The Collected Stories of Carol Shields by Carol Shields

Author:Carol Shields [Shields, Carol]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780679313267
Publisher: Vintage Canada
Published: 2003-01-01T16:00:00+00:00

Block Out

T H E W R I T E R M E E R S H A N K , vacationing in Portugal with his wife-cum-editor, Maybelle Spritz, became blocked.

The two of them spent their first morning there exploring the coastal city of Porto, which is an airy gemlike city that, as Maybelle complained, had been severely underrated—given one lousy star in the Michelin Guide, that was all. This was plain crazy, a single star for a dozen broad sun-splashed terraces, for countless baroque churches, for the elegant iron bridges, and the lazy smoky river lined with pungent fishing boats and dark bars. Ridiculous! She was indignant. She slapped the green guidebook hard against her long thigh.

Coming to Portugal had been her idea. She was the one who had thought of flight, of leaving the Ontario winter behind, who had persuaded and cajoled and weakened her husband, Meershank, and she was determined to unearth treasures for him hour by hour. Now this insult, this chintzy rating, a gorgeous city awarded one grudging star.

"And just listen," Maybelle said to Meershank, stopping in the middle of a steep, winding cobbled street to consult the despised guide. "We're supposed to cnote the gaily colored laundry flapping overhead.' Laundry! I ask you. Never mind this incredible architecture all around us, we're asked to gape at mended tablecloths and old underpants."

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