‘Bangkok’ by James Salter

Bangkok by James Salter, 2003

The magic trick:

A colorful conversation between our two main characters

We have a weekly double of James Salter for you.

I’ve resisted the Salter-verse over the years and done so pretty easily. It’s not that I don’t like the stories of his I’ve read (though I don’t); it’s that I don’t really like the entire viewpoint on the world from which he seems to write.

“Bangkok” continues this trend of slick misogyny, even as I again will admit it’s fine writing.

In this story, we have a man confronting a woman from his past; or rather it’s her confronting him. She’s offering him – now married and with a young child – the chance to take a vacation with her and a girlfriend. It’s almost as if he’s a recovering alcoholic and she’s the martini pushed into his hand.

And this is where I just can’t deal with Salter. He seems to present a world in which the poor, innocent male is constantly besieged by female temptation. Always. His default status is hero. It’s only when these external factors tear him down that he falls. Again, maybe this is not fair. I’ve only read five of his stories. Maybe it’s not accurate. It’s just my sense of his point of view, and I don’t enjoy it.

Now then, what’s exceptional about this story? Well, the conversation between the two key figures here – poor struggling heroic man and that temptress witch with the poisoned apple – is pretty well-rendered. They talk in a very interesting way. Certainly, the story relishes the chance to use some colorful language.

And that’s quite a trick on Salter’s part.

The selection:

Hollis was in the back at a table piled with books and a space among them where he was writing when Carol came in.

Hello, she said.

Well, look who’s here, he said coolly. Hello.

She was wearing a gray jersey sweater and a narrow skirt as always, dressed well.

Didn’t you get my message? she asked.

Yes.

You didn’t call back.

No.

Weren’t you going to?

Of course not, he said.