A Candle in the Rain

A Candle in the Rain
Andy Ray
Panther Press
ISBN: 0-9621856-0-4
Fiction, Contemporary, Urban
Reviewed by Dr. Tami Brady

“Every time I get my shit together… I never can lift it.”
This is one of my favorite lines from A Candle in the Rain, one of many. A Candle in the Rain is a timeless tale that transcends the sixties and early seventies where this book’s characters reside. The story follows a number of different people as they meet, fall away, fall apart, grow, and struggle with the questions that we all ask. Who am I? Where am I going? Why doesn’t my life resemble the Brady Bunch? The material is honest, raw, and poignant.
One scene in the story really sticks with me. A man is laying (drunk) half in the gutter and half on the street. Lots of people are walking by. No one even pauses to see if the man’s alive or needs help. Then, two of the main characters start asking the people walking by about their beliefs. All of the individuals interviewed seem to strongly adhere to belief that everyone can be saved and all deserve a second chance. Yet when confronted with the drunken unconscious guy, they all believe it is up to him to make the change and then he’ll be worthy. Ouch!