Phyllis’s Reviews > Love Medicine > Status Update

I clawed his smooth back for a handhold and finally perched, or so it seemed, on the rim of his heavy belt. ... Pedestrians swiveled to catch a glimpse of us—a mountain tearing by balanced on a toy, and clinging to the sheer northwest face, a scrawny half-breed howling something that Dopplered across the bridge and faded out, finally, in the parking lot of Saint Adalbert's Hospital.

Not only did Gerry's friends lack all forms of identification except their band cards, not only did they disappear out of no malice but simply because Gerry was tried during powwow time...

Marie:
I would visit Leopolda not just to see her but to let her see me. I would let her see I had not been living on wafers of God's flesh but the fruit of a man. Long ago she had tried for my devotion. Now I'd let her see where my devotion had gone and where it had got me. For by now I was solid class. Nector was tribal chairman. My children were well behaved, and they were educated too.

He watched without moving, so finally I got up and stood over Moses. My shadow spread, a cool place in the radiance that heated the ground. My shade was pleasant at first, but I stood there so long that he finally shivered in the dark shape I cast.

Where they have the convent is on top of the highest hill, so that from its windows the Sisters can be looking into the marrow of the town. Recently a windbreak was planted before the bar "for the purposes of tornado insurance." Don't tell me that. That poplar stand was put up to hide the drinkers…served into the beast of their burden…crawl out the bar door, pulling a weight they can't move past the poplars.