But on that spring day, as Papa crumpled up the newspaper and tossed it into the nearest fire, I could see that he was not interested in my playing around in his barn or sampling the latest batch of cereal. That day it seemed he had quite a few other things on his mind.
“Enough of that rotten ink,” he declared, rolling up his sleeves as he turned his focus toward me.
“Not going to let that poison stick. We Posts never stay down for long. We always get back up to go another round. Now, how are you, Budgie?” I squared my shoulders as I answered,
“I’m good, Papa.”
With Papa, there were only good days and great days. On bad days, he wanted to know how I aimed to turn things around to finish out with some good. He nodded, still eyeing me.
“Any trouble from those toughies by the lumberyard today?” he asked.
Papa’s seawater eyes searched my own as he asked it—he’d taught me boxing, sparring with me in our yard. I was to defend myself anytime the local crowd of bullies gave me, or anyone with me, a hard time walking home from school past the lumberyard.
“None,” I said, shaking my head decisively.
It was true; I hadn’t had trouble with them since I’d clocked the leader as he’d tried to taunt me earlier that school year.
“That’s a good girl,” Papa said, nodding once. “Like I said, we Posts don’t fall down just because someone shouts louder or hits first.”
From “The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post: a novel” by Allison Pataki
Allison Pataki demonstrates a clear and effective writing style that is suitable for her characters. While personal preferences may vary when it comes to literary works, it is important to recognize that novels often provide valuable insights into the world due to the meticulous efforts of authors. In this particular case, Pataki chooses a narrator to recount the life and contributions of Marjorie Post, a woman who held immense wealth and influence during the twentieth century in the United States. The excerpt showcases the influence of Marjorie’s determined and powerful father on her upbringing, emphasizing the teachings she received as a child.
“‘I’m not going to let that poison stick. We Posts never stay down for long. We always get back up to go another round. Now, how are you, Budgie?’ I squared my shoulders as I answered, ‘I’m good, Papa.’ With Papa, there were only good days and great days. On bad days, he wanted to know how I aimed to turn things around to finish out with some good.”
It is understandable that many readers may find it difficult to love Marjorie Post, as it may seem that everything she touches turns to gold. She possesses an abundance of luck we ordinary mortals rarely experience.
