Synkroniciti is thrilled to welcome author David H Weinberger with “Idle Hill,” one of our “Haunting” short story contest finalists, a heartbreaking short story about a father grieving the suicide of his son.
“It’s been over a month since the Idle Hill accident. I still call it an accident despite the obvious: no skid marks, no seatbelt, no other cars involved. Calling it that helps me avoid the idea that he was a very sad boy, that he was having difficulties. To the point that an end was preferable to all he had. It also helps me avoid blame, although that seems more and more difficult as time passes.”
As he speaks to his best friend at the pub, Carlton questions his method of discipline, which, while far less rough than the beatings his father gave him decades before, relied on bullying and physical force. He is haunted by his son’s intelligence and sensitivity–the boy cried watching Bambi and wrote poetry–and wishes he hadn’t been so brutal. Carlton’s vulnerability is shattering as he realizes that he abused his son. David supplies so many personal details that ring true in this very thoughtful portrayal of humanity hidden underneath inherited gruffness. Our survival as human beings depends not only on brute strength and resilience, but on our sensitivity and ability to admit when we are wrong. David painstakingly depicts the damage caused by masculine stereotyping designed to “toughen up” boys. It’s too late for Carlton, but maybe we can learn from his anguish.
Read “Idle Hill” in Synkroniciti’s “Haunting” issue, available here: https://synkroniciti.com/the-magazine/purchase-individual-issues/.
David H Weinberger is an American author writing in Berlin, Germany. His stories have been widely published in literary journals such as The Write Launch, The Normal School, The Ravens Perch, Gravel, and Twelve Winters. He holds a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and taught kindergarten for eight years in Salt Lake City, Utah. His experience as a teacher working with families living in poverty informs much of his writing. Visit davidhweinberger.com to read more of his stories.