The Ha-Ha

This is Dave King's debut fictional novel, and it is superb. It is centered around Howie, a Vietnam Vet. He became disabled in the war and has been trying to rebuild his life ever since. His disability is that he can no longer speak; the brain damage that he suffered has rendered him incoherent. His mind, however, is fully functioning. In fact, he is forced to carry around cards that explain his disability with a postscript declaring that he is of normal intelligence. A fact that most simply ignore.

Because the narrative is in Howie's mind, the readers experience Howie's thought process. He is a rational, intelligent man who cannot verbally articulate his feelings. The contrast between how eloquent Howie's mind works, and the noises that he makes when he attempts to speak create a harsh juxtaposition in the text. Howie goes so long without trying to speak, that the reader almost forgets that he has this disability. We plod along in Howie's mind so thoroughly and competently - he processes his emotions so well that when he does try to speak, it shocks the reader back into remembering that Howie cannot articulate what is in his mind.

Enter Ryan: the nine year old boy that is suddenly thrust into Howie's care. When Howie left for the war, he had a steady and serious girlfriend, Sylvia. Sylvia is in the process of entering a rehabilitation center and thrusts Ryan into Howie's life for several weeks. The relationship between Ryan and Howie evolves from a tension fraught one to a trusting, healthy relationship. In the background of all this, are several other key players: Laurel, Nit and Nat are all housemates of Howie's and their role in his life grow as the novel progressess.

All in all, this is a story about rebuilding relationships, not rebuilding a life. Howie had already built a life, but it was a lonely, uncommunicative, sad life. Now he has the opportunity to allow more into his life - will he take it, or will he hold onto the past so strongly that he cannot embrace a new future? Sylvia is not a very likable character in Howie's circle of friends, yet he holds onto her with a passion that is sad but understandable.

I don't think Howie is in love with Sylvia, as much as he is in love with who he was when he was with Sylvia. She represents all that he could have been, and all that he thought his life would be. His disability took all his dreams away from him, and his tie to Sylvia is his link to that former self. A link to his possibilties.

I truly enjoyed this novel; I was sad to have it end. I am looking forward to reading more in the future by Dave King.

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