Froelich's Ladder (23 page)

Do you remember Deutschland, Harald? I do. Not just the parts that made us leave, but the good parts, too—like Hermann the pig-dog, and streusel kuchen. Silly things. I remember being chased by bees, and how you’d sing The Song Without Words—the one you made up, which you’d hum to me when I got upset. Or waking in the middle of the night and not knowing what time it was, whether closer to midnight or closer the dawn. Hearing you breathe, Harald, and realizing you were awake, too. Wondering how much time we had like this. If I didn’t squeeze your hand then, in the dark, imagine me doing so now. Imagine my voice, brother:

I am here with you, Harald. We are not alone
.

From the highest rungs, the earth curved and the air moved like a body of water. Time passed in lazy increments: spiders spun elaborate webs, untroubled by the prospect of an errant foot, while birds nested under the clouds’ reach. Froelich’s seasonal garden turned wild, with the introduction of mint and lemon balm. In his absence, life between the stiles flourished.

Down below, Binx joined Miss Sarah on the farm—as part-time help, at first, and later as a permanent fixture. His knees had been damaged by years spent supporting the ladder, making certain chores impossible, but mostly he enjoyed the labor. He also made it into the newspaper, albeit for unexpected reasons. When his nine-pound onion won first prize in a local competition, Binx’s name appeared in the
Oregon Spectator
, along with his likeness.

Gak left the Logging Camp and returned to her family’s boarding house, accompanied by Josie. Nobody challenged the new arrival; on the contrary, Dolly wanted to know the latest styles in Europe, while Hollis mimicked her accent. As for Gak’s ma, she remained circumspect—fixing a guest room when Josie arrived, which she restored to normal after the bed went unused. Gak only mentioned Gaylord once, to explain that she couldn’t find him.

Gordy excelled as Frank’s right-hand man, visiting Myers & Co. locations far and wide to inspect their inventory and layout. With all his traveling, he rarely returned to Fort Brogue, and gave little thought to his uncle. Gordy never provided Frank with the ladder; there hadn’t been any need, once Josie wrote to reveal her whereabouts. Froelich stayed in his turret, Myers & Co. named a new successor, and the ladder was left undisturbed.

Until one day, a new tenant arrived: a lad from Box
boro, sent by his mother to collect chanterelles. He chanced upon the meadow with his eyes trained down. Lotsee’s cottage had long since collapsed, so any sign of human habitation was missing—save for the immense, free-standing
ladder, which he only noticed when he passed beneath its shadow.

Looking up, the boy’s eyes grew wide. He circled the ladder three times, paying special attention to the fulcrum—how it supported the stiles, and how its wheels might be employed; moreover, how it resembled a massive wedge of cheese. Once he was confident that the arrangement was stable, he stepped closer. His mother had always accused him of being cautious, but now the boy was overcome by curiosity. Reaching out, he gripped the ladder with one hand: immediately, a vibration trilled down his shoulder, as if he were touching a living thing. The boy tilted his head back, but couldn’t see an end to the winnowing stiles. Chanterelles forgotten, he kicked off his shoes and started to climb.

Jamie Duclos-Yourdon, a freelance editor and technical expert, received his MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. His short fiction has appeared in the
Alaska Quarterly Review
,
Underneath the Juniper Tree
, and
Chicago Literati
, and he has contributed essays and interviews to
Booktrib
. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

I owe my gratitude to the following people:

My mom and dad, who encouraged me from the start. Without them, nothing would’ve reached the page.

Jennifer Finney Boylan and Aurelie Sheehan represent a legion of patient teachers. Julie Barer, Sarah Branham, Jenni Ferrari-Adler, Jud Laghi, and Vera Wildauer all contributed their time and professionalism.

The members of the Guttery, my immediate literary community—specifically, David Cooke, Mo Daviau, Susan DeFreitas, Tracy Manaster, Beth Marshea, Lara Messersmith-Glavin, A. Molotkov, Brian Reeves, Kip Silverman, and Tammy Lynne Stoner. Unaffiliated but no less appreciated are Ramon Isao and Tye Pemberton.

Yelena M. Dasher, Alex Minkow, and Jon Wasserman are my first readers and (by now) hoarse cheerleaders.

Laura Stanfill for her vision and enthusiasm. Gigi Little for her transcendent cover art.

And, finally, Melissa Duclos, without whom I wouldn’t have tried.

1. Josie’s tower is reminiscent of the story of Rapunzel. What other myths or cultural references did you spot within the pages of
Froelich’s Ladder
?

2. Author Jamie Duclos-Yourdon said the following about his impetus to write
Froelich’s Ladder:
“The characters compelled me to write this book—I couldn’t shake their sense of alienation. Much has been written about the isolation fostered by or exacerbated by the rise of the Internet, but people have always suffered from loneliness. Moreover, people have always reached out to one another. Froelich’s ladder is the central metaphor in the novel, but each character ultimately finds him- or herself alone, up the proverbial rungs, waiting to feel the slightest vibration.” How does the theme of alienation play out in the novel?

3. Has Gordy helped or harmed Binx by enabling him to stay under-rung for so long? How about Miss Sarah?

5. Is Froelich a godlike character? Why or why not? Does your answer change once the author allows us into the character’s head?

6. There are three murders in
Froelich’s Ladder
. What does each incident tell you about the characters who did the killing? Are any of the murders justifiable?

7. What do you make of the Rübezahl’s presence on the page?

8.
Froelich’s Ladder
is hard to classify. It’s a literary novel with fabulist elements. It’s also historical, a traditional comedy, and could be considered neo-Victorian (contemporary fiction that evokes nineteenth century styles while retaining a modern approach to issues). Are there any books that remind you of this novel? What are some of the similarities or differences between those books and
Froelich’s Ladder
?

9. How does the theme of gender play out in
Froelich’s Ladder
?

10. Compare and contrast the two sets of brothers in regard to each one’s sense of loyalty. Do you blame Harald for ruining Froelich’s chance at happiness—or was Lotsee, for Froelich, another dream that was bound to have flaws, just like his impulse to move to America? Why doesn’t Binx set down the ladder instead of taking his father’s place? Does the loyalty Gordy and Binx have to each other and to their uncle stem from their father’s sense of obligation to his brother? What about Gak’s loyalty to her family?

11. By the end of the novel, each of the characters has paired off with another character. Name the pairs. Who remains alone, and why?