* A Note About this Series: I have quite the backlog of literary journals and small press publications stashed on my “favorites” bookshelf in some sort of order I can no longer make sense of. Some of these books have been there for over a year now. I need to read them. I need to read them so badly it makes me nervous to look at them. There is more than an ounce of guilt attached to many of these books and journals, but I must proceed on the notion of better late than never. So, I’ve been taking one at a time and placing it on my desk next to me, to make the entire process easier. Last week, the fall 2007 issue of Cream City Review–a journal I even have a story in, but haven’t opened—ended up in the “read now” position. First up was an interview with Stefanie Bedford, followed by her essay “The Luckiest People in the World.” Stefanie’s voice and striking honesty blew me away, and reading her work inspired me to start highlighting exceptional stories and essays from “the archives.”

“The Luckiest People in the World”

Stefanie Bedford’s essay “The Luckiest People in the World” is an arresting look into the author’s relationship with her younger sister—her much younger sister whose past includes self mutilation and whose present revolves around drinking, heavily. Stefanie herself plays the role of rational, dependable mother, daughter, sister, and wife, and yet she finds herself increasingly dependent on her recently arrested for DUI sister for companionship and fulfillment. Stefanie disapproves of her sister’s behavior, and yet her dependency renders her unable to take action.

“As appalled as I am by Anna’s DUI, I can’t bring myself to say anything critical to her. My standard line on this topic is that we should be supportive of Anna; after all, the State will be punishing her enough for her transgression to teach her the lesson she needs to learn. Really, though, I keep my mouth shut because I am a coward, preferring to avoid confrontation at all costs in this, as in everything. I want to stay on Anna’s good side because I can already see how this situation will play out to my benefit several moves ahead…”

Later, Stefanie confesses…

“I love my sister’s DUI. Over the course of her six-month suspension, we become closer than we’ve ever been, spend more time together than we have in years…”

and likens herself to a predatory spider trying to ensnare.

It’s not your typical older, wiser sister relationship, and Stefanie’s voice, and her ability to recognize her own self-deprecating tendencies, gives the essay a brutal, yet riveting quality.

Purchase the Fall 2007 issue of Cream City Review.

Yeah, I know, you can’t click a button and read the essay online. But if you have an extra $7, order the issue of Cream City Review that the essay appears in. Benjamin Percy and Yannick Murphy have stories in it, and there is poetry by Arielle Greenberg, if you’re afraid of forking over $7 to read an essay. But truthfully, Stefanie’s piece was my favorite.

Fall 2007/ Volume 31, Number 2/ Theme: Siblinghood

Cost $7