Skip to main content

A Peculiar Constitutional

This is a sample of this story.  The complete version is available in my collection Man Against the Future.  From there, you can order signed copies, or buy it for the Kindle or the Nook.



            My wife and I often take a constitutional with our feline companion, Chester, most evenings after I arrive home from work.  This particular evening in question, I was intrigued by an invitation my wife received from our mutual friend, Miss Harriet P. Stander. Miss Stander had requested our presence this evening for a rendezvous on her front porch for beverages in order that we might behold a marvel in her possession that she assured us simply couldn't be described in words. 
            The sojourn to Miss Stander's house was perhaps a mile on foot and as Chester, my wife, and I walked, we had a lovely conversation abut assorted things of various natures.
            My wife marveled at the weather and the sorts of flowers in bloom.  I myself pondered aloud about the status of politics and the upcoming election.  Chester, meanwhile, offered us a fascinating epiphany he'd had regarding the meaningless of life and the ever-expanding nature of the universe and cosmos.  It was all a bit over my head, but the sciences had never been my strongest suit.
            Chester was a devilishly intelligent cat that often confounded me with the depth of his learned philosophy. 
It was no wonder I enjoyed his company.
My wife enjoyed him for altogether different reasons.  She was barren, you see, and Chester tolerated quite admirably her predilection to groom and pamper a child-sized creature of intelligence.  It was her life's goal it seemed to always make sure that at all times Chester had tied snugly around his neck an ornately ribboned bowtie.
Were I a jealous man, I might be upset about the time spent gossiping between the pair while my wife manicured his hands and pedicured his feet. But he was a cat and such notions were absolute poppycock.  He was a handsome cat, to be sure, but still just a cat.

The complete version is available in my collection Man Against the Future.  From there, you can order signed copies, or buy it for the Kindle or the Nook.


Comments

Miranda said…
I don't know how you come up with these things. I had a lot of fun reading this.
4:17 PM
Otnip said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
4:34 AM
Otnip said…
Dear Bryan,

An aspiring author myself, I think this story was absolutely amazing!

Just came across your blog, and I'm really excited to read further!

=)
4:35 AM
Heath said…
I liked it a lot. I'm also a fan of creating an environment where it is realistic but some of the characters or elements given is exaggerated or stretched. Please check out my blog and tell me what you think. I also do short-fiction stories/flash fiction/poetry. Thanks for the story, I'll definitely be looking for more.
10:14 PM
tsawitz said…
Just found your blog and, as an aspiring writer myself, will definitely be coming back for more! I thought the dialogue was brilliant and it kept my interest throughout. Loved it.
9:56 AM
Harley said…
This is an amazing blog, I'm attempting to do this same thing, except for teenagers!
10:54 AM
Dan Anonimos said…
Awesome work! Deffinately a lot of time, effort, and creativity put into this. I've just started something similar, except less "short" and more "long term" as far as story length goes. Seeing how long you've maintained this blog, and all the hard work you've put into it is very uplifting. Has inspired me to keep at it. Thanks.

~Dan
9:38 AM
YorkAvenueStudio said…
Great, great story! Love how the characters seem foreign enough to accept their odd ways as normal. Now I have that cat and mouse pictured in my head! Nice!
10:39 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Anatomy of a Scene - City Lights

We're going to break down another scene this week, and it's one of my favorites in cinema history. It comes from the ending of City Lights by Charlie Chaplin, which I think is the greatest romantic comedy ever made. 
It's a touching film from 1931 and I would make it mandatory viewing for anyone who wants to learn to tell a story.
The scene we're going to be breaking down comes from the very end of the film, so if you haven't seen it, I don't want to spoil it for you. Go watch the film. You can rent it for $3.99 in HD on Amazon or for free on Hulu with a free trial or plus subscription. You should just buy the Blu-ray, though. You're going to want to revisit it.
For those of you familiar with the movie, or for those of you who are going to ignore my pleas to watch it and go ahead with this post anyway, I'm going to set this clip up a bit before you watch it.
City Lights tells the story of Chaplin's Tramp and how he falls in love with a blind flower …
Post a Comment
Read more

Anatomy of a Scene: The Third Man

It's time again to break down a classic scene. One that's well-written and, in my view, a fine example of excellent craft.

I've done some of these articles from books (like The End of the Affairand Starship Troopers) and other movies (like Citizen Kane, City Lights, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), but now it's time to take a look at a scene from The Third Man. It blends the best of Orson Welles (as he's in the film and drives this scene) and Graham Greene, who wrote this particular screenplay.

Before we get to the scene, we need some context.

The Third Man is a tale of the black market in Vienna, just after World War II. It's about a cheap, dime-store Western novelist named Holly Martins (played by Joseph Cotton) and his friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles.) Lime offered Martins a job in Vienna, so Martins leaves America and arrives, only to find that Harry Lime is dead. Penniless, without a friend or reason to be in the country, h…
Post a Comment
Read more

Anatomy of a Scene: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid might be one of the most meticulously well-written movies ever made.  William Goldman scripts are almost always something special. He's a master of creating something that's interesting, every scene has a kinetic energy to it that keeps you moving. He's a talented prose novelist as well. His novel of The Princess Bride might be even better than the screenplay and the film.

But today I want to talk about a scene in particular for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid:



 This scene comes early in the movie and we're still working to understand the relationship between Butch and Sundance, as well as Butch and his gang.

Goldman does something amazing as he's able to mix humor, character building, excitement, suspense, and an advancement of the story into the scene. There are so many building blocks at play here, and because the scene is so entertaining we hardly notice.

And the dialogue is so sharp I can't even stand it.

One of the mos…
Post a Comment
Read more