Table Of Contents
Introduction
Hey readers,
So April has been a tough month for me. I have been sick every day it feels like.
On the plus side I have created my own website, gregluti.com, so check that out if you want.
This short is one of those that if I were to describe it to anyone, it would get rejected and scorned. "It is a short story where a kid gets shot in a classroom. You'll love it!"
Yeah...
I hope you enjoy it.
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Thanks. Enjoy reading.
Literary Quote
“Puns are the highest form of literature.”
― Alfred Hitchcock
Book Deal
Writing Prompt
Put a blue curtain in your short story.
Email us your response, or share it with us on one of our social media profiles.
The best responses will be featured in a future post.
Literary Meme
Book Giveaway
There is no book giveaway this month.
Actual Pen
Writer's Birthday
All of these writers were born on April 22nd.
Immanuel Kant was born in 1724.
Jason Miller was born in 1939.
Janet Evanovich was born in 1943.
Information found on Born Glorious
This Day In Literature History
I couldn't find any notable dates in literature history for April 22nd. If you do know of any, please let us know.
Literature Fact
The first book published is thought to be the Epic of Gilgamesh, written at about 3000 BC in cuneiform, an alphabet based on symbols
New Book Release
Literature Trivia
In our previous article, we asked about Paradise Lost. It was written by John Milton.
Blue Curtain - Short Story
A teacher stood at the front of the classroom, reading the words of the classic writer to a room of disinterested students. Of the thirty kids, only about five were listening to the 30 something-year-old overemphasize the works of the dead writer. The acting reject was at the point in the classic story where the hero found himself awake in a new room, and the author was merely describing the scene to the reader. Now there is a caveat to this rather ordinary reading, in that the writer had an unstable personality during their life, and scholars could interpret him better by understanding his use of words. They found that the writer would often describe certain scenes of sadness and depression differently from talking about happiness and joy. Coincidently the production of these scenes was always around a part of the author’s life that had an event of similar nature. When the writer was sad personally, he wrote of sad things in his story, although not obvious to the average reader. When the writer was happy in his personal life, he wrote of joy and goodness. There are theories as to whether the author’s own mind knew of this occurrence or not.
The teacher was taught of this part of the writer’s life when she learned of him in college. She knew this well. In fact, that was one of the aspects of the story that she enjoyed telling others. His stories are not only an examination of his societal critiques or storytelling but of his own journey through life. She has even heard of a group of scholars trying to establish a curriculum around the events of the author’s life with his books. He wrote a book shortly after his son died. He wrote one while he was getting married. Among others, that all could be explained through the lens of a man struggling with his own life, as much as telling a story. The teacher believed that this unique way of approaching a classic writer would intrigue some kids. She was wrong. Kids only view classic authors as dead people they are forced to read for homework.
“You see, when he wrote of blue curtains, that means that he was sad.” She explained the scene.
“We know this because this author always expressed his emotions in subtle ways. Do you all remember that other story we read of him when about the guy at the hotel pool?” No one acknowledged her question. “That had a sunny day, and sunny days to this author meant happiness. He often described his own sadness with items such as dark clothing, like blue or black. So we know that this story was written in a time of the author’s life when he was dealing with a personal loss or hard time.”
A student in the back of the room, who had only listened to half of what was said, called out, “What if the author wrote that the curtains were blue because they were actually blue? I mean, why do we have to think that the guy was really interested in the color of the curtains?”
The teacher always hears this question and is tired of answering it. She can’t stand that the one kid who always asks this question never asks anything else during the school year. Why does this author’s use a certain intrigue a certain kid every time she teaches the book? Perhaps that is a topic for the group she heard of.
Then a hole in the classroom opened up and out walked the author to the blue curtain story. He had heard of the student’s comments on his work. And he didn’t appreciate it.
“Excuse me, child. But who are you to question this woman, this scholar of my words? By questioning her, you question me, and I will not allow it.”
No one in the classroom moved since the dead author, who appeared as he did on the back cover of the book, a young man with quite an impressive beard, walked over to the ignorant student.
“Who are you? I say, who are you, child?” The author commanded the frightened kid.
“Jonathan Smith.”
“Exactly! You are nobody! How dare you question my work and act as if I was going through this half-ass! This book is older than you and will outlive you, you stupid child! Listen to what his woman has to say! You may learn a thing or two.”
The author walked back over to the hole as he looked at the teacher who was hiding behind her desk. “I must teach this kid a lesson.”
He then pulled out a shotgun and, with two shots, emptied out the desk, and the annoying child was no more.
A voice came from the hole, “And we will now continue with the divorce settlements.”
The author, with the shotgun still in hand, shouted. “Goddamnit!” And ran into the hole, which closed behind him.
Many taught of parts of the writer’s life, from when he was hopeful in his youth, to happy at his wedding, to sad in his drunken years, for he wrote great novels from each era of his life during those times. None ever spoke of the dark stories that consisted of violence and gore and were very unlike anything else that the classic author wrote. They were not acceptable to teach in a school for they were not for children. The author wrote these when he was going through his divorce.
In a quiet room sat a man at his desk that had nothing on it but his typewriter. He leaned on his chair as he grabbed his flask reviewing his words. He was done for the night and would finish his story another time.
“What if one day, someone who doesn’t understand me will read these words and not give me my proper credit? You know there is going to be some wiseass who thinks I didn’t put any effort into any of this. That is people for you.” He took a drink from his flask. “I will simply have to go to that time period in the future and teach them a lesson, that is all.” He laughed at the thought. “Yeah, like that could ever happen.”
Ending
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About The Blogger
Greg Luti is an editor and blogger on pensandwords.com. His favorite writers are Robert Frost and Charles Bukowski. He enjoys reading up on history, watching comedies, and playing video games, when he is not writing down a few notes for his next piece. He started this blog out of his love for literature and hopes that the reader shares that same passion.
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