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On a nice Spring day a stray dog sets in motion a series of unexpected events when he digs up and runs off with the forearm of Mr. Liu, a resident of the village’s old cemetery. In his pursuit of the purloined appendage, something he is too attached to (or was until recently) to easily part with, he brings the dead in contact with the living in a manner that is far too familiar and discomforting for those still imbued with their mortal coil. As the villagers and the deceased meet to come to terms that will return the dead to their proper place, events unfold that demonstrate that a lot can be learned from those who have gone before.
That was my synopsis of this delightful story, the first in author Carrie Cuinn’s new short story collection Women and Other Constructs, when I reviewed the collection for SF Signal a few weeks ago. This story has taken up residence in my mind over the past two weeks, chasing away (to some degree) awareness of the summer heat and stirring up feelings of autumn days and the kind of reading inspired by that season. I had originally planned to wait until September/October during the autumn-themed R.I.P. Challenge, but I simply cannot do so. I had to share this story now. The story in its delightful entirety can be found here for your reading pleasure.
The format of these longer, single-story posts is always a rambling discussion of what I see in the story and how I experienced it. I am by no means an expert and do not intend this to be taken as if I am assuming the stance of one. I am a fan of short stories, and those that capture my imagination and won’t let go need to be discussed in further detail than to simply say, “I like this.” I hope you’ll take a moment to read this story and come share your experiences with it. They will be uniquely your own and I look forward to reading about them.
Here is your usual “last chance” warning: There Be Spoilers Ahead.
Continue reading Mrs. Henderson’s Cemetery Dance ~Carrie Cuinn
