If you haven’t read anything by David Foster Wallace before, this is a good story to start with. Known for his long, intricate passages including many seemingly inconsequential details, the story is a single paragraph of over 1,100 words. In one of a parent’s worst nightmares, a toddler is scalded by a fallen pot of boiling water. Its father reacts quickly, going through stages of calmness, anger and panic as he realizes he missed a crucial detail that may ruin the child’s future. Themes include parenthood, neglect, pain and suffering, blame, regret.
Original Text / PDF / Audio (1,150 words)