Disappearing Otis
 Jen Waldo
BookSurge LLC
http://www.jenwaldo.com
Reviewed by Patty Inglish, MS 

Disappearing Otis is an intriguing and thought-provoking account of what may happen when our wishes come true. Many times, we feel that if only certain circumstances were different, all of life’s problems would resolve and no more trouble would come to us. Unfortunately, this is not true. Sometimes, if our wishes are granted, things even get worse. At some point, we must face life’s problems.

In this story, the mysterious homeless Otis passes by and observes many wishes made by beleaguered individuals. In these poor folks’ times of trial, parts of Otis’s body seem to disappear in empathy, symbolizing their pain and immobility in the face of their problems. The local Free Clinic doctor simply feels that Otis disappears completely before she can treat him, in order to stay free — and noncompliant as far as patients go.

Otis thinks he can cure the problems of others and he does his best when he grants their wishes. Things seem to become compounded and more unfortunate in the face of the granted wishes, however. On the other hand, the people of this tale show fortitude and the skills to handle and get through their new losses. They recover the best that they can and take events as they come.

Otis shelters himself in the warmth trapped between the thorny hedge around one family’s home and the house itself in the Texas Panhandle. Luckily, the thorns face outward to warn off intruders and the inner side of the hedge is soft and safe. Otis makes a bed in the soil and observes the family, adopting them as his own for the purpose of granting their wishes. Otis is drawn to the frustrated patience of the copper-haired dad in his dealing with his depressed peach-haired wife who accidentally ran over and killed a young child some time ago and cannot get on with life. There is no joy.

Otis loves the teenage son that is smart and states his mind. The young twin girls seem confusing to him and we later find out that they are clairvoyant. The homeless man that speaks gibberish grants the family’s wishes and life becomes very convoluted for them and the whole town – but they all handle it.

Erotic and emotional affairs happen, even though wishes to the contrary are fulfilled. The wish that Dad instead of Mom ran over the child comes true. Dad then adopts the dead child’s mom as his own charity case and penance, to spend his time and much of his money over there, to the consternation of the peach-haired wife. He is sexually aroused by her and does not act on it, but finally leaves that scene and dashes into the clutches of a wayward woman who grabs him while her daughter snatches up the teenage son.

The woman is a divorcee his wife works with at the library – a woman Mom fears wants her husband. Despite wishes, Mom loses him to her coworker when he takes her on as another charity case, because she has cancer. Sex is a perk. In the end, both wayward woman and daughter die of tobacco-induced cancer about 20 years apart. Tragedy repeats itself in life and must be processed; if wishes against tragedy are granted, the problems break out somewhere else, like a rash that goes underground temporarily and comes back with fire and vengeance. Then we have to treat the rash. In the story, all the tragedies are handled to conclusion in one way or another, sometimes a longer way around than if wishes had not been granted. Interestingly, Otis finds a permanent home with the family he loves, in a surprising way.

Ms. Waldo’s characters and themes are intense and provoke thinking about what we really want and how we cannot truly run away from circumstances. The world of the homeless with its own culture and friendships, along with their mental illnesses, despair, and even hope and magic is generous and asks for our compassion. Disappearing Otis a good story to be enjoyed and discussed by older teens and adults and one that contains lessons in daily magic extraordinary wish-craft.