Self-Review – Small Acts of Defiance

A Look at Small Acts of Defiance

Given when I first wrote Small Acts of Defiance, it was a response to the first Trump presidency. Now, in his second term, it’s come around again to being pretty dang relevant.

I like to think I’m nowhere near this prescient. In particular, that’s because I’ve got a lot of other short stories that are a lot less, shall we say, genteel, when it comes to our collective future.

I’m looking at you, Gentrification and What’s an Animal. But this one is bad enough, in terms of a minor prophesy of what, maybe, could happen to all of us.

I wrote this story during the second quarter of 2021.

Background

The idea behind this story was to turn the standard tale of illegal immigration on its head. For here, the small acts of defiance aren’t to get Mexican (or South American) people into the United States.

Rather, these acts are to get Americans to be able to cross the border into Canada.

Plot for Small Acts of Defiance

Susanna has always known that her parents were doing something odd with their time, and it always seemed to be vaguely illegal. At twelve years old, and already looking and acting more grownup than her years, her parents start to initiate her into the family ‘business’.

And what is that so-called ‘business’? It’s to help people to cross over the border.

Characters

The characters are Susanna, her younger brother Crenshaw, and their parents. Oh, and there is also a lawyer who I never name. I tell the story from Susanna’s point of view. She is a teenager throughout most of the story.

Memorable Quotes

We crossed when I was five. It was a simple thing then. You walk in, pretending like you belong. My father had a gift for mimicry so he could easily speak without an accent. He wore his most official-looking shirt, neatened up his moustache, and pretended to be hauling my mother and me in for some sort of questioning.

My mother was pregnant with my little brother then, but she wasn’t showing yet, so it didn’t look like she was trying to cross the border just to have him. Although that was their exact plan, of course—like countless others.

When I got older, my parents would disappear for days. My brother and I lived on the good graces and snacks of our next door neighbor. I learned how to make instant soup and grilled cheese sandwiches watching her.

We didn’t know what was going on, except we were sworn to secrecy for school. We had to say our neighbor was related. I wonder whatever happened to Aunt Jennie.

Rating for Small Acts of Defiance

The story has a K rating. The family’s fate isn’t so great, but at least it isn’t violent.

Takeaways

I’m not so sure how I feel about Susanna’s parents. Certainly, what they are doing is illegal. But is it the worst thing that a person could be doing with their time? Of course not.

And, in the meantime, out here in the real world, where a man who was legally in this country is ‘lost’ in an El Salvadorean prison, and the government says they can’t get him out because #reasons?

In this, the real world, a few small defiant acts may very well be the only thing we can do. And maybe, just maybe? It could turn out to be the very best thing that any of us can do.

And as for that throwaway line about “Aunt Jenny”, it should creep you out.

Heh, sorry not sorry, readers.

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Want More of my Short Stories and Novellas?

If this story resonates with you, then check out my other articles about my shorter works.

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