Meet Bernadette and Moore Salmon, new parents who consider themselves first and foremost puppy parents to their dog, Thomas, rather than growing into their responsibility as human parents to the infant in this scene. In fact, Bernadette spends so much energy detaching herself from motherhood that she appears as a modern-day version of Bernice Pritchard from Steinbeck’s The Wayward Bus. Januszewski’s account of Bernadette’s visualization techniques to the point of obsession with none other than how the pet dog’s bandana looks are spot-on. Never for a moment does the reader lose interest in the story.
The narrative is ripe with juxtapositions in action as well as imagery. From an expectant mother who takes maternity leave not for the purpose of preparing for the baby, but rather, “spent most of her time at home working out new dog biscuit recipes,” to the extended family making plans for the new baby’s life, where, “[t]he baby would be raised Catholic, his room would have a dinosaur theme…” Near the end of the christening, we have the church pianist striking, “a series of bad notes before finding her way back to the melody,” which is coupled with a newly-christened infant in the arms of its mother, moving forward, “with her eyes half closed.” This is naturally the symbolic premise of the entire narrative.
Although the ending is predictable, this tale wags around full-circle such that the reader feels a sense of closure—at least as far as story structure. The characters resonate out into time and space as the audience perceives the gravity of the scenario. Januszewski has presented us with such a timely glimpse into what passes for adulthood (or “adulting” as some may say these days), the line that separates fiction from nonfiction is successfully blurred. This is the job of a fiction writer—well done, Cecilia Januszewski. I look forward to reading more of your work in the near future!
Wanna read this story for yourself? Find it here: Quibble May 2023
Source: Januszewski, Cecilia. “The Salmon Family Baptism.” QuibbleLit, May 12, 2023, https://www.quibblelit.com/the-salmon-family-baptism-by-cecilia-januszewski/.
Watch for more story reviews yet to come: Pauline Shen’s Blog
Cover Photo: Photo by Jonathan Borba on Pexels.com
Pauline Shen 