Review: Kindness, acceptance, and a look back
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 28, 2011
"Troublesome Creek" by Janice Daugharty is a novella that covers a lot of interactions between the rebellious but pretty Daff and the tomboyish and friendless Normal.  Normal and Daff met when a big truck carrying chickens pulled into the parking lot of the convenience store where Daff worked and out of the passenger side jumped a girl in combat boots.  The trucker drove off and the girl sat down by the gas pumps looking downcast and alone.  Daff knew the girl was about her age and had something in common with her because Daff wore combat boots too, just because her parents and others didn't like them. "Ladies" didn't wear combat boots.It takes a while for Daff and Normal to become friends, but Daff realizes that she's about the only friend that Normal has, and since the town is still on edge from the 9/11 attacks, everyone new in town is ripe for suspicion.  Normal doesn't dress like the typical young girl and she's loud and a little socially inept, but Daff sees a lonely person who needs some kindness and is willing to accept her as she is and is also willing to take a few risks to help this outrageous young woman. "Daff would have to feed her.  She'd never felt so sorry for anybody in her life." (Loc. 310) The townspeople were saying some unkind things about Daff and Normal, but Daff figured they would just have to think what they wanted, because she wasn't going to turn her back on someone in need.There is another part in this story that made this reader feel very nostalgic and brought some memories back from another time in the area around Troublesome Creek.  Daff and Normal were going through some papers and things in a garage near the store one day and found some things that belonged to a family who lived there many years ago.  Janice Daugharty's Pulitzer award nominated novel "Earl in the Yellow Shirt" goes back to another time in this same place and what Daff finds is hauntingly written into the story and comes upon the reader so gently but powerfully that it stops you in your tracks if you've read "Earl in the Yellow Shirt", which is a highly recommended book. This is lovingly written into the story.The lessons that are learned from Troublesome Creek are especially needed today.  Acceptance of those who are different and showing some kindness and understanding goes a long way.  The willingness to help someone even though others protest shows a good human heart, and reciprocation, no matter how small is always to be appreciated because it might be the best that someone can do.Troublesome Creek has a lot more to it than I've said in this review, but the lessons written into this story are timeless and right, and I think readers will learn to love Normal and Daff, who live and work by Troublesome Creek.