We meet weekly to discuss one or two short stories from the science fiction genre, exploring and responding to the ideas found in the story. The stories we read are literary, contemporary, and short.
This week's reading is:
"Fragments of a Painted Eggshell" by Alexander Jablokov
(first appeared in Asimov's, 1995)
http://www.ajablokov.com/fragments-of-a-painted-eggshel/
In this story, memories can easily be rewritten--it is a widely available service. The story revolves around Paula, whose ex-husband is trying to borrow some of her old memories for his new wife. She meets a memory technician who has gone rogue, practicing his craft as an art. In his words: "Regular people don't need memories that blaze like stained-glass windows. It just disturbs them."