"Out there; in the real world; people are so rarely where they are supposed to be"
WOW ... what a profound observation' ;
but, I think, in the context of her story, she is right.
"Imagine a Day at the End of Your Life"
is a lovely look at family, future and futility.
I hope you enjoy this, the last installment of "A Smatterin"
Click the forward arrow on the player above to listen
I had never heard of the term "Snerk" before this story came to me;
nor had I heard of Norman Waxler.
Snerk must be a conjoined word meaning Snobby-Jerk;
and though that is the character of the main subject person in his story;
Mr. Waxler surely is not one.
My kids accuse me of being such all the time. After reading this, they may be right.
Are you a "Snerk"?
The only way to know is to listen to this and determine for yourself.
Click the player arrow above ; Part One on Top.
When I was in Middle and High School, some years ago;
I wondered ... who was being "tracked".
Do you remember tracking, that pigeonholeing of the young,
determined by ... who?
Grace Paley is a shocking writer,
but was even moreso in her time.
She breeches this subject in her famous story:
"A Man Once Told Me the Story of His Life"
Click the player below to hear this story
So far during this journey with me, you have been taken to Europe,
NewYork City (several times), West Texas and various other anonymous places. Well, strap it up 'cause t'day we a goin' t' West Virginia;
courtesy of Pinkney Benedict, an exciting, young writer from there
who is most difficult to read aloud because he writes in the vernacular of his place ... and he uses no dialouge demarcations.
Six days spent with this story to produce what I hope will be a satisfatory replication of "Town Smokes", one of his most beloved stories.
Enjoy by selecting the forward arrow for Part one on top, Two in the Middle and Three on the bottom.
CORDIALS?
Mrs Porter ... honest school teacher ... that was what she was known for.
But; what comprised the unknown?
A startlingly naked look at our dependency on our dependencies
I hope you enjoy Richard Bausch ;
truly a Short Story master.
Click the forward arrow below to listen
DONALD BARTHLEME
How we try to keep our kid's attention.
How we try to keep things fresh and exciting for them;
especially in the learning environment.
Here is one story about all of that and how it can go so terribly for us;
but maybe not so much for them?
HUNNY AS FELL !!
Enjoy by clicking the forward arrow on the player below.
Barthleme is one of the most interesting humorits I have found during this project.
Effectively gets the point across while tickling your funny bone.
"THE BABY" could not be made to be any more fun than it already is.
If you think this one is funny;
tomorrow we will get to experience his "The School".
Enjoy
The child ... selected her subject with care; s
omeone kind and unsuspecting,
not so head strong as to be trouble.
Such is the premise of "Miriam".
Truman Capote loves suspense.
I did too.
Click the forward arrow to hear Part One on top, Part Two on the bottom
Day three of "A Smatterin'" finds Katherine Anne Porter bringing us a Texas story "He" , from her 1965 Pulitzer Prize winning collection.
"He" was special, didn't feel the cold,
could hardly be injured and if so did not really feel it.
Simple minded and surely loved,
"He" was a liability as times got continuially harder.
This story may well break your heart!
Part One on top, Part Two on bottom: Click the forward arrow to listen.
Day Two of A Smatterin'.
O'Henry lived in a time unfamiliar to most of us,
and sometimes the places of his stories are too.
But, the subject matter is nearly always timeless.
Such is the case of the "five-dollar divorce" in
"Whirligig of Life."
The name of the "place" has been changed to intrigue the curious
and enrage the locals in my home town !!
Enjoy, by clicking the player arrow below
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