Servivers

I am reading the short story Survivors by Kim Addonizio.  It talks about two lovers who talk about dying from aids.  One wants to die first because he doesn't want all the drama that going to come from his lovers family if he goes first. He doesn't want to with his lovers parrot or his lovers family.  The father of his partner has issues with his partners sexual orientation.  He tried in his earlier years to beat the gayness out of him, which did not work.

The main character of this story doesn't want to deal with his partners mother because she would she would be kind but sorrowful.  She secretly blames him for the dilemma both men are facing at this time.  The mother's letters for the past seven years, had been shared with him.  He knew that the whole family would disapprove of the apartment and living arrangement that these two men had.

The main character in this story, at the end, wants to clean the apartment of any items that shows their sexual orientation.  He thinks about opening the birds cage and letting the it fly out the open window and join the other birds who are free.  He says with that last act of setting the parrot free he would then be completely alone.  He thinks to himself "dear God, let me die first, don't let me survive him".

I enjoyed reading this little story.  It was short, sweet, and to the point.  It had a beginning, middle and an end. I could follow along with the story line.  I could understand it.