He decided to try the upstairs apartment. The owners, or whoever rented up there, might know where William was. He stepped onto the lawn and had another moment of panic, stood breathing and watching small birds in a large chestnut tree.
The front porch was spacious and clean, the paint recent. He walked up and pressed the doorbell and waited. A thin woman in her late sixties answered.
“Hello, Vin,” she said. “How can I help you?”
And so here it was again, a question, what are your intentions? What do you mean? And once again, Vin wasn’t sure. His mind was completely quiet. There were no words to borrow, no voices speaking through him. He could imagine responding in any number of ways and he tilted his head as he thought about the fact that he might not understand what she was asking, which could mean he was overthinking things.
He took a breath and glanced over his shoulder toward the green park across the street. He was an animal in a world somewhere, on a white porch, facing a similar creature. And she was waiting for him to say something. All of his questions remained and all of life lay before him. He answered.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
If this is being read, the odd experience of making Side Life is over, and what’s left is to thank many people, starting with Bruce Oberg and Annette Toutonghi, who made this book possible. It wouldn’t have happened without them and I’m profoundly grateful. Dasha Bertrand’s illustrations gave Nerdean’s elliptical presence a sensitive visual expression. Including illustrations was one of many excellent suggestions made by Mark Doten, who is brilliant and wonderful to work with. The whole team at Soho Press is absolutely the best. I want to thank them all, and especially Bronwen Hruska for taking another chance on my work. The interest and insight of my agent, David Forrer, helped prevent a collapse into an early draft. He also offered a box of chocolates when that was exactly what was called for. I’ll always be grateful to David Vann for his confidence in my work.
Seeing phrases like “sugar is the devil’s jerboa,” in my file of “ideas” is humbling. I’m grateful to Ruta Toutonghi (liels paldies, Ruta!), Judi Linn, Bob Shaw, John Shaw, Carolee Bull, Tom Fillingim, Gary Knopp, David Shettleroe, David Zitzewitz, Geoff Pfander, and Alec Leslie for reading and commenting on early drafts. K. M. Alexander offered many useful comments and helped me believe the story was worth reading. Pauls Toutonghi is an inspiration and a generous and thoughtful friend. Thanks to Aaron and Karen Davis, Anthony Hsu, Osnat Lustig, Hsu Hsun-Wei, and Gary Murray for help with specific questions.
Research for Side Life went in several directions. Edward Burtynsky’s breathtaking work, via the film Manufactured Landscapes, provided key details for Gao Cheng’s shot. William Manchester’s biography, Churchill’s writings, and correspondence between H. H. Asquith and Venetia Stanley influenced the Churchill shot. Books and films about Tobias Schneebaum, descriptions in Carl Hoffman’s Savage Harvest, The MET’s Rockefeller collection, and interviews on YouTube helped with Ban’s shot. Paul Nunez’s writings, among many on the brain and mind, were very helpful. Donald Hoffman’s ideas influenced revisions. Charles Johnston’s work and example inform the book throughout. Errant speculation is all mine.
The Danish movie Steppeulvene was one of many SIFF films that contributed. Several lectures at Seattle’s Town Hall were helpful. For years, you could purchase Faux Museum T-shirts from Tom Richards, proprietor of Portland’s authentic Faux Museum.
To Mason, Michael, Danny, Anna, Phineas, Beatrix and Angelina—apologies for what I participated in doing to our world. We all have to try harder. Thanks to Joe, Mike, Alyona, Gabrielle, and Mary Toutonghi, to John Greene and to Peyton Marshall for their support.
My wife, Monique Shaw, has been everything to me, including an honest critic, for close to three decades. She helped in many ways, large and small. We recently lost a family member, Steinbeck, a dear companion while I wrote, who died unaware that he’d contributed to the character of Sophie. We miss him.
Table of Contents
Part I
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
PART II
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Part III
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Part IV
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Part V
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Part VI
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Acknowledgments
Side Life Page 26