Short Story Noga Sklar
The framing problem
Noga Sklar
It’s a quiet, tranquil Wednesday morning in Greenville and I can hardly believe my eyes and brain as I go on reading an article about “misery in America” — “an America riddled with anxieties,” is the exact quote.
“Alan, why the heck is America so miserable right now? I don’t get it.”
He delays his response while writing a soothing answer to one of the promising builders we’ve been talking to, with whom we had been working almost full-time for over a month. We talked, we exchanged exciting ideas on our house project — which, after almost two years, for some mysterious reason, is still “in progress.” I was so carried away I almost considered him as a friend, when he took us on a short road trip to show us houses …show more content…
Another guy we consulted with went as far as to generously offer that we “give him the lot and the house” so he could “get a loan in our place.” He would transfer the property back to us in a couple of years, as soon as we were able to get proper credit, which I never said we weren’t. Bold. He reminded me of those desperate people I saw in a movie who would pay a hitman to kill them in order to free themselves and their family from unpayable debt. Not our case, fortunately.
As I’ve written a lot about politics lately — mostly American politics, a subject that don’t quite interests most of my readership, which is still in Brazil — a few friends have asked me to describe my daily experience as an immigrant in the U.S. Something, I should say, they would not really enjoy, since I’ve changed my views so radically since I moved here, to the point of supporting you-know-who for President of the United States.
“Thirty-two percent of Millennials are still living with their parents,” Alan says, as he watches TV in the other side of the
Noga Sklar
It’s a quiet, tranquil Wednesday morning in Greenville and I can hardly believe my eyes and brain as I go on reading an article about “misery in America” — “an America riddled with anxieties,” is the exact quote.
“Alan, why the heck is America so miserable right now? I don’t get it.”
He delays his response while writing a soothing answer to one of the promising builders we’ve been talking to, with whom we had been working almost full-time for over a month. We talked, we exchanged exciting ideas on our house project — which, after almost two years, for some mysterious reason, is still “in progress.” I was so carried away I almost considered him as a friend, when he took us on a short road trip to show us houses …show more content…
Another guy we consulted with went as far as to generously offer that we “give him the lot and the house” so he could “get a loan in our place.” He would transfer the property back to us in a couple of years, as soon as we were able to get proper credit, which I never said we weren’t. Bold. He reminded me of those desperate people I saw in a movie who would pay a hitman to kill them in order to free themselves and their family from unpayable debt. Not our case, fortunately.
As I’ve written a lot about politics lately — mostly American politics, a subject that don’t quite interests most of my readership, which is still in Brazil — a few friends have asked me to describe my daily experience as an immigrant in the U.S. Something, I should say, they would not really enjoy, since I’ve changed my views so radically since I moved here, to the point of supporting you-know-who for President of the United States.
“Thirty-two percent of Millennials are still living with their parents,” Alan says, as he watches TV in the other side of the