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Adultery, extortion, love and paranoia abound in this wonderful,
poignant novel about a group of antique dealers on Worth Row in Fort Worth, Texas, whose
lives have been intertwined for over thirty years.
The entire book takes
place in the course of just one day, yet we get to know the characters intimately and all
the secrets they harbor as circumstances and the forces of nature come together to change
their lives.
Nadine is a vintage clothing dealer immersed in memory of
her dear Momma who, unbeknownst to Nadine, left quite a legacy on the Row. Carl, a
cabinetmaker, is in love with Nadine and wants to carry her off to sail the Caribbean in
a boat he built by taking apart his house. Arlen and Louise Postlethwaite spend lunch
breaks from their art deco shop on a bench outside the photo-processing booth at the mall
and speculate on other peoples’ lives as the photographs fall from the
developer.
Howard Dog-In-His-Path deals in plumbing fixtures and reflects
on his life to the kind and somewhat simple clock-and-radio fixer, Mose, as they lie in
old bathtubs in Howard’s front yard.
Mr. Haygood, a buffoon who deals in
collectable toys
and his timid wife, interact with Mazelle, a rare book dealer and
Mazelle’s husband, and make for a riotous love square.
Tradio, who hosts
a call-in radio show for people who want to buy, sell or trade items, and his “man
friend” Arthur are a gay couple struggling with their relationship: one’s out of the
closet, the other has one foot out but he’s trying.
The eagle-eyed Effie
deals in “better things” and keeps tabs on the neighborhood by jotting down
minute-by-minute accounts in her journal. Verna lies dying on her kitchen floor amidst
broken porcelain figurines. Her only companions are her precious dogs, Dideebiteya and
Yeseedid.
Aura, who matches pieces of stray silverware, and her husband
Marshall are a young couple that constantly chew on bones and long to conceive a child.
Throughout, a dog known as Himself gives us a canine’s view of the
characters and their world. I found this book laugh-out-loud funny at times (not an easy
feat for me) and I didn’t want to put it down. The characters and their stories are
brought full-circle to a brilliant conclusion.
If you’re looking for a
fun, satisfying read, check out this book.
