NPR Short Fiction Contest Entry
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105660765
This contest found me just at the right time. It provided a nice sidetrack to the agent hunt. Writing fiction instead of memoir/personal essay was a huge relief and loads of fun. The contest required you to write a piece that was inspired by the picture above. As soon as I saw the picture, I felt this old and lonely man looking through the personal ads. After writing this piece, I felt like I left this man hanging in a state of eternal sadness. One day I’ll have to unite him with a lovely lady.
You can read the piece or sit back and let me read it to you. I added music and a couple extra images to go along with the picture.
Brown haired Becky likes staying in bed until noon. Short but cute Carey likes cooking and long walks. Holly? Could this be the same Holly who told me she found someone? I exhale. The air grabs at my throat and my heart settles into an expanding void. It is her; she was being nice.
I flip to the next page finding solace in the newsprint’s aroma. I roll the corner of the paper between my thumb and index finger while scanning the next few personals ads. My kneading of the paper quickens and it softens between my fingers. I turn another page, and then another. These pages turn like blind corners. Maybe one day I will crash into someone: She will replace my blessed Karen, she will walk and laugh with me, she will hold me. How long has Karen been gone now? If any more air leaves me, no one will know I’m here.
I tip my mug and power through a slug of cold coffee. Normally, I’m done ‘looking’ before I need a refill, but not today. My reflection catches me as I stand and dig in my pockets for some change. I lean towards the glass rubbing and twisting my two-week old beard. The salt and pepper strands remind me of newsprint, smells like it too. After thirty years as a newspaper editor, ink runs in my veins. Karen used to tell me to shower as soon as I came home; ink was an odor to her not an aroma. My reflection ages with each twist of my beard–my reflection will not smile. Karen would tell me to shave; she hated facial hair.
I cut in line and flip a quarter and three dimes onto the counter. The barista nods and slides the change into the tip jar. As I make my way back to my seat, a man picks up my paper, frowns, and sets it back down. I check the date on the paper. Over two weeks old! That explains why Holly’s ad is so familiar. I step back and tip my mug; the coffee burns my throat and I wince at the pain. There’s a newspaper stand and a bar down the street. The pain will be gone soon.
Amazing, Ryan! I’m SO impressed!
Prairie Mary
Thanks Mary. I’ve been visiting your site here and there and I can’t believe you are pushing out 1000 words a day. I didn’t hear about this contest until I saw your post about it, so thank you. Your story actually would have been fun to shoot a few images for. Close up face shots of ex-partner meeting ex-partner’s new partner (does that make sense?) could be fun. Cheers.
Ryan I can picture the whole story . You get better all the time I always want to read more . You have a great voice I think that it adds so much to the story when you do the reading and one can watch the video and just listen. Great job
You carved that story out of pic? ….Amazing! it is well formed and the composition of place and oddities of time, is in a sense brilliant. Loved the story.
More of such please…..
Thanks Roberto. Yeah I looked at the picture and thought of an old and lonely guy looking through the personals. Once I started it sort of went the direction of the Newspaper being his security blanket. Like I mentioned, it was really fun writing fiction for a change, being able to take it ANYWHERE I want instead of being concerned with fact and a pre-conceived message. I think I’m going to try and continue this story and produce more videos with the same structure.
Chinman, great stuff! The photo, the story, the video, your narration come together to make a dark-roasted, flavour-rich experience. It’s like drinking a single shot espresso with a fork.
Ryan,
Your story was incredible. The narration and music added so much to an already well delivered story. It left me sad, and wanting it to continue. It is one of those places in life we don’t want to find ourselves.
Wow. Knocks my socks off. You are quite the writer. And then you wrap it up into the package and bring the whole thing home. Yes!
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G-Ma and Ba Ba « Thechinfam's Blog said this on March 13, 2010 at 7:56 pm |
Well done. Your pacing is really effective in this. Great video too.