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Nine Inches, continued, Senior Season

I liked this story quite a bit until the very end.  Senior in high school, football player, fighting depression, unable to connect with his classmates, girlfriend.  Across the street is lives an older woman who (insanely) picks up by hand every leaf that falls from her tree.

We learn, as the story progresses, that the boy is a football player who suffered a concussion and has not fully recovered; thus,  the headaches, the lethargy, the depression.  His girlfriend takes up with his replacement.  He sees her wearing his "rival's" jersey on the night before a big game.  She goes to his rival's house that night; he lurks outside.  Dad of rival comes out and gives him a couple of slaps--"Wake up! Stop stalking my daughter! Get your life in order!"

Here's where the story fell down for me.  He goes home and, in a fit of rage, kicks the older woman's leaves out of their many, many bags.  Good.  But the next morning he goes over, rake in hand, to help her clean up.  It had the feel of a somewhat happy ending, that by kicking the bags and then repenting, he was somehow "over" the concussion.  Doesn't work that way.

So, other than the last page, I thought this excellent.

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