Téa Obreht Writes ‘Family Lore’ After Real Bat Quarantine

Téa Obreht published a new short story titled “Family Lore” that draws directly from a traumatic personal experience.

The narrative follows a couple who returns from the hospital with their newborn baby. The husband notices their dog interacting with a potentially sick bat on the balcony.

The husband decides to hide the incident from his wife. This choice initiates a chain of events as he attempts to determine if the dog has contracted rabies.

Obreht stated that the plot originated from events in her own life. Shortly after bringing her first child home, her dog caught a bat. The animal tested positive for rabies.

The positive test resulted in a 45-day home quarantine for the dog. This period coincided with the early stages of the pandemic and the challenges of caring for a newborn.

Obreht noted that she has suffered from contamination and responsibility OCD since adolescence. During the quarantine, she spent nights either nursing the baby or watching the dog for symptoms.

The family received conflicting medical advice. The veterinarian was not worried, pediatricians expressed moderate concern, and animal control suggested preparing an urn for the dog.

Obreht began writing the story during that quarantine but did not finish it until one month after the birth of her second child. This timeline spanned nearly four years.

For years, Obreht attempted to write the story from the wife's perspective. She found this approach too close to reality and consistently tainted by actual events.

The creative approach changed when her husband commented on the past incident. He said, “If I’d known how awful those forty-five days were going to be, I would have hoofed that fucking bat off the balcony, and you never would have known about it.”

This comment provided a new premise and enough distance from the facts to see the humor in the situation. It allowed Obreht to shift the narrative focus to the husband.

The story is set in Austin, Texas. The city hosts a large bat colony, which fits the plot. However, Obreht noted that Austin’s culture of youth and noise clashes with the needs of new parents. The husband seeks quiet, but he is surrounded by strangers preparing for a wild Halloween weekend.