was I able to pick up a Reader’s Report on Jazzy, my New Orleans novel, and begin to revise. Yes, I read 17 mysteries and watched many episodes of Perry Mason in preparation for the homeless mystery I intend to write next, but those are passive activities. When it comes to writing, I’ve been underwater.
Maybe that’s an overstatement. I’ve revised a handful of short stories and submitted them to journals, an activity I let fall by the wayside as I focused so completely on perfecting (ha!) the novels. Two journals—Missouri Review and American Short Fiction—want more work. I’m trying to send them more work, good work. But I’m kind of treading water (see, I can learn, adapt, quit exaggerating).
Baby steps, that’s probably the answer. Baby steps down the hallway towards the river. Baby steps back into my normal life. When I go to physical therapy they zip me into an anti-gravity treadmill. Oxygen puffs the rubber and carries about twenty-five percent of my weight for me as I walk. It’s funky as hell, but for now it enables me to take long, strong strides. Soon, this too will be in my past. I keep this in mind as I walk toward the river.
American Short Fiction, anti-gravity treadmill, Missouri Review, new orleans, recovering from hip surgery, revising short stories, Submitting to literary journals, walking after hip surgery
Jenks McCrory
Keep aiming for that river. Hope it will soon aim you north to Memphis.
Ellen Morris Prewitt
Thanks, Jenks. One day, I’d love to ride the riverboat between the two cities. It’s grossly expensive, but how much fun it would be. 🙂
Joe Hawes
I love the imagery about ovens & embers juxtaposed with the river. Even if you say you are underwater your mind is still working & very well tool
Ellen Morris Prewitt
The river is beautiful here, Joe–so much said about the city, sometimes the river seems to get lost.
Luanne
You will get past this period, but your body is working so hard at renewing itself that you need to focus on the more passive activities right now. Don’t stress yourself over it.
Ellen Morris Prewitt
Thanks, Luanne. Others who have undergone surgery are saying the same thing so I need to pay attention (this is only the 2nd time I’ve blogged since the surgery!)
Joanne Corey
You have come a long way already! I know the pace is difficult to accept, but all that needs to be done will happen, given enough time.
Ellen Morris Prewitt
Time is the issue, right? I’m not in control of it right now — what needs to unfurl will unfurl as it needs to unfurl, as you say. Thanks for the insight.
Erin
I agree with Joe: gorgeous imagery in your posting, and I’m sure the short stories you revised contain the same. Congratulations on the requests from Missouri Review and American Short Fiction! Baby steps now, but before you know it, you’ll be taking longer and longer strides (and not just in PT).
Ellen Morris Prewitt
Thanks, Erin. I’ve enjoyed getting back into the short stories. I read a couple of them, ones I hadn’t looked at in forever, and thought, hunh — that’s pretty good, you need to do something with that. Funny how our own writing can come to us anew, isn’t it?
menomama3
Intensely relieved to hear from you but concerned that you take the time you need to heal and come back a-roarin’!
Ellen Morris Prewitt
I had the Stomach Virus from Hell for 5 (!) days, which set me back a bit. But I’m face (and feet) forward now. Thanks for your concern – I’ve been getting a lot of advice to nap, something I’m really good at 🙂