Clarity of Absence

In Clarity of Absence, Rajah E. Smart uses his unique, conversational approach with his characters to address the purpose of life. Jon and Simone have a seemingly perfect life: Jon is a successful school administrator, and Simone, is employed as a human resources director within the same district. Jon, a purist at heart, and Simone, a woman with her own mind, see the world differently, but love one another deeply regardless of their differences. Their love is challenged when Simone discovers her inability to have children. The trauma forces her into a state of depression where she shuts Jon out completely. Their relationship becomes distant. Months later, and at his end, Jon has finally reached a crossroad. On his way to the career he thought he wanted, Jon disappears and begins a new life without Simone. The fundamental question he kept asking himself before leaving is: Do I have everything I need or everything I want? Simone is left alone to ponder his reasons for leaving. Set in Flint, Michigan, Clarity of Absence takes on the foundations of a relationship: communication, trust, unselfishness, and friendship. The story shows the struggle of two characters that aren't sure whether the life chosen was appropriate.