LOST MEMORY OF SKIN

Russell Banks

Part three, chapters; nine, ten, eleven, twelve and thirteen

Holy kerumba! What is going on with this story? Chapter 13 ends with the Professor having another panic attack and leaving the rest home where his mom and dad are. Thought we were going to get to the heart of the matter.

I'm trying to figure out this Professor. In chapter 9 The Professor's Story According To The Professor he is not a pathological liar nor a schizophrenic. Has he over the years turned off his memory? And something about the walls that he has built up around him may be eroding.

Sounds like his parents were very much in love with each other. Did they share that love with their son? Did he feel the love?

Why did he drive all the way in a hurricane only to turn around right when he was at the threshold? He needed to know what the cops asked his father? Can he go back to Florida with out knowing?

Are the rest of you fine folks finished with the story?

Here is something in chapter 9 that may shed some light:

It's the solitude of a narcissist who fills the universe entirely, until there is no room left in it for anyone else. In every life he has led, every identity he has claimed for himself and revealed to others, his profound sense of isolation was then and is now his core.

I'm thinking that he may of felt isolated from his parents. And perhaps he is paying them back.

Dam if I know!

I'm not sure that the Prof. isn't a pathological liar. In earlier chapters he referred to his many lives, work and subterfuge. Perhaps his tendency to lie made him good at his former jobs; or the jobs taught him to lie.

I'm tending to agree with you Lindad

I think that the Professor may be a liar. He has all of these spy stories which are extremely rare, although I may be willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He is constantly afraid of his secrets getting out and it seems weird that there would be such an intense secret, that he would be afraid if some government agency has not already contacted him to question him.

I wonder as well if there may be some sort of mental or emotional disability for either the Professor or Kid. There also seems to be neglect for both Kid and the Professor with their parents. I think this is the way that they connect so well.

You may be on to something here. They seem to accept each other for what they are.