This story was originally published in Day One, a weekly literary journal dedicated to short fiction and poetry from emerging writers.
For years he's been drifting from restaurant to restaurant as back-of-house staff, so he has few ties to cut when his grandfather calls to ask him to come home. It's time to care for the man who raised him - and to be a witness to his death.
One e-mail later, the solitary young man has a new job in his hometown, working in the steak house at the local casino. The reality of his life before soon fades, overshadowed by the new daily grind: navigating the kitchen hierarchy, gutting trout after trout, seeing a shocking amount of food go to waste. Though he hates his gig, his homecoming will give him a chance to learn more about his dying grandfather and reflect on the unexpected turns his path has taken.
Genre: Literary Fiction
For years he's been drifting from restaurant to restaurant as back-of-house staff, so he has few ties to cut when his grandfather calls to ask him to come home. It's time to care for the man who raised him - and to be a witness to his death.
One e-mail later, the solitary young man has a new job in his hometown, working in the steak house at the local casino. The reality of his life before soon fades, overshadowed by the new daily grind: navigating the kitchen hierarchy, gutting trout after trout, seeing a shocking amount of food go to waste. Though he hates his gig, his homecoming will give him a chance to learn more about his dying grandfather and reflect on the unexpected turns his path has taken.
Genre: Literary Fiction
Used availability for Joshua Mattson's Providence