Inside 'Quantum Physics,' Part 8

We continue today with the story behind the story on the eighth piece of short fiction from my upcoming collection, Quantum Physics and the Art of Departure. To read previous installments, go here.

SHE'S GONE

Backstory: Long after I wrote about Ross Newbry as an adult, I came back to him, this time as an adolescent. Since family relationships seem to be the vein of fiction that I most eagerly mine, I wanted to explore the question of how the reverberations of childhood can mark us and influence our actions as adults. The result was this piece of short fiction, set in the early '80s in Miles City, Montana. It's another father-son story — an area that has been well-trod in my first two novels — but this one tacks a much different course.

Here's an excerpt:

"That's not much of a story," the boy said, scooping the last bite of ice cream into his mouth.

"I just figured you'd want to hear it," Dwight said, a bit too quickly, and he winced as he realized that he'd let the boy know he'd been wounded.

"No, you said it was too good a story to waste," Ross said, staring at him. "It wasn't good at all. It sucked."

Dwight tugged at the napkin on the table, straightening it.

"What are you so angry about, Ross?"

"I'm not angry. I'm really glad you and Mom had a great day. That's so awesome. Didn't really stop you from leaving us, though, did it? You're here, she's at home, she doesn't want me, I'm here, I don't want to be with you. It really worked out for me, didn't it?"

Dwight clasped his hands in front of him. "Ross—"

"Shut up."

"Listen—"

"Shut up."

"Ross, about me and your momma—"

"Shut up!" The boy threw back his chair, crashing it against the stained-wood wall of Dwight's trailer. He ran to his room, shaking the doublewide again with a slammed door.

For a long time, Dwight stared into his bowl, waiting for his heart to thump with less urgency. When he finally scooped out some of the melted vanilla, the sound of his spoon clinking against the bowl reverberated in a house that had gone silent.

(Copyright © 2012 Craig Lancaster)

Trivia: Jim Quillen, the violent father at the center of my novel The Summer Son, is in the heart of this story, too. It's a few years on from the breach between Jim and the narrator of the novel, his son Mitch. Jim's appearance was in no way planned, but I have to say, he fit perfectly into this story, and it was good to see him again.

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Quantum Physics and the Art of Departure will be officially released on Dec. 6, 2011. Between now and Sept. 15, advance signed copies can be purchased here for only $10.50 (plus shipping). These copies will be sent out well ahead of the release date.