EXPECT SOME DELAYS

Gaye’s short story collection explores the lives of a range of aging characters.

In this set of tales, the author shows herself to be particularly attuned to the feelings of people in transience or a liminal state; in one case, a single character ages decades over the course of a single story. Indeed, it’s the aged that are her primary focus; as she states in her introduction, “This book is for older people, anyone who knows older people, or anyone who contemplates becoming older.” This also describes many of her characters, who reflect back on long lives and are often uncomfortable with the irrevocable changes that come with getting on in years. In the opening work, “To Clown or Not To Clown,” Jack Wilderis a washed-up thespian who “yearned to be an actor with gravitas, to be taken seriously,” but is unable to figure out his place in the industry. In “The Oasis,” a man starts to question his unrealized dreams as years pass by: “did his old plans fit into his future, or was he just muddling along with no real purpose?” Food columnist Robert Caruso in “The Critic” is also at a crossroads as his story opens: He writes an incredibly acerbic column, but his unpleasant manner has also led to divorce. Yet, as the story progresses, he attempts to live his life in a more compassionate way. Overall, this is a quiet book whose tales offer quiet revelations. It will no doubt appeal to readers who are in situations that are similar to those that the characters are facing—those who are reflecting on their own mortality, nursing regrets, and musing on their childhoods, adult accomplishments, and shortcomings. Gaye ably reveals her curiosity about what happens when people reach a point in their twilight years when they could continue on as they have been or attempt to make a change for the better and learn to overcome their limitations with time.

A low-key but relatable book about late-in-life change and the importance of connection.