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Marie Delaveaux Wilson
Anjuelle D. Floyd
Edward P. Jones’ short story, Marie, centers on eighty-six-year-old Marie DelaveauxWilson for whom the “…
 federal government…every now and again, as if in a whim…”
asks
“…her to come in so they can take another look at her 
…” (p. 229)At the Social Security office, and punctual for her eleven am appointment Marie waitsuntil one-thirty pm until before the receptionist states that Marie “…
would have to comeback another day…the woman who handle
[Marie’s]
case was not in…
” (p. 233)Quite bothered and understandably so, Marie asks the receptionist, “
Why have me wait here so long if she whatn't here
?” who says,“…
 I know. I know.”
Saying
…nothing more…
Marie leaves.” (p. 233)Two weeks later, and on time for an eight-thirty am appointment at the Social Securityoffice, Marie waits once more until near one-o-clock. Three times she inquires of thereceptionist, Vernelle Wise, if the man she was to see was in. Each time Vernelle answers,“
Yes
.”Marie has watched Vernelle make and receive various personal phone calls with topicsdiscussion ranging from a
Christian Dior jacket 
her significant other 
revered 
to her,Vernelle’s, attempts to
peek at the man’s
[her significant others’]
fingernails
.When she approaches Vernelle and reiterates how long she had been waiting Vernellesays, while “…
 pointing her fingernail 
… ‘
 I told you you’ll be waited on as soon as
12/04/2007(all excerpts taken from Edward P. Jones’
 Lost in the City
of 5
ISBN -00679258-x)
1
 
Marie Delaveaux Wilson
Anjuelle D. Floyd
 possible. It’s a busy day
…
 go back to your seat until we call your name
.’ Another secretary laughs. Marie extends her hand “…
across the desk 
and
with all her might  slapped Vernelle Wise
.” (p. 235)Marie
 fled 
home and for days afterwards she “…
ate very little and asked God to forgive her 
.” (p. 236)In the following days a young, male college student asks Marie to tell him of her life. Assured that he is not from the Social Security office and there to punish her—he isdoing a project for one of his classes—Marie tells of her life and the young man recordsit.Against the backdrop of the slow death of the boyfriend of Marie’s neighbor and friend,Wilamena, Marie continues speaking with the student as he records her words. When onone occasion the young man was about to play the “…
other side
…” of a tape of her stories, Marie “…
touched his hand 
…” and said, “
 No more
.” (p. 238)Late one night Wilamena asks Marie to come down to the apartment of her, Wilamena’s boyfriend’s and “
Sit with…”
her and the man, as he lay dying.“…[P]
ropped up in bed 
…” and in a semi-conscious state the man spoke of a time in hislife when he had been“…
married for a year to woman in Nicodemus, Kansas
.” The manand his wife had been “…
the only black people
…” in the town of Nicodemus. (p. 239)“‘
You should go to Nicodemus
,’ [the man]
 said …as if the town was only around the corner 
.”
12/04/2007(all excerpts taken from Edward P. Jones’
 Lost in the City
of 5
ISBN -00679258-x)
2
 
Marie Delaveaux Wilson
Anjuelle D. Floyd
The man died four-o-clock that morning.Marie receives another letter summoning her back to the Social Security office.She calls each day until the one prior to her appointment always seeking assurances thatif was safe to come in. With each call Marie hears the voice of Vernelle Wise, the womanshe had slapped. Marie wants to apologize.Thankful that Marie has told him of her life, George, the young man who had tapedMarie, presents her with copies of all the tapes he has made,
and 
a tape recorder on whichto play them.Marie listens to the tape entitled,
 Parents; Early Childhood 
.” The next morning she findsVernelle Wise’s name in the phone book and for evenings to come Marie dials Vernelle’snumber always hanging up before the third ring.One time “…
a little boy answered 
…” The sounds and words of children who fillVernelle’s harried life stream over the phone to Marie. Vernelle calls out to the children,and then to Marie when she answers the phone and says, “…
 I’m sorry… Who is this
?” (p.242)Marie listens to a tape of her speaking about her life then places“…
the tapes in two plastic bags and put them in a dresser drawer with all that was valuable to her— documents certifying her birth, the deaths of other, some silver dollars, insurance policies, photos…”
(p. 243)
12/04/2007(all excerpts taken from Edward P. Jones’
 Lost in the City
of 5
ISBN -00679258-x)
3
of 00

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