Johnson's short story entitled "Dirty Wedding," set in Chicago, tells the story of a man living with his girlfriend Michelle. Michelle is with child, and after her abortion the narrator behaves inappropriately at the hospital and is asked to leave. When riding the El train, the narrator decides to follow a random man to the laundromat, and when the man removes his shirt, the narrator finds himself sexually attracted to him. Back on the El train, the narrator speaks with a young African American girl, who takes him to the Savoy Hotel where he buys drugs. Later, the narrator explains that Michelle left him for a John Smith, and took her own life shortly after. Haunted by Michelle's death, Smith killed himself too. Johnson's short story ends with a commentary on abortion, emphasizing the concept that the semantics of whether or not a fetus is considered living as well as the behavior of the surrounding lawyers, doctors, and parents are trivial matters. The importance lies in the relationship and actions of the mother and father.
Johnson's short story was intriguing; the dearth of emotion and sentiment that were coupled with the turning points in the story elicited a passive aggressive tone that paralleled the narrator's personality. His reaction to the abortion, "What did they stick up you?" lacked any respect and understanding towards his girlfriend. His willingness to follow random people on the train, his inability to comprehend his sexual orientation, and his spontaneity with drug experimentation reveal his failure in dealing with his dilemmas and coming to an understanding about his identity. At the Savoy Hotel, the narrator states that "I didn't know the rules. I didn't know what to do." Even while doing drugs, the narrator feels as if he doesn't belong- and he is aware of his lack of emotion when relating himself to Michelle, who was heartbroken about the abortion and wanted to make him feel the same pain that she was experiencing. I believe that the main theme of the story is to demonstrate the self-destruction and aimlessness that comes with drug addiction, and Johnson exemplifies this theme successfully through his protagonist's failed relationship.
