Pull Gently, Tear Here

Britta Santowski is a freelance writer in Victoria.

Pull Gently, Tear Here is a collection of 34 very short stories, ranging
from one sentence to a couple of pages. Leggat’s works offer small
observations with big implications. Some of her stories, as prescribed
by their short nature, present only a snapshot of time but provide an
abundance for contemplation. “Acrylic Dreams,” for instance, is, on
the surface, about painting fingernails and toenails. Underneath, the
notion of gender roles, and even more importantly, each gender’s
interpretation of the other’s roles, is blown wide open for
examination: “Since I’ve been painting my nails blue, I’m amazed
by what boys notice and what boys don’t. Like a girl’s incredible
personality, talent and beauty seem to go unnoticed by certain boys.”
Blue nails, however, never escape attention.

Other stories merely entertain. In “Forgive Me Someone for I Have
Sinned,” a motorcycle-riding grandmother leaves her third husband
after confessing her infidelities to a sleeping priest. “Fixed”
focuses on a server’s near-exuberance when a dining regular almost
orders something other than a clubhouse on brown with a glass of red
wine. With a collection this diverse, there are many hits and misses to
choose from. Leggat’s language is generally poetic and
thought-provoking, and she pays very close attention to small details.
Common themes include alcohol, bad boys, cigarettes, alcohol,
depression, breaking up, and alcohol.