At the Wrong Time, to the Wrong People by Cara Blue Adams
Here is a very interesting issue. Clearly, right from the beginning we have the problem: her dog is going to die. There is some uncertainty about how much longer she’ll keep things the way they are, but for the most part, we know from the beginning exactly how this story is going to end. She is going to lose her dog. That is what the story is about, and that is what is going to happen. No question.
But, at least for me, that didn’t do anything at all to stop this from being an excellent short story. Because it was so clearly obvious right from the get-go, we’re free to focus on other aspects of the story, and so long as they are themselves engaging, then your story isn’t hurt at all. That’s what Adams did here. We’re shown a relationship and given a very unique (and very sad) opportunity to gain deep insight into this relationship, and through that, the character herself and all her other relationships. It’s like Adams tried to tell us as much as she possibly could about a woman by only relating one short episode in her life.
I think she did a really good job.
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