Fiction and Drama Andrea More Torn father has skin canner Ben Stark, Ideas Guy . 2023, pigment, oil, shellac ink, acrylic, gesso, MDF. 70 x 30". Photo by Caleb Adams. Courtesy of the artist. © Ben Stark, 2025. I’ve never known my biological father. I grew up in the same house as him and he’s still married to my mom — he’s just autistic. It took me a long time to realize this because he’s also Israeli. I thought that was why he could never make eye contact with Palestinians. When I gave my dad my armchair diagnosis all he said was, “OK.” As far as we know, my mom is not autistic, so according to the Jewish tradition neither am I. I was in an argument with my neighbor across the street when my mom broke the news via text. I was trying to explain to this woman, without sounding pedagogical, that using a leaf blower for one hour produces the same amount of air pollution as driving from Los Angeles, where we were currently standing, to Denver, which was quite far from where we were standing.…