tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post9156624825626254298..comments2024-03-24T11:17:10.498-07:00Comments on Unemployed Imagination.: 2 Minutes. Go!JD Maderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13058074115809620653noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-84319014814917655792019-07-09T16:13:08.684-07:002019-07-09T16:13:08.684-07:00How do you do this in so few words? An interesting...How do you do this in so few words? An interesting nonstereotypical character with hints of a backstory, an intriguing scenario that makes me want to find out what's going on, and a succinct conversation that advances the plot effortlessly and expertly. David Antrobushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08486219404600185419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-53690760520792318322019-07-09T16:07:05.747-07:002019-07-09T16:07:05.747-07:00You're on a roll, Vickie! A rich one.You're on a roll, Vickie! A rich one.David Antrobushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08486219404600185419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-69641480890329679832019-07-09T16:05:17.751-07:002019-07-09T16:05:17.751-07:00And boy does it reach its ending perfectly thanks ...And boy does it reach its ending perfectly thanks to that line length thing and the sounds and associations of the word choices. David Antrobushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08486219404600185419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-29583387143976257322019-07-09T16:04:03.080-07:002019-07-09T16:04:03.080-07:00I'd never even heard the word, so I learned so...I'd never even heard the word, so I learned something as well as had the enjoyment of reading another Laurie Boris piece. :) David Antrobushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08486219404600185419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-15621728345661956542019-07-09T11:59:34.039-07:002019-07-09T11:59:34.039-07:00I love the dark romanticism in this, Vickie. And h...I love the dark romanticism in this, Vickie. And he undercurrent of anxiety. It's beautiful.David Antrobushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08486219404600185419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-75067005211466901702019-07-09T11:57:32.982-07:002019-07-09T11:57:32.982-07:00Yes, more of this! It has a slight Black Mirror fe...Yes, more of this! It has a slight <i>Black Mirror</i> feel yet is entirely Leland Hermit. It's intriguing. David Antrobushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08486219404600185419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-15165679105152488672019-07-09T11:53:19.651-07:002019-07-09T11:53:19.651-07:00Ha ha, I love everyone's comments. And yes, Ke...Ha ha, I love everyone's comments. And yes, Keanu remains humble, for sure. Oh, and Lily, this is going to date me horribly, but I remember hanging out at my grandparents' house as a kid in Manchester and hearing the clip-clop of pony hooves as the rag-and-bone men made their way slowly up the street with their flatbed wagons, literally calling out "rags and bones!" as they went. I just read about the Egyptian Zabbaleen, who seem to operate similarly. <br /><br />Oh, Dan, I just realized that rag-and-bone could be rendered as R&B!David Antrobushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08486219404600185419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-90682491201485582142019-07-08T13:38:57.644-07:002019-07-08T13:38:57.644-07:00I love the first line of this.I love the first line of this.Lily Javahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14030043152435871912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-57420002011984425132019-07-08T13:31:25.788-07:002019-07-08T13:31:25.788-07:00and you granted my wish! Would love to hear more a...and you granted my wish! Would love to hear more about this guy and Leila!Leland Dirkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00813252580295128296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-65563184573854119832019-07-08T13:30:53.681-07:002019-07-08T13:30:53.681-07:00This was heartfelt. It was also like a delicious m...This was heartfelt. It was also like a delicious memory.Lily Javahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14030043152435871912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-194032170128027792019-07-08T13:30:08.959-07:002019-07-08T13:30:08.959-07:00Love the messing with stereotypes that you do... a...Love the messing with stereotypes that you do... and of course I want more.Leland Dirkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00813252580295128296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-49850941117711609252019-07-08T12:51:56.068-07:002019-07-08T12:51:56.068-07:00This was a great piece. Place, time, characters al...This was a great piece. Place, time, characters all of it so tangible. Loved the dad and boychik is in such trouble. Lily Javahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14030043152435871912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-31153413364124826552019-07-08T12:47:41.249-07:002019-07-08T12:47:41.249-07:00Thanks, LilyThanks, Lilyvickiejohnstonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15947507866512596346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-35607783645655928842019-07-08T12:43:28.580-07:002019-07-08T12:43:28.580-07:00Lovely and sad. And you're right there are so ...Lovely and sad. And you're right there are so many ways to go on the relationship front. Lily Javahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14030043152435871912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-2561581004993141022019-07-08T12:07:40.727-07:002019-07-08T12:07:40.727-07:00Oh YEAH. Leland you must keep writing this. It'...Oh YEAH. Leland you must keep writing this. It's AWESOME. I laughed out loud many, many, times. I liked so many lines I stopped trying to pick just one to talk about.Lily Javahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14030043152435871912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-31420300110283007982019-07-08T11:56:20.900-07:002019-07-08T11:56:20.900-07:00Oh and one more thing, thanks for the reference to...Oh and one more thing, thanks for the reference to rag and bone men. I'd only heard the term once before and didn't know it's meaning. One of my fave singers calls himself that and now it's even more perfect in my opinion. Lily Javahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14030043152435871912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-49059973513543709612019-07-08T11:52:01.895-07:002019-07-08T11:52:01.895-07:00DA this was awesome and I look forward to the next...DA this was awesome and I look forward to the next piece connected to it. I too loved the description of a woman's body. You managed to mention things that most don't and still make it totally visual. Als since I'm probably the only one that gets why the Keanu thing is happening now without having to Google it (and it's definitely not his first time having a thing -- might be the third or fourth as Vickie already indicated) I'm happy to give a brief dissertation in the FB group if you're truly interested. But here it is in a sentence: Keanu is a movie star that can still laugh at himself on film when his face is 25feet high. Lily Javahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14030043152435871912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-86571403789983064182019-07-08T11:38:41.479-07:002019-07-08T11:38:41.479-07:00Love this Leland. Thanks so much for sharing it.Love this Leland. Thanks so much for sharing it.Lily Javahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14030043152435871912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-54875219999955947362019-07-08T11:36:14.342-07:002019-07-08T11:36:14.342-07:00Nicely done, Leland. Nicely done, Leland. Lily Javahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14030043152435871912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-21028445060247275322019-07-08T11:31:56.208-07:002019-07-08T11:31:56.208-07:00I love many of the lines in this including the one...I love many of the lines in this including the one that ends with this: "throttling you with the bleak reality; you want to turn the other cheek, but no one hurt you." You always do a lot of sensory stuff in your writing that is so cool.Lily Javahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14030043152435871912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-36962794423802615762019-07-07T20:15:27.372-07:002019-07-07T20:15:27.372-07:00Thanks! Sorry Part 2 got separated.Thanks! Sorry Part 2 got separated.Laurie Borishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08361627047571650547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-33528552011378174262019-07-07T14:59:39.235-07:002019-07-07T14:59:39.235-07:00II.
Her wounds weren’t exactly life threatening. ...II.<br /><br />Her wounds weren’t exactly life threatening. Skull fracture, distended cornea, dislocated shoulder, two broken ribs, sprained ankle, at least four broken fingers to go with a broken arm, and what was probably a busted left ear drum given the amount of blood coming out of her head there. She looked far worse than she actually was. But when he locked eyes on her at 10:08pm as they wheeled her passed the main nurses station where he was mopping, RC knew she was near dead anyway. From the look on her face it was clear she’d lost all hope of leading the kind of life that said she didn’t deserve exactly what had happened to her. <br /><br />Terry was part of the EMS crew that brought her in and one of RC’s three work friends. He got the skinny from him. Eventually.<br /><br />“She was attacked dude.”<br /><br />“No shit. Really Terry? I couldn’t tell from her looking like an over used punching bag tossed outta Bruno’s lame ass gym on Miracle Mile.”<br /><br />“Yeah, yeah. I get it you want details.” <br /><br />“Everything you got.”<br /><br />“You don’t know her, do you?”<br /><br />RC shook his head, while simultaneously daydreaming of patience.<br /><br />“It sounded like she’d gotten a lift home from a friend of her boyfriend and the guy beat the shit out of her when she wouldn’t give him any.” <br /><br />RC made a masterful attempt not to growl his next question. “Where the hell was the boyfriend?”<br /><br />“Not there, dude. How the hell do I know?”<br /><br />“You got a name?” <br /><br />“Yeah her wallet says her name is Leila. Leila Dupree.”Lily Javahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14030043152435871912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-60120829520026015292019-07-07T14:59:10.477-07:002019-07-07T14:59:10.477-07:00RC attempted to conceal from the staff how importa...RC attempted to conceal from the staff how important the visits he had with her had become for him. Nurses could be awful gossips especially about doctors and patients. They could even be that way about people and things they didn’t care about.<br /> <br />Nurse Gladney was particularly clever at figuring out when he was up to something and it was pretty clear she didn’t like him much. It was probably the tats. And since she was the epitome of a scary Black grandmother type there was no charming her into thinking he might just have fucked up self esteem about his body and the tats helped him evolve into something more interesting, than what he actually was. No, even in the absence of the obligatory swastika, she just assumed he was an asshole skin head and treated him accordingly, with a 30 gallon trash bag full of disdain. <br /><br />He was used to the assumption that he was a racist. He’d experienced worse. Hell, he’d doled out much worse critiques of other people with his fists. Let he who judges also be judged. That’s how it went right? It’s how he knew nothing he’d done or hadn’t done would have changed much about what the head nurse thought of him anyway. Of that he was no less than 7000% certain.<br /><br />Leila had come in on the perfect night. It was a full moon and everyone knows what that means in a hospital. It’s a night meant to deal with a very high volume of patients, overwhelming catastrophes, and irrational mood swings. Everybody but everybody was expected to be off kilter or out of sync. <br /><br />The incoming were especially consistent that way. Chatty, nude, knife-wielding, opioid addicts with wounded and grumpy police escorts. Numerous bloody and mangled survivors from thirteen car freeway pile ups. Public school teachers who’ve had psychotic breaks and cut the locs off their favorite students in an attempt to help teach them the rules of engagement with White America. Avadon Meclerick General Hospital morphed into the Eagles, Hotel California on nights of the full moon. Everyone was welcome. Nobody saw you leave.<br /><br />Knowledge was power though and RC was, like a lot of the staff, prepared for the worst. That’s why it came as such a surprise that by 9:45pm they still hadn’t seen much action in the emergency room. <br />Later, RC would concede that it was probably God deciding that there wasn’t much point in distracting him from the one person he needed to be focused on. Leila was the only patient that needed RC’s undivided attention that night and many of the nights to come during her stay. For him she was patient zero and he above all others at Avadon Meclerick was the one person who could bring her back from the brink. Lily Javahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14030043152435871912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-46201093862099141432019-07-06T21:52:17.980-07:002019-07-06T21:52:17.980-07:00And for me, the Keanu thing was largely thanks to ...And for me, the Keanu thing was largely thanks to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfNZkpsOE6U" rel="nofollow">his answer</a> when Colbert asked him about the afterlife. <br /><br />David Antrobushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08486219404600185419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128469884487763839.post-67075322771950708232019-07-06T21:48:30.925-07:002019-07-06T21:48:30.925-07:00Here's a little more.Here's <a href="http://www.the-migrant-type.com/blog/2019/7/6/bright-are-the-stars.html" rel="nofollow">a little more.</a> David Antrobushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08486219404600185419noreply@blogger.com