The Pinch of the Crab
A small boy feels sad and bewildered when the tiny crab he befriended on the beach pinches him, and his confusion deepens after witnessing the violent arrest of a teenager. A mother is awakened in the middle of the night by a phone call from her son who has been jailed for possession of marijuana. A young girl begs her father not to leave after a huge earthquake shakes their home. When her estranged husband comes to return their pet Golden Retriever, a woman hesitates before opening the door. A man tells his wife that he has given large sums to a high official in the government department that awarded his firm a contract, but not to worry, he’s doing everything by the book. A journalist investigating the murder of a pro-independence leader suspects that the CIA is after him. An Amerian exchange student’s announcement of her engagement to a young Puerto Rican who shares her passion for magic realism provokes the revelation of devastating truths about her beloved father.
Why did I write these stories?
During the long aftermath of Hurricane Maria, when vistas of lush green foliage and colorful blossoms had been replaced by scenes of fallen branches and dangling electric cables, I felt as disoriented as the little boy bitten by a crab. It was then that the idea of a collection of stories exploring personal responses to the crises of island life took shape.
What readers say about The Pinch of the Crab...
“In these stories, universal themes in literature grip readers like a vise. The author depicts the external calamities of the Tropics in an uneasy alliance with internal worlds struggling to make sense of life. Reader beware: these characters will trigger emotions in you so complex you didn’t know you were capable of experiencing them.”
María Soledad Rodríguez, English Department, University of Puerto Rico
“The Pinch of the Crab brings together intergenerational and intercultural conflict in a world of unknowns, deception, and loyalty. If anyone wants to catch a glimpse at the complexity of living in Puerto Rico after hurricanes and human-fabricated disasters, these stories are a must read. They take you through family friction and unconditional love, and the greatest betrayal with the gentleness of oregano brujo leaves.”
Yolanda Rivera Castillo, author of Emergencia de la luz and Baladas de Tentación y destierro
“The stories in this collection portray the many strains and pressures placed on family dynamics as they fragment and re-set in new circumstances. Partners struggle with differing conceptions of gender roles and conflicting ideals in our rapidly changing society. Parents facing conflicts in their own lives struggle to guide their children. The isolating effects of inner turmoil are explored, as well as the heightened sensitivity to the feeling of hurt that unleashes rage. The reader is mesmerized as seemingly ordinary and casual interactions escalate into psychological and physical violence.”
Carol M. Romey, psychologist