The Invisibles

Moriah Jovan wrote The unsung hero earlier this week.

And now one of those unsung heroes — the first wife of writer Raymond Carver — zoomed onto the Internet to Comment on a review of a biography of her husband.

I must quote:

I wish Brad Gooch would have to sell his home in order for his spouse to attend his last two treatment centers, and the treatment center before–three courses of treatment–all paid from house money, in order for his spouse’s life, and in my case’s, my spouse’s brilliant writing career, to both be saved. It might eliminate some of the facile, arrogant appraisals of other people’s efforts and lives. Added to that, he should have to find those treatment venues and stand in pay phones and beg for a bed for his spouse. Then he should have to transport the spouse there, and hold the spouse’s hand and dry the spouse’s tears until the spouse is stable enough to stay. “Then he should do without a home for many, many years after that first owned house was sold.

Then the illustrious Mr. Gooch ought to sit right down and write the equivalent of WILL YOU PLEASE BE QUIET, PLEASE, FURIOUS SEASONS, BEGINNERS/WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LOVE, CATHEDRAL, WHEN WATER COMES TOGETHER WITH OTHER WATER, WHERE I’M CALLING FROM, AND MORE.

I DOUBT, HOWEVER, THAT MR. GOOCH COULD OR WOULD DO THAT, AS MOST WANNABEES ARE INCAPABLE OF DOING WHAT THE OBJECT OF THEIR ANALYSIS DOES, WITH BOTH GREAT ARTISTRY AND BASIC, INBORN TALENT.

We see the starring artist. The supporting cast are always invisible.

— via Twitter from @DonLinn