p. h. m a d o r e |
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106 |
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The young boy catalogs secrets in his hideaway cubbyhole in the wall of the mobile home. He wants to be called Max but he is a Peter. On the 386 computer his mom stole from work, he writes a series of spy novelettes about a man he calls only Agent 106. He password-protects the WordPerfect files with the misspelled names of astronauts he adores. He is six, his eyes are very wide—the boy is in need of a beat down or some sunglasses. He builds great cathedrals of Gethsemane and to Magdalene and when he runs out of Legos he begs for more. When he is refused, he sets out in the neighborhood—a rural road with miles between homes—to make friends. Preferably friends with Legos. He does find a friend at the very end of the road named Dane and, between them, they are able to construct a miniature map of the Biblical landscape. Peter hasn't told anyone so, but he's on a mission to find the flaw. In sixth grade he smiles knowingly when his locker number is 106. He loves school but he likes having friends more. Smoke fills the void that first time he touches it and he rides it out till he’s 20. |
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P.H. MADORE is a single New English immigrant to California. While never having quite been a child, he likewise never seems to grow up. phmadore.com |
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