Born in 1945 and famously known for his memoir “This Boy’s Life” Tobias Wolff is a critically acclaimed “masterful storyteller”.
In the short story “Bullet in the Brain” you would think that this story’s conflict would have to do with the fact that Anders was shot in the head, but no. This short story is about the memory that passes through his mind as the bullet moves through his brain.
Anders does not remember life changing experiences or memories that caused stress, he remembers when he was young adolescent about to play baseball. There was a cousin of a boy that he knew that made a statement that touched him in some way. He was impressed by the words “They is” spoken by the cousin. While the bullet is brain and this memory has come back, Anders can take the time to enjoy this memory of a simpler time in life.
I can’t help to think if there was something that Anders wanted to achieve when this situation occurred because at the end of the story is stated that he can make time now. Maybe he will get to know the cousin more and learn about their cultural differences in spite of what he thinks his peers will think of him.