Melee would be used to describe a fight in a broad, non-descriptive way. I thought this was an honest question, until I realize there was a post attached. This is a terrible story, not in the writing, but in the fact that this actually happened. A great piece.
This is an incredibly powerful, and painful piece. It's extremely well written and definitely gave me a gut punch this morning. Your visuals were poignant and filled me with a sense of dread. Got me sniffling and brought me to tears. I'm so sorry for the loss your family has had to endure due to this tragedy.
Thank you so much. This one was hard to write, but I really wanted people to feel him as a person and not just as some awful headline or “incident.” I appreciate you reading it so closely.
This is so poignant and powerful. I'm so sorry to hear about this senseless thing that happened to your cousin and the effect it had on all of you. Sending a hug your way.
Such a tragic story, beautifully written. I’m left with an image of that swing, once full of hope—now empty, surrounded by haze, moved gently by the breeze.
This is one of the most intense and gripping pieces I've read from you. It's so tragic, but I couldn't stop. It's terrible what happened to him. Awful.
wow thank you so much!!! maybe it was that 8 hour car ride home with it percolating in my brain. Or the articles I hunted down, all telling a different story. I'm trying to find a report from the Portugal newspaper but it's proving difficult. thanks so much for your kind words and reading so carefully! 🧡
This is a stunningly powerful piece of writing, Kate. The way you dissect the cold, clinical vocabulary of institutions-words like "brawl" and "melee" that try to flatten human tragedy into a statistics report-is absolutely brilliant and devastating. "Paul was not the melee. He was nineteen, almost back to the ship, and he was supposed to come home." That line is an absolute gut punch. It’s an incredibly moving, beautiful tribute to his memory. Thank you for welcoming me to your space, so glad to be subscribed! 🤍
Thank you so much. That means a lot. That was exactly what I was trying to untangle, how quickly institutional language can turn a person into an incident. He wasn’t the melee. He was Paul. I’m so glad that came through, and I’m really glad you’re here. 🤍
What a horrible, senseless murder! So sorry for your loss.
Melee would be used to describe a fight in a broad, non-descriptive way. I thought this was an honest question, until I realize there was a post attached. This is a terrible story, not in the writing, but in the fact that this actually happened. A great piece.
I do appreciate your answer though.
I thought this was a direct question too. 🤷 oh well. Social media at it finest
I appreciate this, I honestly didn't know what melee was before reading these articles about my cousin
A Bar Brawl. Hand to Hand fist fight. Look up the Cinderella Man
do you hear that word used outside of reports? Just curious because I've never heard it used in reference, just brawl like you said or riot.
A quiet, powerful piece about how real people get flattened into headlines
The writer makes you feel Paul as a person not just the melee and how grief never really leaves it just sits beside you on the swings
thank you so much for seeing that and commenting ❤️
This is an incredibly powerful, and painful piece. It's extremely well written and definitely gave me a gut punch this morning. Your visuals were poignant and filled me with a sense of dread. Got me sniffling and brought me to tears. I'm so sorry for the loss your family has had to endure due to this tragedy.
Thank you so much. This one was hard to write, but I really wanted people to feel him as a person and not just as some awful headline or “incident.” I appreciate you reading it so closely.
Of course, I appreciate you sharing and bringing it to my attention so I could!
Hate the events in the story, but glad to see you telling it. In keeping his name alive and in sharing it with us. I'm so sorry it happened!
thank you so much. it's been bothering me for a very long time
This is so poignant and powerful. I'm so sorry to hear about this senseless thing that happened to your cousin and the effect it had on all of you. Sending a hug your way.
Such a tragic story, beautifully written. I’m left with an image of that swing, once full of hope—now empty, surrounded by haze, moved gently by the breeze.
thank you so much, I truly appreciate you reading. I think about the swings a lot
Found it! https://substack.com/@dearlaurajoy/note/c-261716499?r=1xg3uj&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
And today someone shared a photo of a giant tree with an empty swing swinging in the wind. Maybe someone’s trying to tell me something.
😇 I love it when the universe speaks to us in swings 💫🌸
This is one of the most intense and gripping pieces I've read from you. It's so tragic, but I couldn't stop. It's terrible what happened to him. Awful.
I think you should keep sending to agents.
wow thank you so much!!! maybe it was that 8 hour car ride home with it percolating in my brain. Or the articles I hunted down, all telling a different story. I'm trying to find a report from the Portugal newspaper but it's proving difficult. thanks so much for your kind words and reading so carefully! 🧡
This is a stunningly powerful piece of writing, Kate. The way you dissect the cold, clinical vocabulary of institutions-words like "brawl" and "melee" that try to flatten human tragedy into a statistics report-is absolutely brilliant and devastating. "Paul was not the melee. He was nineteen, almost back to the ship, and he was supposed to come home." That line is an absolute gut punch. It’s an incredibly moving, beautiful tribute to his memory. Thank you for welcoming me to your space, so glad to be subscribed! 🤍
Thank you so much. That means a lot. That was exactly what I was trying to untangle, how quickly institutional language can turn a person into an incident. He wasn’t the melee. He was Paul. I’m so glad that came through, and I’m really glad you’re here. 🤍