Response to Patrick Padilla's "From Me For You"

Patrick -

Your short story is about a guy who is mourning alongside his cousin after the death of her husband on Thanksgiving day.

What I really love about your story is how you describe the Mexican/Spanish dishes being prepared for Thanksgiving.  I have never heard about a Thanksgiving without a Turkey and your descriptions really let me imagine the food and how it smelled.  Those details really characterized the narrator.  For example, I loved when he mentioned he ate the green chili because he was "too old for the mild now".  I also liked that you focused on a relationship with a cousin.  I think it is a really interesting dynamic.  Cousins can be wonderful and influential or you can be totally disconnected from them.

I wish I understood more about Isaiah's relationship with Debbie previous to Thanksgiving.  I think if you could include things about them growing up together or specific details that show how Debbie was an influence to Isaiah or maybe even how her husband, Albert, was important to him.  I'd like to be more comfortable with Isaiah's tears and his inability to keep down his food at the end of the story.  At one point you mention that she is the "cool" cousin and I'd like to understand why other than her smile and talent for dancing.  I feel like those don't have much to do with Isaiah unless he aspires to be like her.

I think you have a knack for interesting small details that can really paint a setting but it some places I feel like they are unattached.  For example, on page 2, first paragraph, it is about moving to Chicago and missing things about New Mexico.  While I like the details, the paragraph doesn't have anything to do with what come before or after it.  However, if the move has something significant to do with why Isaiah is connected with his cousin then include it and go into more detail or include a scene.  Also, the details about Albert seem like reminiscing that isn't connected to why Debbie or Isaiah are sad over his death.  The details about his jokes are comical but I don't know why they are included.  Maybe you can make them more significant through a scene or two.

I really did enjoy reading this!