Indulgence

by Susan Perabo

A mother-daughter short story about love and cigarettes.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

17 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Susan Perabo is the author of two novels, "The Fall of Lisa Bellow" and "The Broken Places," and two collections of short stories, "Why They Run the Way They Do" and "Who I Was Supposed to Be." Her fiction has been anthologized in "Best American Short Stories," "Pushcart Prize Stories," and "New Stories from the South," and has appeared in numerous magazines, including One Story, Glimmer Train, Story, The Iowa Review, The Missouri Review, and The Sun. She is Writer in Residence and Professor of Creative Writing at Dickinson College and on the faculty of the Queens University low-residency MFA program.

Reviews

[Janet Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bittersweet love story to cigarettes and motherhood. Lovely.

[Simon Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute and sentimental story about motherhood and daydreaming so vividly about someone you undeniably care about. The story took a sort of life of its own with the theme of cigarettes and the connection to the mother, making this feel almost like a short personal essay.

But it’s not, and it’s what makes this even more wondrous. The leniency of events and the constant confessions are emotional and I was able to feel a soft sympathy for these two characters. Overall, this was simple, calming, and well-written story.

[Laura Dzubay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just fantastic

[Catherine Mustread · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mother-daughter farewell party of sorts filled with regrets, memories, and indulgences. Listened to this on Selected Shorts.

(Family Matters): https://soundcloud.com/selectedshorts...

[Beth Browne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was by far my favorite of the stories I've read in the journal One Story. At once hilarious, horrifying and incredibly moving. The very best of what a short story can be. Kudos, Ms. Perabo!

[stephi smith]

Seriously one of the best short stories I've read. This story has stuck with me for a long time since I've read it -both because I love my mom with all my heart and because of the ending. I was reading a textbook that referenced it in terms of "surprise endings" that actually work and it's honestly some of the best writing. I'm word vomiting right now and I've had a bit too much coffee today, but I think about this story all the time. There's so much to it -the simplicity of watching OJ as a teen at home and smoking cigarettes with your mother that goes hand-in-hand with her allowing her daughter to stay home after the doctor's orders were to be sent back to school. The mother/daughter bond that goes beyond virtue and being "right" and allows the heart to heal when the bones are out of the cast.
"Indulge" has become my new favorite word.