"Wants"
by Carol Paley
(page 40-41 in "A Writer's Country")

This short story begins with scene, revealing what apprears to be just a meeting of an ex-married couple and develops into a mental struggle between the woman involved. I like the short way that she collects all of her feelings...we see so many things inside of her head just by the language that is used.
The way that she uses the library books in relation to her life seems like she's attempting to correct mistakes that have been made in the long term. The books are 18 years overdue and yet she returns them, turns around and then rechecks them out. I think that this shows that she is not yet ready to let go of her marriage to her ex, even though she mentions she is already in another one. Her attempt to make things better by meeting with him and also returning the book shows a willingness to change, yet she still wants to retain the same patterns despite needing to try again.
I almost wonder if 27 years wouldn't be a better title for this story. She mentions that she was married for 27 years, refers to a story that in her mind spans 27 years, although I dont know if it really does.
In the line "A nice thing I do remember is breakfast"..."All we ever had was coffee" the dialogue sounds more like an inner monologue. Perhaps she really isnt having this conversation at all, just imagining the responses of a man she hasnt seen for years. The way its recited almost sounds like a memory. Did this conversation really occur or did she just want it to? In the line "But as for you, its too late. You'll always want nothing." It sounds mostly like a personal fear.
A lot of it reads like poetry. Kind of reminded me of my story in the paragraph that starts: "He had a habit throughout the...".
This story seems to be mainly about a willing misunderstanding that the woman is reliving, mainly with herself but she is pulling her ex-husband in for convenience.
I like the line "Either has enough character for a whole life, which as it turns out is really not such a long time." It makes me feel more empathetic to her and her experiences despite the fact that I have never been through a marriage and divorce.
I didnt really care for the ending paragraph, but overall I liked the writing style.