The Promise

by Damon Galgut

it’s mostly her husband who fails to deliver. Anton was once so charming and handsome and funny, everyone talked about what a fabulous future he had, but the only person who still believes that is Anton. All the big gassy bragging about what he’ll do one day with the farm/himself/his life, the money he’s going to make, who knows how because he’s never really working, just writing his novel, which nobody else is allowed to look at and maybe doesn’t exist, though you can hear him tap-tapping away

but even this event he can only view through his usual prism of narcissistic injury, i.e. his failed marriage.