Denis Johnson, "Emergency"


Two pill-popping hospital workers help a guy with a knife sticking out of his eye. Then they go for a drive.

(from Jesus’ Son)

Long time ago I saw the movie Jesus’ Son and knew I’d want to check out the stories it was based on. Then I forgot about it. Then this morning I got to this story in Alice LaPlante’s The Making of a Story, which I’m very slowly making my way through, and remembered how much I once wanted this collection. After work I bought it plus the latest issue of A Public Space.
Okay, so this story is beautiful. A crazy unreliable narrator ride, where you love the people but you can’t trust the people.
I’m not sure why, but it looks the New Yorker has a summary of this story on their site. It gives away everything, a swift shitty cliff notes version.

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