‘The Cresta Part In the Scanlon scene, you fel and te the confusion and panic at you view the awful fruseaion of het liver through theirown eyes. You alko hear Bnbeth's agonized thre of euiide, But to elongate tenon and point of view, there can be a second or thin scenic “wis” ‘With the exertion of playing with her shoes, Debbie Rubin thas shilfally led the session without exhibiting a great deal ‘of emotion. She has been warm, stentve, and responsive, Even now, Rubin does not change her expression. She alas eye contact with the distraughe mother, Robin nos thar suicie bs not 2 new ida for Elizabeth, for she has previously adited to Dehlve that she considers death a viable option to living with Megusn, But this time, she has added another frightening wrinkle to her deceive "You would leave Tom and Doug with that leesey of sede?” Rain asks her "No, says Elizabeth calmly. “My new ide is that we ‘ll all three make the choice of going together.” Remember The creative nonfiction writer may not employ “tersry license™-che writer may noe ater truth to enhance the story oF the dramatic nareative. In other werds, writers cannot create conversations that did not happen-or even dramatically embellish upon those that did happen. Burin cresve nonfetion, the writer is encouraged tcapeure the drama and force of teal hf, in the most literary way possible “The creative nonfiction writer is encouraged to uli all che fer ary techniques avilable tothe ition weiter in order to render hie ot her true story as dramatic, appealing, and compelling as posible GOTKAD 4 PEECEE EEE eee eee eee eeeeeee eee Scenes: The Building Blocks of Creative Nonfiction 41 The Yellow Test Scenes (vignetes, episodes, slices of reality, and so forth are the bul ing Mocks of eeative nonfction-the primary factor aa separates and idfines literary anc/or creative nonfiction from traditional journalism and ordinary lifeless pause “The uninspived writer will wl eheeoeder about a subject, place of personae, but the creative nonfiesion writer will show that subject, lace, o personality i action, Before we discuss the actual coment ot Construction of scene, let me suggest hac you perform what I hike co call the yellow test Take a yellow highlighting marker and leaf dhroush some of your favorite magaines-Vanity Far, Esq, The New Yorker or the journal edi, Creative Nonficrio. Ot return to fvorte chapters in those ously mentioned books fas, The Briges of Madson Coury, Howe, This Boy's Life, The Rad Bade of Cowan ‘Highlight the scenes, jst ee scenes, long and shore. Then go back to the beginning and review your handiwork, Chances ae that anp Sshote from 75 pescent to 95 percene ofeach ess, sort story, or nove Telected wil be yellow. Taye ste obviously enastucted with scenes 28 are fils. Most poems are very scenic.‘Ther’ nothing fancy about a scene, by the way. A scene isa story, “The examples inthis book reall sceneein Gene Solotton's examin "ion room, on the Skyine Drive on the motores, inthe psjchintists sanctuary with the Seanlons-all scenes. Deva yellow txt with the Readings in the hick ofthis hook: scenes. As the Pulitzer Peiacwinning author David McCullough once sald: “Writing book is nt as compl coated as f¢scems i’ just a series of stories.” 42 Integrating Scenes ‘As reader, yout may not have noticed the proliferation of scenes until ‘now: Good writers understand tha eaft-the tchnigues hey employ rust remain ever eo sub, so thatthe wriing itself never ges in the ‘way ofthe story they re atempting co tel. Renders shonld not be ware of the fact that they ate reading scenes. The idea behind writing in scenes ia to make the prose flow ase dat sacs ave cneraneed, living the experience about which they ate reading Here's an example of 2 series of somes or stories knitted subtly together, butin a logical and chronological pater. Tey my “yellowing” technique, then count the actual scenes embedded in this one story ‘Orehopedis surgery isnot always the answer when horse loses its ailty to race at full spec eis wills gallop aeressively and win; in face, surgeons at New Bolton have developed a number of highly sophisioned diagnostic tools in order co understand the often subtle srl complicated reasons why horses experience difculty on the racetrack “The horse Eric Parente has been asked evalte isa ‘iter. This hoes goes like hell for fvesieths of the race and then, jst about the time the ownets ate counting their ‘money and computing thei profits, he slows down. Fatente, 4 32yearold veterinarian, a graduate of Cornell School of ‘Veterinary Medicine whose specialty is sports medicine, it muscular and well-built, wich thick brown hae Highly speckled with gray, a square jaw, and a row of perfect wee, ‘scons: The Bubing Soka af Crave Noneton Hise isa mess. Theta sve tes and rring hoc asd ude le desk cs wearing seb sow, se sock, Rukia ibe sre ith 9 New Baton elem one The sie snare wrinkled afer ong senile igh. ‘nce rece Patent os Ben foci is ane open the ary pb ing 0d wth Timers nthe hock whch sa como sent fens eke we ke man aS a sly toed ttc ee pbeme nen se. The dearer fewest more soe Ree thee no eng 1 Myre the er ac them a oe heh, Theta ora nore cree hes an eee® wl ve che Tey pean fea he lameness an ead he ua ‘As we walk from his office to the Jeffonds Treadmill pec Toe dacs sh se we a 84 Cfowlte trou tcyearall th row are an ae fit fot sexe ts clo dun at ee ome eh the Fost at wie he dle Barc tn ped Frebary xminon ls el ut ve proens fiche amen rete must inf he acon ning oe bron the hms shes, hh wb ee hehe Tier othe wall Fete ten age erpenes Sr wht ean Fe sw he snr tle hone and gees te ne an brea faa wt sundae a ln oes He ples Ho al nthe ban be olson hon he fore tts fe avy Inpro manne Porc kom hy ue she re smo nih Ne ouch, Pecedsersel hin pace nr pile wh he fone mou daring «ena emis. “HBL on, alow them omer tens. Bat red a 2 theme tne” be ay Hots, Parent explaThe Caan Part fs ie alms the co er foth-and an eres the mle. "So or portly land they ce wo hte don wh oun Bands in thi meat, your ge ll be ey them nth into ce, Asan nel megan ‘eterna en repos hon out te eo thei es een rare The if thy de tty sed Chomp down fl cn howe once te ey al be much more pain tom you, tn at way ou on examine oe se the mouth n ase sey en lip the tongue ako he kere othe mouth and congitsoureuniaton” Now Prete sly reps der he hase is it fone ta the eck an begin ond, The ne arg refs te the ry mal pa, wih he ety ict wo fest cont wih de hoe Lng oveing fee waged so heat a ste the ce st hling ian temp ox iret ee hone tos up and ln he ‘hing pc Bri sora he np oy “he ry ae Thi ne hey ep el de of an axle wih a op of cote ms end. The lop ted rind the hore’ ws and te nl is wie ul ee hae ug ae conte tale «wi, "Do ou vant met Ye De Pome” Afr the ging, the hose allowed Feame accustomed the renal by walking snd og tal nig tv is mse, Then he el wp ere {nd en the mated rb oor etal he eee pape reap. T sod ofc rnnig sce Cinta rm a cose “heeding condos AP seed 037 miles pe oie rnning sie ceed ‘ul sles dees, whch cs nina oma hand or dost pects, the animal baad op Scones The Bukdng Blocks of Greate Horifon to 200 to 240 heart beat per minute the heart rate at racing speed. In the process, sports medicine lniians compile an impressive broadside of tess, including ‘ordioazcula evaluation utilising 2 radio telemersic heart rmonitor. An endoscope, inserted ito ce horse's chroat thralgh a nostril, reveals the lary, viewed on a lange TV scsoen to detect regularities that may shed light on the “noisy breathing” ofa race, a sign ehee a hore’ airway is somehowe being restricted, ‘Other crucial measurements compiled while the hore is sunning indlude oxygen consumption, CO, and late acid production, espratory and upper aitay flow, blood and ‘enous pressures, Hood gases, glucose metabolism, and “oxygenation, These teasurements are fel inco three omnputers that are located in the agnostic laboratory adjacent to the treanll. In addition ro two stalls, the encerpiewe uf the bullding i « evelve windowed sted bpeaced by to magnificent arches that rise dramaislly eo the ceiing “Its kind of ke che Sistine Chapel," Parents sa “The treadmill, made by Walmanik International ‘Cocporation in Fecedom, PA, is fly enclosed by bullerprocf polearbonate in case a horse loses a shoe while galloping: Peshaps one thousand standandbred and ehoroughbred Thores have been evalsted on chis treadmill since the lgnoste center was opened in 1992. “L guess you coukl find out what's weong with this horse sooner oF Later by tril and error, but the jvestment in time and enensy might be prohibiive,” Parente sts, ‘Now the treadmill is actated, allowing the horse walk at fist lowly and then more briskly. Gradully, the Tvs is fe into @ slow and steady eo, lasting just few minutes, The pace is reduced, then once agin increased This tine the horse Is worked from a wall: to a 08 t0 0 ‘eantet. [eis amusing to cbverve he hore orient himself ro the tecadmill. The floor suddenly starts to move beneath arbin ut he armed to cre that he tight where they are. een The hese te ney othe moving red if sxempang wo catch the pond wth none es. Ac re hn std ft a hehe vo sel and need im th ye rope, Once a2 ri th oe rises Hi peo A ce of ops fn the ear wth 4 cp by ene ft aendsne tm hhim to resume his unhurried canter. es sali ee he en ial, over king the read ma der alltied drome AS the home's speed ise, Bones pons the ines infec verbo eto he cole ‘tor, ouerer and cian ale But beret he reaches his glepng Pak of pone the pac ene sd, he ove it deel A tue The hoe an th mesa es the wr pau, bu he te il be ar wo nl + hal rs fna and ah ne imense. Wi vain ene shows me tong ‘ing hares nema ich yt eae yee todos "Bee having the cpt to vide the Se th cits vet wlare imerve jee bot he ny Penta as making, Or the ver had to sit on @ rail an Hives as the forse pled Se jiing he rail gnosis and enfin andrei being bl wich as Beane a spec ines, aretha oe es ache 1 Metne speed sa. ook a the nenppesran ee fine me ig an ese he nes of te winger boc woke on Thats rest priyback.” a ‘Avaherpnbck soe hi ar A Ms eae A noun Pere’ ripen get dl of tie we cc wth foie ren pi by hs fe i, Prem chose veterinary medicine as a career and equine surgery asa spay, even ehough hve fas ally ever dn A hoese. Even noss sityeas out of veterinary school he fuspoets he has’ been in the se ten ines in his entire life His fhe is unconaforte leding& horse ou a Tesh, But Parente, his fate, bother er mater ate not the least bie uncomfortable buying and racing thotoughleed horses “The family started with a $5,000 cheap chimes and is row invoked in the upper echelon of horse racing known as “fakes racing! as owners of a twoyeacctl thoroughtred whose grandfather isthe fed triplecrown winner, Seale Slew. Their thoroughbreds father is named Houstoa, and Parent's fther's nickname fo his fvorite great aune was Zia Thus, thei horse aoguised his name, Tex Zi Slew Parente, who is engaged to an equine veterinarian he eet at ‘Coenll is hap with his work and his life “The horses are aleces. Ara the challenge i oth phycieal and intellect You ey to finesse rather than overpower the animal. To me, that’s what racing and eran is all shou” Soon the qiter i Leought back onto the veal. The ‘eastlate in front of the hore is temored, Beene the rant has found cat when horses begin so flout gallon, they sometimes get so carted any that they wane to EY £0 jump over it Now everyone guhers around, positioning themselves i front of x monitor Then an attendant steps forward, placing the twiteh on the horse, as Parente inserts the endascape tube into the hore’ nostril forthe videotape cl che throat. Now the witch is removed. The treadmill Cdevation is increased ther degrees, The horse walks, tots, fanters-and then explodes into a sustained gallop "Against the black tread ofthe floor, the bros hooves arc lot in the bhie of is gale all we can sce after awhile fs the flash of single white hoof. His mane és bouncing Saint his neck, The thundering und is deafening. The thor hegins to snort. He is being lapped om the ure with 4 crop ftom both sie nos His body & strained, Hisrte sing. os atl ne wh fremont. Aelia lng eu um fr on ni ee or ein vist Fom Oh Sete Unies tales ty Hag? Someone debs nl aot Tha igi epee amigo sone Salty tthe oon mat ometing pps tube mesa of troy int boos se ca Did helse momen? Di ht sls ta pl cy, Jn fact quie’ He is slapped several more times with the ce br clea sting wan at sce The cal sows dove aly. The es over The si fe Oh en ety En Tete ef the vote, revi i an le etek" te pon The base Grane he ple, wth ls up eur he pee tnd paral ers brah -Lie thes Petes, rring up he vlume “Het Ha ha fa Hi airy cles dwn on hi om tne oe nd he's sraaing, can expe fly. and sce hrc pe fly he abo ent pet fesh fl rae oar So ion ts ae haha Bree te Altay ben tie sa heron te tape? Pree ‘concludes. _ eee 1s nc beating the same a “rong? ‘oes hee, “ca open he rol all he way bros fie: Whe hore ong alle eh ‘nye sald rain cone ope Aes ll ear when one alse and st down? Te aye ae xe tne the he ath i, the way he sng or to cowboy aon ae when see eres ce tm A Couple diferent pocedures nase ep thc he wearing hoe. Orw lap th inves gtk te yd So ha te rae oe chords emoted fm the sry, Sorts meine gee Scenes The Bulking Blocks of Craalve Noneton se New lon wl erm so 100 of eee proces 9 7 ‘Officially, the quitter’s diagnosis is dorsal displacement of the nt pute. foal pln in the thon ‘coped os sora pete, ich mess ht my Be more fiat el Tne wl Kage « moe proline hata ee horned Dy vets ean Fede sngers: For dren wl agen, who cat trast cumgh vibrant wea con ak tow gud “eflte mater intn oner he pute Sear usu someting te From ef he palo the woo ied rte prose roves euing un wa ong eel, gens net the Felon sti way rch tc oth fcr ho a andr tron *We do ih on icon scsi he Irs You vice ah he pci ea he CR uh Wee fd ceo acess wth is proce for hrc who dpe” Prete conde, “Te roy be the oly bln, pr Thue he owner aging iets "Wly does is fore i How many of thove crucat building Blocks called "scenes" come coxgther t be integrted into one overall story? Again, much depends fon how you define or isolate the scene, but here's » pretty safe break down, beginning with te statement the problem the home tsa quite From Parone’ office (1) so grinding the qite’s shoes and “ewitching {Qh checking out the treadmill 3}; acevacing creadnil—finst sun ( second un (3 wld gallop ad then the horse suey cits); Pent’ Aliggosies Whi ehis horse quis Terform the yellow teston the essays in the Reais sétion- Count the scenes-you'l be surprised at how many you diserver. Thee ate more han a dozen in Dead Morrill’ “TGive Up Smiling” in avoyase that takes the reader workdwie, while Margarer Gibson is ually seen although ber story takes place mostly i ural Virgina, In fc, while “you are reading and counting, lock out the dialogue and description in onler to see how scenes are constructed and how, once those seencs are inact, they are integra into a anger story 43° Leads ‘Thrust the Reader into the Essay Elem ry inate ce. We dn cae We don go w 4 move thet anymore sro cle acepleand he teen dee eee fms fom wich chose the Iie an ee tut andtoureice we how th lene Aceh alee or banal o mnonens sain sterimenoed eee tenth smprton they areas eel ie ioe ofthe eo ha ites mengr hee en aa ‘whenever pose to cth the tention othe ade ond eon the ele Bat ou be we he saneting Sigs meta ate cru deg ce hi er ers ag Dene the fs few words. The eeade wil ea a parserappetape to cheng whet ie decisin il ele nee, ‘Therederl Wnt eo orci thee fick eee indtssabce? Ar lingo deme 30 mone ct eat reek ne swear nal At one i a en rade omatincrkenjoutthenntinee Gd nee lew de Testor anrsimae sh impr oft few paragraphs ina ey. They mus be cata cnplg so Shanty commana eng ele mee ea theca arate ule mingtiem abutters ing. Thess to patentee ier oc eee denen be ir wage of The Gara n Wate fon Retin ‘This was supposed co be the weekend 1 put my gutden to bed for wintertime to clip the lle sucers, mulch some perennials and euck in afew het bulbs-bue instead Tm on a train to Philadelphia to say goodbye ta frend who is Aying. [had planned for yy hands ro be happy immersed Jin dir, bt then [got the call asking, “Wall you come hold ‘ny hand?” She never asked me to hold her hand before. a thinking about her, and my gonfen, ad suddenly Im reconfirming my resolve to speclalie in perenial, plants thot only pretend to de. They surprise you eal spring with ‘resurrection you never really expect bu chen there ii “The rium in this ead stat is dramatic and suspensefal Who Is this fiend and why is she dying? Wil the nacratce make ito Pile delphion ine). We know mskanecusly thatthe fiend and the garden are metapherie: The theme is nat sub; istrtes home. This lea also contains dialogue and a bit of descripcion. Ally al, this 1 a stall package—with a big impact. The fst chapter of Stuck i Time: The Taz tly of Childhood Mental Hines accomplishes che sume objective for 2 Dooelength werk: ‘When I drove up to the house, Daniel vas walking towerd ime. got out of the car and waited for him to approsch ven though be wived and Flashed a quick smile, he seemed ‘gin and befuddled. "What’> wrong, Dan! He shrugged aad shook his head ae we walled up the stops toward the porch. "Nothing's wrong,” he sid. Buc his fepee were darting erratically from side tse Daniel had been working periodically that summer ata estat property | owned, cleaning oat the basement, 2 thy job that he savored. Nothing made Daniel happier chan setting dirty, especially with a bunch of jun A pack 1 ‘Daniel had always rummaged hough era, escuing sn tray of mechanical objecty-tmanual typewriters, speedometer, radios, lamps, rusty tools, ol) motors. Keys of ny size, shape, or condition were hit special pasion, and locks, whether or net they eorseaponded to the keys Sometimes he managed to clean or fix a derelict item of junk and sll ata Sanday flea marker, bat usually Danie 43was more interested in contemplating these items inthe ‘estonable safery of his room, Daniel is short and broad, part mail from his recent forays nto weigh iting and pare pauinch From overeating le was not unusual for him to devour a large piesa with ‘sousags, mushroom, and pepperoni=oar traditional Saturday afternoon snack-ollowed by afew hor susage hongies for dinner. Over the pus few years, he had changed a good cal physically when he was teh, he weighed 99 pounds, a frail and exceedingly delicate Feather ofa bes, now. stl very short, he could more aptly be deserbed as 3 firephe, We stopped atthe op of the sep, and 1 put my hands fom his shoulders. Rffling his curly oie with my band, | joked shout how dty he wa and made a crack abu is feats, which ate unusually small. Tcoald almost always get fhim to laugh by invoking his eats or by pointing out that he es most handsome on Halloween when he wore a mask Buc this time he did not fh or protest; he was so somber at 1 pulled him down on the stoop and Inked him straight in the eye. "C'mon Dan, something's wronie what’ sing on? Although F could sce ic coming, was sorprised at the power of hit emotions. A mask of fear aalenly exploded ‘onto his face, and he began co whine like a small, frightened ill. "Ob, I'm scared. He's going to kill me” His eyes darted eras, and he tried to stand up and ran, bur held onto him. “I won't lee anyone hurt pou.” ‘Tears were streaming down his face, which were buried in my ches. “A man molested me" He reached down and ‘began squeesing his buttocks. °Oh, it hurt,” he wailed. "i Funes had back here.” Another way of enticing a reader i to start with a scene designed for dramatic impact as in Margaret Gibson's mention of Boston Blackie fn “Thou Shale No Kill” in the Readings section, Blackie on TV estas lishes a mood, but the fase real scene, a east ast rlates to the story being tld i when Edwin kills a chicken. Boh metheals can adda work. Theobjecve isto start storyand Jnecoduve the main characters and the conflict in whieh they ate in solv or he problem thatconfrontsthem-in an sctiororiened manoet In this mannesa good lead manipulates and compels the reader to read faster. 4.4 Reading with a Double Perspective "This might be the time to point ou che difference berween reading 2s avreader and reading 28a writer ‘Az wits, we mustleaen t read the products we price through the cys ofthe people we are eying to reach, This is how edicas choose the eesaye articles or books they deve ws pblish. Tes noel what they personaly lke eo red that courts, although dhat isan important cron. What will appeal to their readers also mates. Ifyou were a buyer fora department sore, # manufscurer's repre sentative ight come to sce you with a sample case full of shoes. You ‘might be impressed with the stpleand qualiry ofthe product the sales person presents, but before you buy you ust he convinced that your ‘eutomer wil bs esuly impressed, so much so that they will bayenough ‘ofthe shoes to allow fr s healthy prefifor your company. Analogously, you must leara to analyze your essay through a readers eye. However, what we are doing in this book, move than anything els, is learning (0 examine our work with a writer’ eye to understand the ‘elements or the achitecture of erative nonfiction. Engineers fr in stance, will examine 2 bridge in two dsinctively ferent ways: Fis they will consider how it noks from the surface, othe people who will -walk or drive arose the bridge. The, their yes will di deeper, noting and evaluating che steuenral pattern and integrity of the edifice: Similan, she wsker should vinulzetheteucral elements of esa, ations chat led to dangerous conflc in cach of ther lives aml a tancously demonstrate gattyervanglements among thetn Most of the conflice has been resolved and the fin 3 vsaey ‘over when Jckson al Travolta decile to ends artowing ard ens ing day and wight with breskfist st x dinerthe same diner share the movie bog. They slide ino a booth ani place their ones fey iminates before the psychopathic couple tage their crazed and ering holdup, Th two men allow the robbery 19 eke place whl safe mring theses an the patrons and the story then progresses foewanl to 2 surprising and ionic point at which one of the two is shor and kale ‘What I have deseribed to you is the very basis plt outline ofthe fl hh erexive renfton, might mores he ery ‘The frame represents & way of ordering of contalling a writer's ‘narrative so that the elements ofhis bok, article oresay are presented in an interesting and ondeely fashion with an interlaced ttegrity from Deginning to end 5.2 The Chronological Story Some frames ste very complicated, as in Pulp ton, where Tatanting stalflly tangles and! manypulates time. Bot the mose basi frie is a simple beginningtoend chronology For example, Hoop Dnata dramatic documentary, begins with ‘wo African American teenage basketball stars who live ia ghetto and share a dream of stardom in the NBA. The film dramatically tracks both oftheir carers over the next sx years. The essays in she Reaings section also are chronologic ‘Can you find the frame or story structure inthe excerpts 0 far ‘eprinted inthis book? The story ofthe quitter horse on the treadmill sks toa very basic louseene chronology rom an introduction of Dr tent in his office, to the horse working out twice on the tread, 1 the final dingnosi~the resolution, ‘The Wendy Freeman disbudding scene is part of @ much longer «essay, butts also Framed ehronclogically. The essay begins when she Saves heros in che ely morning a0 ona eves hse De. Wendy Freeman, who is a Field Service veterinarian at New Bolion, the ural campus ofthe Univesity of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine, guns the ‘mobile clinic pickup track out of the parking lot and down the road, the oversiae tear tres siting grave ‘The disbuuing scene oceurs in the mille ofthe essay, wile tho essay ends when she returns t her office in the late afternoon to see a fina patient and to peeform 2 sul bur unavoidable euthanasia, ‘Wendy Freeman stoops on patch of gms acento the patking foc neat her office, eamining a brown Nubian pou inllted wich care kidney disease far coo expensive for its owner t alld to teat: The goats owner is 2 woman, swith whom she has worked for a half years who is sulering from an increasingly dsbibasing care of muliple sclerosis ‘The conversation is short and to the pun; the woman’ ceptions are significantly lined. “Oley” she says to the veterinarian, holding hor hand ikea rele pliceman, palm seightiorward, signalling STOP. “That's enough talk” Locking back, 1 realiee that rhe euchanasa bappened ‘quite qukly, bur athe time it ocrureed, the process seemed ‘gonisingly long. I watched ic in kind of a TOsecced delay, 1 ie was being played ack to me in slow mosion. Wendy Freeman takes outa catheter with a Tong tube filled with pink liquid (sodium phenokarical) and injects i iano the goat’ necle Fest blood epoeces onto the \eserinaian's band from che cathetr. Foran inetane, che Title gost seeos to simultaneously inflate iself-and momentarily treze-midair, Then comes a slen single shwdder that riples tke quit thunder chrough every dip sd gracafl curve of her dramatic and biblical body. Finally, the goa eaves in, collages on the grass with 2 suvfled vu [Now the woman eres, She sis on the ground and pets her wot, stroking the goa’ ears and lying each eas, ‘one ata time, back on top of the forehead, tears streaming down het wrinkled chocks. Froaman reaches down and tempts to close the goat's eyes with the palms of her bands. Bar the eet open back up again, contig «0 51‘Te Craabve Pat astert themselves, Those eyes ae ice blue. They lok tke Hiamonels or sained gas gnting in the sun, ont know if argone teased what has happened at that particular moment. Or why Freeman selected such a public place to perform such a private act. Many people seemed to be going aboue their day a i nothing had ‘hanged, a¢ far animal hn’t lve life and 2 woman, who herself is slowly dying, hadne lost frien. (On the other side of the grass, 4 stable hand loading » horse om a craft is talking loudly toa compenion. Maine ‘nance workers drive by, smiling and waving. Daphne, a high schoo! student who has been inerning with Freeman, has joined us fn our eight lide cicle of mourning. The goat cor tines to shudder and groan, the wornan stroking its eats. "Hit already dead," ehe woman say leah “Bren though he's making these noses, I knw they're ivoluntary He's not coming hack.” Soon the woman strugules to her fet, hokbles back 10 ‘the rood and climbs skakily into her pickup ervek, She starts the motor and drives away. f can see her satching us her tearview mirtor, Now Daphne, che veterinarian and ae standing alone on the gras, staring quietly dawn at the oat twas a nice goa,” Wendy Freman sys. “I wanted ‘o tell she woman, ‘Lees pur her i the hospital an pay the charges to fix her wp.” Ie would have cost $300, But T do too mich of thay {just di’t want to spend ap own money this ime.” 5.3 Manipulating Time A bic more complicated frame (but not as corwaluted ae Pulp Fcon) x Forrest Gump, which opens with Tom Hanks sting on a bsstop bench sluaring the dels of his life from birth wp eo thi moment with sy stranger willing to listen. Wher the viewer finally leans how Gurmp ‘ame to be siting on chs bench and where the bus wl ake him, hal the film ic over, The story continues chronelogially when Gump boards the bus. [As domonsteated in Pulp Fiction and Forest Gusnp, writers do not always frame in 2 strictly chronological sequence, My book, One Children’s Place, begins inthe eperating room ata children’s hospital, Fnroducing a surgeon, whose name is Mare Rowe, his severly hand ‘capped patient, Dunele, ae her mother. Debbie has dedicated every ‘waking moment to her daugheer Daniel, including to yea of erie spent inside the walls ofthis bospiea! with ather parents for al across the workd whose chikiren’s lives are too endangered t leave the cn fines ofthe hospital ‘As Danielle's surgery goes forward the reader tours the hosp in very intimate ways observing in the Emergency Room pirtcpating in hlicoprer rescue missions as pat of che emergency trams tea attending ethics meetings, well baby clinic, child abuse examinations ‘The reader is taken into every conceivable actviey st typical high acuity children’s hospital, learning from the inside our how such an Insuieution andthe people i services and supports function om an hoe bbphour basis. We even learn of Mare Rowe's guilty ennssence about thow he tas sighted his own wife and children aver the years so that be can care for oxher fais. The book ends when Danelle i release from the hospital I ded ‘ated wo years to researching and waiting this book, returning on & dayend night basis to Children’s Hospital inorder to vnderstand rhe Ihospital and the people who made ic special, burthe story in which i fs framed begins and ends ina few months. Many Sepless Nights, my book abour che wold of organ transplan tation, begins when ISyenrold Richie Becker secretly takes his fier’ sportscar on ajo ride. Three Blocks from his home, he weaps the cat around 1 tree and is subsequently declared brain dead at che local hos pital. Devastated by the experionee, bur hoping for some positive out ‘come to uch a sensees tragedy, Richie's father, Dick, donats his son's congans for eansplaneation “Then the story flushes back a falf century, detailing surgeons’ fre serempes a ransplantation art all the experimentation and controversy leading up tothe development and acceptance of transplant technics‘he Create Pact 1 introdce Winkle Fulh, a mother of fon, dying with an incurable bare cseave, and Rebecca Treat, rent highschool graduate with hepatitis, wha is in 9 coma and neo death Richie Becker's vers transplanted into Rebecca, and his hear and lungs are sewn into Mes. Full. The lat ecene of the backs dramatic ‘nd telling an inne the fame thc yes ltr, wher Winkle Falk travels to Charlote, North Caralina, eo perronally thank Richie's thee for his son's sit of ite Av the end of the evening, just as we were about eo say soadhye and return t the motel, Dick Becker stoed up in the center of the living room of his house, paused, and then walled slowly and hesitantly over toward Winkle Full, who had once stad alone at the precipice of deith. He exe himself down on his knees, took Winkle Falk by che shoulder, and simolranecusy drew ber closer, ashe leaned forwarc anc placed his ear genely but aly beeween her beets, aad chen ae ber back, Everyone in that room was suddenly and stenly breathless, watching as Dick Becker listened forthe ls ime to the absolutely astounding miracle of exgan transplantation: the heart and the log of his deal son Richie, beating faithfully and unceasingly inside this range’ wart an loving chest, 5.4 Circular Construction [Note the cicular way in which essays are constructed. Marg Sle Nights begins and ends with Richie Beckse; One Childe Pace begins and wads with ite Danielle; Suc Tine begins ac ens wieh Daniel, Even theessuy about the readmill begins with the conceptot the quitter (loose shar quis) and end with the repetition of the pease slong with the resolution of the problem (a partial answer to the omnes -aggingemestion: "Why does thishorse quit jae as Quentin Tarai chooses to begin and end (almoat) in a dine, ss 5.5 Finding a Frame Asin ay queso sbxr wing, hee i can cay ym exp few eo fnd a ry thor fanes yout narrate On the ste one tig ye Wel, jue he sey fom begining cna singe Chronclogy” That night be prety appropriates, Dui snot conde Forms Gun might i be neyo efsive ening with ik Wieden chron hse ye; vienna nested partially becouse rant okra hy ee te on he stop ben, tsin lp einstein ene, wether cope an the blu,» cole und ry ie Ba the ck tears mind xs a groingcuroty art how al when he dn teow wll in Ths gia eho spe vende hace sn chron onthe tee and mowefive te how dora wri ki when ney. ein hcl Fre Qt wy gene cc th Perea about i ie a a pl sports meine trom This woe th sh Bs nd oboe sing dg se ed tall dagouspoces “The bosons odie ame and wre inthe roe art itis bolnea plein sh try nech 2 mojo eon oe cone tx a erhtn eabor eo ke plore Bena le bef hat ie that yen ny work up oe Stan Fae ce oe tt the eee ston a pone the bs way ae real and cpl che rd Classic Prames and Essential Schedules younger brother Robert is involved in a rabbwey that goes sour, 5s