Why It Works for Me – Richard Brautigan, Selected Readings

This is the fifth in a series I’m doing wherein I discuss why a particular piece of writing works for me, aka, this author’s work taught me something about writing, encouraged me to be a better writer, engaged me, captivated me, educated me, et cetera.

As I’ve written elsewhere, it’s one thing to know something is good, it’s a better thing (in my opinion) to know why it’s good and then be able to copy what’s good about it, to learn from it so you can be as good and (hopefully) better.

This time out, selected readings of Richard Brautigan.

 

 
You can find all posts in this series under Why It Works for Me

Shaman Story Chapter 1 – What Do you do?

Hello!

Today we start a new work-in-progress, tentatively entitled Shaman Story. I’m shopping around for cover images. This one is from an issue of the journal Shaman.

Hope you enjoy.

(and do let me know what you think)

Shaman Story Chapter 1 – What Do you do?

 
I’ll call her ‘Jan’. She sat in my living room, in the blue lounger in the corner near the bookcase holding my journals, and her brow furrowed as she scanned the titles; Nature, Science, Journal of Consciousness Studies, Cybernetics and Human Knowing, Linguistics, and, of course, Shaman (it’s good to know if anybody’s getting close). I’m up early on Saturday mornings, before the house is awake. The dog comes downstairs with me, goes outside to do his business, then goes back up to bed with Cheryl. I have an hour, sometimes two, by myself to practice, to read, to ponder.

I stood and motioned Jan to join me in the center of the room, away from any furniture, away from any walls.

She looked up at me, her blue eyes wide, wary. She stared at an angle, not full on, her powdered, mascaraed face slightly askew, her eyes snapping to the front door and back, judging her escape.

She thought we were going to talk. Lots of them think we’re going to talk. We’re going to talk and exchange ideas and they’ll tell me about their experiences and I’ll tell them about mine and we’ll shake hands when we’re done and part as friends, thinking we’re equals.

It doesn’t work like that.

And she asked for this.

I never offer.

“Stand in front of me, about a foot back. And take off your heels.”

“No, I’m comfortable in them.”

As I noted, preparing her escape. “As you wish.”

I offered my hand, helping her up. She stared at my open palm. Her hand rose and stopped about an inch from mine, hovering. Her nose crinkled.

“They’re calluses.”

Her hand continued.

“Good. Relax. Close your eyes.”

I separated my spirit-body from me and moved it through her and up towards the ceiling.

She rocked back. Her smooth-palmed hands with her perfectly manicured nails reached out clasping empty air, her arms flailing like a martial arts parody, her Neiman-Marcus peasant blouse ballooned as she fell, the designer holes in her designer jeans exposed smoothly shaved and tanned thighs as she hit the floor.

She looked up at me. “You pushed me.”

“It’s the heels. Your vanity separated you from the earth.”

She stayed on the floor, not moving, not getting up, not offering me her hand.

“You pushed me,” she repeated.

I walked around her and opened the front door. She crab-walked from where she fell to the lounger, her eyes leaving me only long enough to grab her things, then stood. She held her bag and pocketbook in front of her, a lifeguard keeping her rescue buoy between herself and a beach drunk, and looked for other exits from my living room

I backed away from the door, leaving it open.

She left.

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Snow Turkeys

Hello again.

This video is from mid Feb 2020. I don’t think Covid has hit yet.

The turkeys aren’t social distancing.

They wouldn’t, you know.

Creatures which herd or flock…they’re most susceptible to such diseases. Contagions.

Not sure what the story is with Two-Legs, though.

We flock and herd without realizing it.

Most times we don’t like it.

I mean, if we liked it, we wouldn’t zone out into our own music, video, whatever, and we’d turn to the person sitting or standing next to us and say, “How you doing today?”

Lately, though, it seems our fear, mistrust, and hatred of each other is growing faster than…

Wait a second…

Maybe that’s the real disease!

Maybe Covid, SARS, Avian Flu, Swine Flu, … maybe these aren’t the real concerns.

Maybe they’re just the carriers.

Maybe fear, mistrust, hate…maybe that’s the real disease.

I’m not saying we should all pal around together.

I am saying we should pay more attention to what’s happening and why so we can prevent it in the future.

‘Nuff said?

 

Allegory eZine Published “The Boy Who Loved Horses”

I’m honored, I’m flattered, I’m thrilled, and I hope everyone enjoys reading it.

The Boy Who Loved Horses is based on time spent working in the Kentucky Appalachians. Truly beautiful country with truly wonderful people who understood the meaning of “community.”

I am fortunate to be accepted by them.

I was born in a town like this. Mine’s on the eastern ridge and closer to Raleigh. My town had the same dirt roads, the same one-room wooden church, the same old store where you asked for things instead of getting them yourself, the same people but with different faces, the same old men carrying coon rifles, girls getting married when they’re thirteen and younger, having kids before they’re through being kids themselves, the same sense of what’s ours and what’s not. I left my town and got educated. Made it into the extension service. Decided to come back and help others in towns like mine. My education didn’t take all the hill out of me, though. Knew enough to carry a gun in case I got too close to a still. But it did take some of the hill away. I forgot about towns like this.

 
Take a read and let me know what you think.

The Boy Who Loved Horses is also in my Tales Told ‘Round Celestial Campfires anthology.

B&E Tales from the Pages Welcomes Chris Mason and Joseph Carrabis

I had the pleasure of chatting with Barbara Ehrentreu and Chris Mason recently.

Most of us have been inside of our houses way too long and maybe you are looking for something a little different to while away the hours. Come join my guests, Joseph Carrabis and Chris Mason and me on Thursday, April 23, 2020 at 4pm Eastern time. We will be discussing the accomplishments of each of these unique authors. Joseph Carrabis is the author of over twenty-five books including a dozen novels. Chris Mason has a unique home and he is the author of many books and coloring books. This should be a very interesting and unusual show. As always there may be some surprise guests. If you have listened to past shows you know anything can happen!

 
Listen to the entire episode and let us know what you think.