Will works at Dollar Only. He quotes music lyrics with his boss Major Tom. He remembers moments with his childhood friend Playa. He talks with the homeless man. He leaves surprise gifts for a little boy who loves butterflies. Every Tuesday night, he attempts to recreate his father's cornbread recipe, but he always fails. And, he walks and walks and walks.
At first Will is walking away from the sad things in his life. He walks to forget that his father committed suicide. He walks to avoid thinking about the three guys that raped Playa. He wants to leave all the bad things behind.
The sadness still finds Will, but he learns that leaving gifts of kindness help him cope. He forms a friendship with his boss, hands his cornbread failures over to the homeless man, befriends the little lonely boy and his butterflies, and leaves small gifts he hopes will please Playa. Memories of the Chinese store with the shelves of one hundred blessings eventually remind him of the good times with his father. His walking begins to take him toward his future as he begins to leave his past behind.
Author Alison McGhee deftly tells Will's story in short one hundred word chapters across one hundred pages. She shows her readers the importance of cherishing past moments as blessings to be taken forward into the future. WHAT I LEAVE BEHIND is a fast, yet memorable read.
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