Uneven Shading
By
Joseph Devon
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Marshal went into work on Friday embarrassed by the fact that he was turning invisible.
A few of his coworkers had noticed. If it had gone unnoticed Marshal might have assumed it was only allergies or the coming of spring, a passing hiccup of low health that would fade when the pollen count returned to normal levels. But other people had noticed, and they hadn’t said, “Gee, Marshal, your eyes are red. Allergies got the best of you?” And they didn’t say, “I can’t wait for summer either now that the weather’s finally turned warm.” They merely told him that he looked tired and not entirely there. One of them used the word, “wispy.”
His boss, Mr. Ruttiger, called him into his office later that afternoon. It was a brightly lit room with sterling spring sunlight beaming in through large floor to ceiling windows. “Marshal,” Mr. Ruttiger said, “please sit down.” Mr. Ruttiger was friendly and he came around from his desk to sit next to Marshal as a contemporary and not a boss.
“Marshal,” Mr. Ruttiger began. “I’ve called you in here because a number of your coworkers have become worried about you. And I’ve come to agree with them. You don’t appear to be entirely with us.”
“It’s just allergies,” Marshal said. Continue reading ‘Short Story: Uneven Shading’
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I’m rather feeling my oats right now. My first draft was done as of this morning, I’ve got a title, and here it is only Tuesday. I’m never this far ahead. I feel like my computer needs to explode or something to set the universe back in order.
I may change the title. I know I say that with every single title I put up, but this time I mean it. There are a number of variations on very very similar words that I keep playing around with. I feel like I’m close but still have yet to nail it dead on.
Right now, though, I’m watching lots of the Food Network off of my neglected DVR. There’s this show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” that I love. The guy has a knack for digging up interesting restaurants serving wonderfully un-hoity-toity stuff. As the name might suggest. Although there are a fair amount of ramshackle places that serve up preposterously upscale dishes. Duck con fit alongside of pancakes sort of thing.
Anyway, I love it. I sit and watch two episodes in a row and I’m utterly enraptured the entire time staring at hamburgers and fried chicken cooking. There was this one place that took three days to make their onion rings. Three! First they put the whole onions in the fridge for a day to dry them out a bit, (refrigerators are very dry places, so if you need to dry a chicken or something there are worse places you could stash it for a few hours) then they cut the onions into slices which go into the fridge for another day, then they finally dredge and cook them. Three day onion rings.
Man.
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I’m very curious to see the reaction to this next story. For starters, as I’ve mentioned, it’s actually short. The shorter stories tend to get read more because…well because they’re short I’d imagine. Also for newcomers it’s probably easier to take a chance on a few thousand words rather than eight thousand words. Suckers. You’ll never know what you’re missing.
This story is really so simple, though, and with just a hint of my out-there-ness. I dunno. This is like a drawing you do on a cocktail napkin while you’re out at a bar waiting for someone to show up, and you aren’t really thinking about much, you’re just sort of doodling, and when you’re done you look at what you did and think, “Huh. That’s kind of neat.” And the napkin goes into your wallet and even years later you find yourself taking it out now and then to look at it.
It’s sort of like that.
Also some huge scenes from the Matthew and Epp world clicked into place this morning. God, I love Kyo.
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Last week was a bit all over the place for a number of reasons. It took me until at least Thursday to recover from the Kentucky Derby for starters. I think I missed a few blog posts in there but I believe I’ve righted myself now and I’m back on track.
I even have a first draft for this week’s story done. I can’t remember the last time I was ahead on a story. It’s been quite awhile. It helps that this one is actually a short story. I tend to run a bit long with my tales. Back in my pre-internet days I would write a story and then look for magazines or journals to submit it to and some of them would have 1,000-2,000 word limits for entries. That’s not a story for me. That’s a title.
But this one is petite. And simple. And I kind of like it.
Needs a title, though.
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Okay. I really have nothing. Really. Zero idea what I want to write.
More importantly, the mechanism in my head that usually toys around with ideas isn’t toying. I’m not sure how to turn it back on. I should maybe try hitting myself over the head with things. Or my old standby of banging my head on my desk.
There’s a chance something will come along in the next two days. But I get the feeling that it’s going to be a bang-my-head-on-my-desk sort of weekend.
I should buy some Advil.
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What to write? I’ve got nothing. And I keep promising myself that I’m going to get on top of my current story so that things won’t be rushed next week…but really I’ve got nothing. Also I don’t know what day it is. Taking time off to go to the Kentucky Derby screwed me up. Usually I’m all perfectly scheduled in my head so I can tell when things are going wrong and it’s time to panic because I don’t have an idea. This week I’m not sure when to start panicking.
What haven’t I tried yet? I never made a promise to try all genres or anything, but I kind of want to try something new. Not quite sure what that might be. Gorilla documentary? Crying on the inside clown? “Die Hard” on a submarine?
This is why I don’t brainstorm. Or maybe this is why I should brainstorm more often.
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So I didn’t post on Friday because I was in transit to the Kentucky Derby. And I would have mentioned that earlier except that the trip was made as part of a surprise birthday party for a reader of this blog, and I didn’t want to spoil said surprise. Frankly I’m a little surprised I didn’t.
I’ve got another story due. Funny how that keeps happening. Luckily I just spent the last four days unplugged, which is the longest I’ve been away from this website since I started this project. So I feel a touch rejuvenated. On the other hand, I have precisely zero idea what to write. I’m running out of genres.
Anyway, right now I’m just going to sit on my couch and let the last traces of mint julep exit my bloodstream.
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