Nick Wins Again

Nick and I had a very po-mo (that's post-modern, not polish-gay) conversation today. He claimed such things as art is not art until it is experienced by an audenience and that "artists are indifferent" (to the judgements of others and the possibility of failure).

Because he is such a jerk and entirely correct, I am going to post a short story I wrote a long time ago that I have always liked. It needs massive editing, so I am only going to post it in small bits at a time.

The Trains

He stood hunched-over, gasping for breath, exhausted and desperate in the damp blackness at the top of a stairwell in an ancient apartment building. Alan Austen squinted in the dimness trying to see the name on a door. Catching his breath, he found it. Miss Elena was written in tiny black letters on the third door from the top of the stairs, where Alan was standing. Pausing before he knocked, he grabbed a slip of paper from the pocket in his shirt. He stared at the yellow flier, scanning its text intently: Miss Elena- Séances, Palm-Reading, Hypnotism- Fair Rates- 43-987 Butler Avenue.

The Butler Ave El-train roared by. Suddenly, Alan became overwhelmed with anxiety. He was about to turn around and run down those stairs, and leave that building, and the neighbourhood forever, when he heard a sound on the other side of the door.

A widening vertical band of brilliant, orange light shone on Alan and the hall behind him as the door slowly opened. Alan froze. When his eyes had adjusted to the brightness, he saw standing directly in front of him an old woman dressed in black and gold.

To be continued...

Keep on Tranglin,
Anthony

17 comments:

Fella said...

I like it so far, and I'm not just placating you, because when have I ever done that?

Also: I win, in your face!

My word verification said that you are abumpt, and I agree.

Ubermilf said...

I like the part where Nick is a jerk. Maybe he can be killed off in your story.

Loz said...

Anthony honey, did Nick put shit on your wall-garbage?

Knitty Kitty said...

Just wanted to let you know that I listen to your show last night and thoroughly enjoyed myself!

Fella said...

I'm always putting shit in places.

Loz said...

Behold:
"Mainland Australia, with an area of 7.69 million square kilometres, is the Earth’s largest island but smallest continent. It stretches about 3700 kilometres from north to south and about 4000 kilometres from east to west."

Told you so.

Anonymous said...

Loz, if continents can be islands, the Asia/Europe/Africa combo is far bigger than Australia.

I'd like to know what your source for this info was so I can ridicule it yet more.

Loz said...

You think it's fair to have 3 continents join together to try and make Australia feel bad about itself? 3 against 1 is simply bad sportsmanship. I never said Australia was the biggest 3 continent island. I feel bad for your weak argument!

Scarlet Hip said...

I like it!

But what's an audenience?

Fella said...

Loz pwned you hard, Anthony.

Anonymous said...

Loz, fine. Antarctica is the largest single continent island.

Brooke, audenience is the Canadian spelling and not at all a typo.

Nick, shut up.

Fella said...

You shut up, cornholeface

Ubermilf said...

I vote Anthony shuts up because he seems mean and defensive for absolutely no reason.

Anonymous said...

I decree Ubie shuts up because my blog is a dictatorship, not a democracy, and I'll be mean and defensive whenever I want, with or without reason.

Scarlet Hip said...

New post please.

Fella said...

I vote for without reason!

What did I win? The Anthony is god damn slacker contest?

Anonymous said...

Anthony, buddy, ol' pal! What's new with you? According to your blog, nothing! This has to be a mistake!