Wolf in White Van by John Darnielle
"Wolf in White Van" is the story of Sean, a disfigured man who had some type of accident when he was a teenager. While recovering in the hospital, Sean creates a fantasy world called Trace Italian, which he later turns into a text based role-playing game. Sean's life becomes even more complicated when two young players take the game to the extreme. The book unfolds in reverse while Sean reflects on his life until we reach the climax of his accident.
There is an early scene in the book when Sean goes to a liquor store to buy candy. He has a nurse who will do his shopping for him, but he is embarrassed of his candy habit. After stocking up on Sweet Tarts and bubble-gum cigarettes, Sean spots a couple of teenage boys hanging out in a truck in the parking lot. He explains, "People like me prefer teenagers to other people. They are not afraid to stare". The boys ask to see Sean's face and offer him a beer, but he has to decline. "I told him I couldn't without a straw, and the quiet that fell onto the conversation for the next few seconds was like a great canyon in a desert landscape."
This 2014 novel is the first from John Darniell, who is better known as the singer/songwriter from The Mountain Goats. I absolutely love this book and I hope you will give it a read. Try pairing it with the appropriately named Simpler Times Lager, a cheap beer that someone like Sean might enjoy in a liquor store parking lot, if only things were different.
