19 Comments
User's avatar
Megan Adam's avatar

All I can say is - keep going - rich and evocative material you have to mine from here, not to mention your capacity to render it down into your signature style of words and artwork. As always - I'm hooked on the next chapter.

B.A. Lampman's avatar

Thank you Megan---I appreciate your words of encouragement 👀

Talia Barnes's avatar

This is rich and difficult emotional territory, and it's brave of you to openly explore it. Looking forward to hearing more about the graphic memoir!

B.A. Lampman's avatar

Thank you very much, Talia! It may have been scary at first, but I've been at it for a while now so it doesn't throw me that much anymore. What's mysterious to me are the feelings of shame for things I had nothing to do with. What's at the root of these feelings? Feelings, nothing more than feelings...

Rebecca's avatar

That letter from your dad is incredible, what an artifact! Back in the letter writin’ days people really expressed themselves, that letter is almost cinematic in its portrayal of a man in turmoil

B.A. Lampman's avatar

Yes, it's kind of stunning how thoroughly he expressed what he was thinking and feeling, when he was clearly obtuse in other areas 👀. I have other letters where he was trying to get her back and they contain some gems, but none of them is as jam-packed as this one. It seems he just wasn't able to do better than he did.

Rebecca's avatar

Yeah I always think of Maria bamford’s line “we’re all just doing our best and sometimes our best is not very good”

David P. Smith's avatar

That's a campfire I sit around.

Emily Wilson's avatar

Those old photographs, and the handwriting! Thank you for sharing - loved reading this and just love how you're exploring this story through your writing and art.

B.A. Lampman's avatar

Thank you so much, Emily! Thank you for commenting.

loridamroot's avatar

Excruciatingly beautiful. The pain we can inflict upon each other....a little close to home for me. I don't envy your father. I want to wrap my arms around your mother...

B.A. Lampman's avatar

Thank you so much, Lori. I appreciate your words.

David P. Smith's avatar

Really digging this post. The letters lend a forensic authenticity to the narrative and flesh out the character of your Dad, not necessarily in a favourable way, but there is a complexity and humanity to him. We are given the revelation that drinking and womanizing don't cure an aching and likely guilty heart. That shit is gold. I love the two pieces of art included, especially the loose and raw sketchbook page.

B.A. Lampman's avatar

Thank you Smitty. That means a lot.

Jessica Michalofsky's avatar

Loving how the narrative fits with the images. Your dad is a striking and compelling character

B.A. Lampman's avatar

Compelling to the ladies, I dare say 😜. Thank you Jessica.

Gaye's avatar

I love this so much! Thank you for sharing. The letters, reflections, photographs, so rich.

B.A. Lampman's avatar

Thank you so much, Gaye.