14 Comments
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Larimore (Larry) Roberts's avatar

You are a brave and honest and insightful woman, Cari Wade Gervin. Thank you.

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Vanessa's avatar

The one and only time I was ever offered coke was at that bar in downtown Athens that was upstairs. Lunchbox? A stranger who seemed to be a gay man said "Wanna do a bump in the ladies room?" I politely declined.

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Cari Wade Gervin's avatar

The one that was over where 5 Star Day used to be?

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Vanessa's avatar

I remember it being across the street from there, on a corner. But it was 20+ years ago and my memory is crap. I'm asking Sara if she remembers.

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Matt Matros's avatar

Beautiful piece, Cari

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Randal Cooper's avatar

One of the things about Paris Review interviews is that the interviewers are also super-interesting in their own right, so now I've learned this about Jean Stein:

"While in Paris she interviewed William Faulkner, with whom she had an affair, and, according to the historian Joel Williamson, offered the interview to The Paris Review in exchange for being made an editor there."

So thanks for that.

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Sarah's avatar

Sometimes I miss the youthful power you describe so acutely it disorients me - thank you for capturing it so well!

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Cari Wade Gervin's avatar

Yes exactly! And thank you!

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Brandon Gilvin's avatar

Thank you for this.

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Richard Banks's avatar

Love this. I remember that brightness, barely. Better to have had it and lost it, than never to have had it all.

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Gavin Bledsoe's avatar

Really nice capture of what it was like growing up for me. You write well, and always have.

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Bill Freeman's avatar

I could not stop reading this, my girlfriend in college was an alcoholic and I had no idea what meant and how it affected our relationship. Reading your story brought me back to that as I read your journey. Great writing bringing me in with you like that, thanks for sharing yourself in that story, very powerful. The loss of youth is barely memorable since I am now in my 70's but the scars remind me. You helped bring back some of those memories, Thanks.

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Larimore (Larry) Roberts's avatar

Cari Wade- How about coffee after the first of the year? - Larry

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Cari Wade Gervin's avatar

Sure, just email me

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