This morning I finished reading Margaret Atwood's story "Torching the Dusties" while drinking my coffee in bed with my best ever old dog cuddled up beside me. What an unbelievably powerful story she writes and this one was too too close to possible to be comfortable. Blended with my memories that are still fresh of my Father being in a Rest Home and supporting my dog in her decline I connected so strongly to this story it was like a body blow. Youth setting fire to Rest Homes to make way for their lives by removing the "dusties" who are absorbing the life space they want. Such an inditement on the culture of youth. Atwood has the female character ponder the fact that she had always thought that as you aged you would transcend the body but that is in fact the opposite to what eventuates. So much insight, so much contemplation of extended old age. Powerful work. This is contained in the nine tale collection called Stone Mattress.
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