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Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite
Comfort is a short story by Joseph Grammer. Two samurais, Uono and Yatsmara, fight on the battlefield. They stab each other with their swords, confirming that their time on earth has ended. Their blood seeps from their weakened bodies, waiting for death to take over, but they continue to exchange acidic insults about the other’s wife and children. The warriors try to outdo each other with vicious threats, describing the painful harm they intend to inflict on the other’s family. However, at some point while death slowly creeps up on them, Yatsmara and Uono both realize how precious life is. They would love to spend quality time with their families, appreciating them even more, as well as the beauty of their surroundings.
Comfort is an unusual seven-page short story by Joseph Grammer. He writes with a very direct approach, gets right to the point while showing his witty sense of humour that is evident in the foul, but entertaining dialogue that Uono and Yatsmara exchange. The nicely written story is fast-paced and mainly consists of dialogue, with minor descriptions of the fight scenes between the samurais. Although fictional, it makes one wonder if soldiers share similar thoughts when they know they are about to die in battle. Joseph Grammer’s extremely short piece is more appropriate for mature readers who can appreciate the opposing, yet similar emotional concerns that the samurais experience while fighting. Comfort is a quick read that is sure to get a few laughs from you.
