The author has a story to tell in Quicksand, a story that is needed in our society regardless of what period of history. We see more and more marriages of various interracial individuals as time advances. If only the thinking of some in our society would regard these mixed marriages as a chance for love, hope and understanding for all people, regardless of color, religion, or love of each other. Marilyn Randall spins a very good story of Natalie, a white woman age sixty-three, who has had no real love interest in her present life. Natalie had been married, but the last six-years in name only, since her husband had cancer and their life lacked any physical contact for years. Two years after her husbands' death she went on the Internet searching for some possible meetings with other men with similar interests that she had, not really having any idea of what she would get in return.
Natalie wrote children's books and was an artist. She figured she needed someone in her life to love, hold, and cherish. She had loved her husband very much and missed that love. Her meetings online were numerous but all gave cause to worry about scams that she knew existed and about which she had been warned. She took special interest in one she had heard from. He was a black man a bit younger than Natalie. She had never thought about dating a black man but she figured-why not? Natalie lived in the state of Washington and Randy lived in Orlando Florida.
Eventually they got together and took an immediate interest in each other, physically, mentally, and sexually. They seemed like the perfect ones for each other. They first stayed together in Washington for some time with Natalie eventually going to Orlando to meet Randy's family and friends. Randy was used to those of other races shunning him and giving him a feeling of "why should he be with a white woman?" The few that accepted it made life great but far too many were rubbed wrong just seeing a couple of mixed race together and enjoying each other so much. This happened no matter where they were; vacation trips, shopping, in a park, neighbors, and most family and friends, would not tolerate this couple together.
But they made the most of it until Natalie discovered Randy's terrible temper. At first it was only words and slight actions but when he got physically rough with Natalie to the point of actually hurting her, she decided to get a way from him. After almost every time they parted because of a fight, within a few days they missed each other so much that they made up again via phone and eventually got together again-until the next fight. The distance between Washington and Orlando is quite far and took planning to get back and forth to "make up!"
The love between them was deep and meaningful. Everything they did together went well until they had another fight. When the fights got too physical, Natalie claimed she had had enough and it was over. How many times she did this I can't even remember. If it was I, I would have said goodbye to a person that hit me and gave me bad bruises but in this story it was different.
I enjoyed the basic story. The book is mixed with poetry describing each chapter in that way and then telling it in a different way in regular writing style.
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