The first time I read "A Dirty Job", by Christopher Moore, was after a much loved cousin committed suicide. The book was released at the same time and, after reading the backstory on why Chris wrote it, I took to it hungrily.
Both Chris and his wifey/girlfriend, Charlee, had lost their mothers and this book was Chris' look at death and all that surrounds it - the emotions, the acceptance, the funny and the weird.
Following my own mom's death last year and more recently, the death of my beloved Mr tee, I feel that this book will give me comfort yet again - through laughter and tears.
Come with me below the orange urn as I tell you about a different take of living - from the wonderful mind of Christopher Moore...
Perhaps sharing this will finally let me share tee with you down the road. Right now, I'm holding onto him (and all his doggie fur covering everything in the house) and can't open up there - so, with the help of Charlie Asher, his little girl Sophie, that tall guy in a mint green suit, let me dive right in and tell you about the lives of a beta male and the loss of his wonderful pregnant wife... and the story that follows along.
Charlie Asher is a beta male. He always expects the worst out of life. Even though he is married to the beautiful Rachel and they have just had their first child, Charlie is convinced that something will go wrong - like 21 toes and fingers or a tail.
Charlie can't accept that life might hand him something good - and, unfortunately, he is right (as are most beta males).
The day of the Sophie's birth, Charlie (after being thrown out of the delivery room by his wife "either he goes or I go!") is fussing over his wife and new baby until Rachel again sends him home to rest.
After getting to his car, he realizes that Rachel's favorite tape is not in her "emergency kit" (which includes a camp stove, extra propane, fire extinguisher and more for the overnight stay in the hospital).
As Charlie returns to her room to give her that Sarah Mclaughlin cd, he is startled to find a very tall black man dressed in mint green standing over Rachel. As the man in green is startled when Charlie asks what he is doing there, he replies "you can see me? ... "this is not good!"
For Rachel isn't sleeping, she is dead - from a cerebral thromboembolism. To make matters worse, there is no man dressed in mint green anywhere to be found - not seen by the staff and not on the security tapes. It would appear he doesn't exist.
This is the beginning of diving into the supernatural world and the world of loss and grief and humor all in one novel. You will laugh, you will cry, you will ponder these things closely - and, in the end, you will feel better about our passage through this earthly realm.
if I might quote the first paragraph of chapter two, these words are so very true for all who experience loss of someone or something you love:
"There's a fine edge to new grief, it severs nerves, disconnects reality-there's mercy in a sharp blade. Only with time, as the edge wears, does the real ache begin."
We travel with Charlie as he buries his young wife and depends on his sister to help care for his newborn, all the while, continuing to take care of his shop, a thrift store inherited after his father's death. His sister lives in an apartment upstairs and is the rock to help Charlie pull his life together to raise his child.
But this isn't the story. This is just the backstory - as Charlie begins to "see" strange things he cannot explain - like the pulsing, glowing red objects in his store - a sweater over here, a business card holder on the case, a porcelain frog, an old pair of shoes.
He is convinced he is hallucinating - he sends Jane, his sister into the shop and asks her to tell him if she sees anything weird. other than a tall man dressed in mint green hanging around outside, nope, nothing strange to report. When the man told Jane that Charlie should look for something "in the mail", she assumed it would be something to be appraised... little did she realize that it was something to forever change Charlie's life.
Two weeks later, Charlie sees another red pulsing object - a man's umbrella - and before he can point out to that man that his umbrella is "on fire", the man stumbles and is hit by a bus - creamed!
Charlie moves toward the umbrella to take a closer look when a "tar black hand snakes out of the sewer" and snatches it - as charlie runs away, he sees a large great shadow in the shape of a low-flying plane (or giant bird) swoop over head.
okay - this should be enough to whet your appetite - but is still is only from the first 22 pages!
We have yet to meet Lily, the 16 year old goth girl working for charlie, we haven't yet learned that Charlie knew the name of the man he'd never met - that something was terribly terribly wrong - or, in his words (those of the beta male) "some one is f*cking with me!"
Ah, but then the postman delivers a book addressed in care of "Asher's Secondhand" (and as "Lily Darquewillow Elventhing" rationalizes that she, as sole employee should open this discovers a book entitled "The Great Big Book of Death", how could any self-respecting gothgirl resist! the note said:
This should explain everything. I'm sorry. --MF
Lily opens the book and reads:
"So Now You're Death: Here's What You'll Need."
Needless to say, the book went into Lily's backpack (all to protect Charlie, of course).
Here is where the story gets fascinating and fun - for Charlie has no idea of the book's arrival, but he is still experiencing weird red pulsing objects, strange occurrences and a wee born infant to raise.
When charlie gets a call from a widower to come and take his departed wife's collection of fine clothing, again, a red jacket in the midst, a giant raven, the widower dies, and HIS cane pulsates red! and Charlie Asher still has no clue as to what is happening to him!
Without giving too much away on this wonderfully funny, exciting, poignant diary, let me just tantalize you with the following words:
soul vessels
sewer harpies
the morrigan
The Emperor of San Francisco
The Squirrel People
Kitty!
This book is the one to read when you are struggling to understand both the meaning of life and death and our purpose within this world. (OR if you just love a good read and a book that made the bestseller lists and won national awards!)
You will laugh, you'll cry - at Chris Moore's adept will, you will experience the widest range of emotions regarding death and loss and love that you can ever imagine - all through laughter and tears!
I cannot begin to tell you the wonder of reading "A Dirty Job" - it is something you must experience, as with all of Chris' books.
This will not be what you expect - and I am refraining from adding too many "spoilers" here since this is a book to be savored with each turn of the page.
Let me just share that the characters you meet in this book do appear in other books down the road - all in their own glory and delight.
If you have recently experienced the loss of a loved one, a cherished friend - please read this book - I promise you it will give you comfort in laughter... and you will never look at any object the same again!
My mother's death last year left me searching for that "soul vessel" - I found four - and they bring me great comfort - her tweezers. In my hand, I "feel" her until she moves onward into her next journey.
tee's? I've not yet found it - but I know it's here - and when I "see" that pulsing red toy or special thing, I will know he is near.