Response to "1-900"

After finally obtaining a copy of the book, it is now time to given my opinion on "1-900" by Richard Bausch.

"1-900" is a story of desperation and humanity woven within a forced human connection. It is a story about an older man who calls a sex hotline, but before he can indulge in phone sex, he must establish a connection with the hotline host. By doing so, the old man relives old memories and even helps the hotline host, Sharon

In my opinion, this is a story about human connection and how we establish it. Bausch does an amazing job conveying the despair and loneliness within the older man. He depicts a man who just wants to be listened to one last time, which is such a pivotal point because at the end of the day, nobody is above human connection. This leads to what I found the most interesting about the story, which is how to establish that connection. The story poses a few interesting questions to me. For example, what is expected when you begin a relationship? How do you transition to the next phase of you relationship? How do you establish a true foundation, which include preconceived notions? These questions become important to me because they are the foundation of human connection.

Another interesting point of this story, involves the old man. This man represents everyone who has ever been lonely or widowed. He represents anyone who has ever felt broken and lost. Essentially, he represents everyone, because everyone yearns for human connection. In my opinion, this is what made this story so well written. Bausch created a character that everyone can relate too. He is universal and shows how hurt can reveal humanity in anyone. This is especially the case when he tells the stories involving his wife; however, the best example of humanity comes when he tells Sharon, “I Love You.” This utterance shows how real the character is. He is so desperate for companionship that he expresses those words to someone over the telephone, which he has never met.

I think Bausch’s “1-900” is a terrific story that should be read by all. To understand human emotion the way Bausch does, which is something most writers dream about. He evokes these emotions seamlessly and does so while giving you hope. Finally, he reminds you that at the core of a person, a desire to be wanted resides within all of us.