By Despina Williams Parker
parkerd@newpaltz.edu

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences junior Kelly Seiz has published a creative nonfiction piece in Sassafras Literary Magazine.

The story, entitled, “Pluck,” is a firsthand account of life as a trichotillomaniac, an obscure mental disorder similar to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in which those afflicted involuntary pull out their hair either unconsciously or deliberately under times of stress.  The following is an excerpt:

“The divorce is finalized and her mother wins primary custody. Kelly turns ten and they move off of her beloved mountain and down into the village. Soon after, the edges of Kelly’s eyelids grow bare. By now, she’s strategized that if she only plucks gradually, the main body of lashes will be enough to keep her secret hidden.

Middle school proves horrendous with her pudgy body and creepy eyes. The other children are starting to become opinionated, but remain unstructured enough to ask inappropriate questions and draw insensitive conclusions.

“Why do you only have some eyelashes?” Kelsey asks in the bathroom, her gaggle of mini-bitches eagerly waiting a response.

“I’ve always been like this,” Kelly responds flatly.

“But in elementary school you had eyelashes,” she asks undeterred. Their curiosity radiates like heat. Kelly’s cheeks grow hot.

The story published in Sassafras is a condensed version of Seiz’s much longer story.

Seiz, a Journalism major, was published three times last semester.  The other two pieces were published in the Legislative Gazette as collaborative pieces for James Gormley’s Public Affairs Reporting class.

“Fall 2013 was such a great semester for me.  I had so many amazing opportunities,” Seiz said.

To read more of “Pluck,” visit http://sassafrasmag.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/kelly-seiz-pluck/.