Win some, lose some

[Russell Letson]

Cezarija is Writer of the Month at webzine-thingy Drunk Monkey (no smartass remarks, you lot), which means they'll post one of her stories each week in August--

www.drunkmonkeys.us/wotm/

www.drunkmonkeys.us/fiction/2015/7/31/matilda-the-cat-by-cezarija-abartis

On the other hand, with my 50th college reunion coming up, I've been getting various queries and updates from the Le Moyne alumni people, and just found out that one of my best friends from back then died two years ago. He was one of the first people I met freshman year, was a roommate during our year in Rome, and came to our wedding. Last time I saw him was 1976, when I had just finished my grad work and he was wrestling with his dissertation at U of Missouri. Tracked down his obit--he died "unexpectedly." Certainly surprised me, since most of the rest of us who hung out back then have survived.

This mortality stuff is starting to get real old.

[Cosmic Wonder]

Russell, sorry to hear that. The losses seem to be adding up much too quickly. On the flip side, today was my Mom's 90th birthday, and her Calif. drivers license expired. She was thinking maybe she would not bother to renew, but decided at the. Last minute that she would go for it. So I dutifully drove her to DMV, where we spent an enjoyable two hours waiting in lines. When she passed her drivers test with a 100% score, I asked the tester if she was drunk. My advice? Stay off the roads when Mom is cruising in the Mercedes.

Mike

[david]

Mike,
I think we need to make that test a little tougher, and not just for your mother. I recently had to renew my license. I decided to take the vision test without my glasses. I passed the vision test with a 100% score. My eyes just are not that great without glasses. Had I passed with 80% I could understand it, but damn, 100%. That is just not right.

[RickW]

My close high school buds, our "gang", was unscathed for many years. But three years ago we lost a friend at the age of 55, the drummer from my first band, and my first roommate. Hadn't seen him since before I got married, his choice. And then last year we lost another bud to a heart attack, at the age of 58.

And I just read yet another Fantasy book, where the the hero visits the place where the dead live, and they are all sitting around, lifeless, depressed, dull and grey, for eternity. Oh well, we can hope for better.

[Chesapeake]

Nice story about Matilda.

[Russell Letson]

On the "win" side--the final story in Cezarija's Writer of the Month series at Drunk Monkeys:

www.drunkmonkeys.us/fiction/2015/8/6/short-story-family-cafe-by-cezarija-abartis

[Village Idiot]

That's a story, Russell. And I did read the whole thing. I have the utmost respect for the short story writer, one who can condense so much into so few words. Cezarija has got that down.

[RickW]

Quite the story, Russell. Very powerful. Different from the other ones you've posted, more direct, less subtle. I don't know which I like more. Which is good.