This is my… very first attempt to record a 100 Word Story, but it’s in a good cause. So if you must mock me, remember that.
The reading takes place in Second Life on July 15, but the events in this little story took place in First Life at the end of May. The dialogue is taken from real texts, to and from various family members and friends, over a time period of about 2 weeks toward the end of my mom-in-law’s losing battle with cancer. I didn’t want to fictionalize it too much, but had to compress the “narrative” that emerged after doing some rummaging around in my text message history. This compression was in order to get it to fit the “100 Word Stories” format.
If I can figure it out, I’ll add the audio to this post. Wish me luck.
[audio:http://www.lelanicarver.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/LifeIsWhackedSometimes.mp3]
“Go in health, and come back in health,” she’d say. Then she got sick every time we traveled… so we stopped traveling.
We all texted updates compulsively that last week:
“Dad took Mom to hospice, but only until they deliver the bed.”
Later, “Dad says he might take her home tomorrow!”
But, “Your dad says she’s not going home. Bed delivery cancelled. Headed down.”
After the funeral: “Stopping off for raincoats.”
First shiva: “Your brother is creeping me out right now.”
Second shiva: “The smoked fish tray arrived. AWESOME. ETA?”
Next week: “I got the job! Life is whacked sometimes.”
Oh, wotthehell. You can hear the cat meowing, and I could have paced it better (pause for effect is good). But it’s a first effort, and it’s in the can, man. I’ve submitted it, it’s done.
And also? My voice is so nnnnnnasal since I moved to the Midwest. Must stop that immedjitly.