"International Short Stories"

The Keeper of the Virgins by Hanan Al-Shaykh (Lebanon)

Hanna Al-Shaykh's, "The Keeper of the Virgins" follows an unnamed dwarf in a world that pities or scoffs at him.  The dwarf meanders about his life, immersed in study, reflection and writing.  Each day, he leaves his family home afoot and makes the two-hour trip to the convent with the hope of catching a glimpse of Georgette, a woman from who he has developed a keen sense of companionship that lived within its walls.  This is a story of desire and longing, and its attainment is always at a remove.  The longing is what matters, and only the dwarf obtains the wistful sense of what happens when the thing desired is obtained.