Does Love Have Boundaries?

            In “Old Faithful” by David Sedaris, he opens his story about a boil that is forming on his tailbone near his butt. It is an odd way to start a short story especially to the reader. But he is able to make many connections to the putrid boil that is appearing. Sedaris discusses how love can come in many forms. Whether it is through action or words he has witnessed them both. He takes the reader back to his younger days, when he was first starting to date, and describes how his relationships were. Known of them worked out until he met his match Hugh. Hugh was unlike any other guy that he dated. Sedaris was able to relate to him right away. He says that he never has cheated on any of his relationships because of a certain incident that happened younger while driving with his dad. Out of the blue, his father tells him that he has never cheated on his mother. This short scene made me, as the reader, think of many questions of why this was so significant to David.

          

            Some may view this as, O he has cheated on his wife he is just saying that to make his conscious feel better. But I think that his dad was telling the truth and he wanted Sedaris to get the message, for it to stick with him no matter who he dated. I think he father accomplished this very well because he is obviously writing about it in his short story. It was meaningful to David because it was a random thought but he knew that it was a strong message that his father wanted to state. If he was cheating on his wife, I do not think he would have said it randomly. I believe that if there was any sign of struggle in the parent’s relationship or during any arguments and then he would have stated that, and then I would start to believe that he is hiding something from his wife and son. Even though it is not the typical way a parent talks to their child, it was a way – for his dad at least – to show that he does love his mother and him and that’s why he has never cheated on her. But I can be assuming too much. I am only using information that was given in the story and creating an opinion on the situation.

         

          But back to the boil. His boil is a sign of pain. A symbol that represents all the bad things that have happened in his life and it is all forming in one area. But his lover, Hugh, wants to “lance” it off his tailbone. David loves his partner very much because he expresses how he will let Hugh do it but not anyone else because he cannot trust anyone like he can trust Hugh. In relationships it is important to trust one another and help when your significant other needs it the most. This display of courage truly showed David that Hugh loves him more than he thought. Especially, once the boil was popped it let out a horrific smell that left Hugh gagging. To me this shows that this couple really love one another because Hugh was able to show David, through his actions, that he will do anything for him not matter what the cost.