Old Man Scratch by Rio Youers
September 2009
Reviewed by Lyndon Perry
In his thought-provoking novella “Old Man Scratch,” Canadian author Rio Youers explores the interior life of one Johnny Gregson and his emotional reaction to the downright meanness of one “Scratch” Clayton. They’re neighbors. They’re old men. But there the similarities end. Whereas Johnny is a bit on the timid side and slight of build, Scratch is a bully and an “alpha-shaker” – the type of alpha male that will try to break your bones in a hand shake. As the opening line of this short novella states: “He was a mean son of a b—ch.” And Youers does a convincing job developing the scoundrel character of Scratch opposite that of the sympathetic protagonist Johnny.
The story is a first person narrative with flashbacks that work well for this telling. We know ahead of time that the theme is one of revenge. We know that Scratch will get his comeuppance. But what we do not know is how nor all the reasons why. The story is as much a psychological reminiscing as it is a frank and realistically humorous tale of pain, suffering, loss, and of course Johnny’s response to it all.
Then there’s the supernatural element. When Johnny and his wife retire and move to a quiet place in the country, they not only have to put up with a hard-edged and inconsiderate neighbor (who mows his lawn every morning at five o’clock!), they have a problem with roadkill. Two or three a week at the end of their driveway which opens onto the hairpin curve of their country road. But that’s just part of the mystery. A day or two after tossing them to the side of his drive they simply disappear. No parts, no bones, no leftover pickings. They vanish. That got Johnny thinking… And it keeps the reader reading. This is an engaging story that nicely occupies your time for about an hour but keeps you thinking about its themes for much longer.
“Old Man Scratch” is not a complex tale, but it is a nicely developed one. It is a slightly speculative but immanently human story of love, hate, relationships, frustration, and revenge. The mental slide from law-abiding citizen (and loving husband – the romantic element is sweet without being sugary) to murder-contemplating criminal is masterfully chronicled. Youers kept the story moving and gave the plot as many words as it deserved. I don’t know if it deserves the hard-back treatment and $19 price-tag that PS Publishing is giving it, but it is worth a read if your local library buys a copy.