M.J. Cohen, "Outside Havana"

Wait, you’re leaving me? But, but, I just started making that corn chowder we bought.

(from The Rambler, Jan./Feb. 2006)

Sometimes a short story works when it’s really just a long joke. The details and and action and everything all lead up to the final moments wherein the punchline is delivered and everything falls into place. That’s the deal with this one, wherein the guy can’t understand why his wife left him. He mulls over the events surrounding her leaving, but all he can come up with are anecdotes about the making of corn chowder, and some things he knows about Hemingway. The guy has nothing much to say about the pre-corn chowder era of his marriage, so you know something’s coming. A punchline.
Here‘s a link to The Rambler.

One thought on “M.J. Cohen, "Outside Havana"

  1. Anonymous

    i loved this story…how can i find the mj cohen story that was published by stannes press fall 2007?? gail temple

    Reply

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