“Pipes” is the first story I ever wrote. It was written during my compulsory military service, in an almost involuntary way. I was doing guard duty on my base, and at the end of a very long shift, there was the story. When I read it on the page, it seemed like a piece of advice from my unconscious, telling me how to emotionally survive the army for the next three years. Later, I realized it was more general advice: how to emotionally survive my life. And although it was written thirty-five years ago, I still find it helpful. In some ways, I feel that I owe this story everything. Or at least all the stories I've written since.
