Summary: "Bernard Cooper Connects the Tubes"

The text that I chose is called “Bernard Cooper Connects the Tubes” which provides an introspective look into the life of a gay man who must face the hardship of his partner’s HIV diagnosis. According to his agency’s website, Bernard Cooper writes mostly autobiographical essays and short stories that depict his life as a gay man. In this particular passage, I feel as though his main purpose is to share a story of a man, who despite his terminal illness, still manages to live his life to the fullest. This is an important story for any audience, especially those who have been affected by this disease in some way.

This passage begins with a description of some sort of medical process, unknown to the reader at first, and depicts a man who is frail and sickly. There are also several medical terms mentioned that could be considered unfamiliar to the average person. For example, the abbreviation PICC is mentioned several times and defined later in the passage as a peripherally inserted central catheter, used to provide paranutrition to a patient. Then, there are several symptoms of the patient mentioned. The first symptom being that the man must wear layers upon layers of clothing in order to stay warm, even in the middle of the summer. It is also mentioned that he has sour breath due to the chemicals he is taking. The two men in the story share a moment of both closeness and terror as the narrator inserts a syringe into the man’s arm and waits to ensure no air bubbles passed through. Next, the process of feeding the paranutrition is described and the intricate details of the procedure are listed. The most notable thing about this particular section is that the bag is described in such a beautiful way. He says its color was “a rich ivory that looks as if elephant tusks and cameos and piano keys have been refined into a medicinal liquid that radiates light” (Cooper 134). This sort of description makes something so straightforward and medicinal into something much more beautiful in the readers’ eyes. Subsequently, the story of the two men is revealed. Cooper recounts the number of years he has been with his partner and the almost constant struggle with HIV. He speaks of his partner’s “try-anything” attitude and of his own willingness to help. He conveys the sense of desperation for his partner to improve and to stop worrying about the diminishing lifespan.

In the end, he demonstrates his partner’s true colors by stating that the two of them were looking at the garden. While the author thought of the “vastness of time” and how life seemed so short, his partner simply said one of the plants needed to be watered. Instead of thinking of all the negative aspects of his life and the fact that his lifespan could be as short as some of those flowers, he focused on the most routine detail of them all. This small detail reveals a small hope for the future and positive outlook that should be encouraged in all of us.

Works Cited

Cooper, Bernard. "Bernard Cooper Connects the Tubes." Lapham's Quarterly. 2.4 (2009): 133-137. Print.

"Bernard Cooper." The Steven Barclay Agency. N.p., 2009. Web. 5 Sep 2011. .