Everyone I have lost in the closing of a door the click of the lock is not forgotten, they do not die but remain within the soft edges of the earth, the ash of house fires and cancer in sin and forgiveness huddled under old blankets dreaming their way into my hands, my heart closing tight like fists. - "Indian Boy Love Song #1

The pressure of succeeding in college became too much for Alexie and he began drinking heavily to cope. He excelled at school and became a star player on the basketball team which was coincidentally called the Reardan High Indians. While in the short story collection they were in their teens Reservation Blues show the boys in their thirties.

Sherman Joseph Alexie Jr. (born October 7 1966) is a poet writer filmmaker and comedian.