Bringing back memories...

When I first read the back cover of the Mercy Seat and discovered it was centered around September 11, 2001, my mind immediately shot back to that day.  8Th grade at St. Fidelis School in College Point, Queens.  Standing outside of school in the school yard that morning with the smell of a fire and just assuming it was from a small fire somewhere nearby; but then a few hours later being told by our teachers that the World Trade Center had been attacked.  After the initial shock of what we had all just been told set in they starting asking if any one's parents were firefighters or police officers or if they worked in Manhattan.  I saw many of my friends break down in tears when the principal came into class and asked them to come with him.  (Fortunately, none of their parents were killed that day.)  My mother works as a secretary in the school and her brother, my uncle was a firefighter for 23 years.  His firehouse was in midtown Manhattan on 51st street near Park Avenue.  My mother came up to my classroom and as soon as I saw her I feared the worst, but she told me not to worry and she was sure he was fine.  I spent the next few hours hoping she would be right.  My mother came down to the auditorium where we gathered for lunch and told me she had heard from him and he was fine.  It turns out that he and his truck, Engine 8, were designated to go to the United Nations in case of emergency situations such as this.  

Later that day my uncle came over to my house and I saw the stress and the pain in his face, a way I had never seen him in my life.  I have always been very close to my uncle.  He is probably the coolest person I know, one of the funniest, and he always used to come over and play sports with me and my brother and our friends.  He has always been a mix between an older brother and a second father.  And I think September 11, 2001 was the first time I hugged my uncle.  He didn't say anything to me, just came into our house and gave us all hugs.  I'll never forget that.  

The Mercy Seat takes on quite a different tone than the words you've just read.  I did enjoy reading it, which is surprising because I usually despise reading.  I found myself hating Abby because she seems like a typical woman who is always trying to make you "understand them" better because of course we never do.  For that reason I was very happy with the ending sequence when he called her to tell her its over.  Although it came off as cheesy and perhaps a little predictable, it was perfect.  Neil LaBute should be proud if he reads this blog because I am usually never satisfied by endings of books, movies, or anything.