Showing posts with label fiction?. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fiction?. Show all posts

Somber Concessions in the Short Life of Gary Gray: Enter, Bloodshot

Posted On 6:01 PM by nerdluck | 0 points of view

"This is good stuff, I can't believe you didn't want the band to work on this before." Drew is clearly excited about the words we will be working on for our next song. The first one we wrote was a relative success over at "The Pit" during the 100th independence day gig and this would be the perfect follow-up. I would have been really proud if not for the fact that no one, save for the band, knew I wrote much of the song. I am what you call a "ghost lyricist" for this college garage band.

Two hours ago I got a call from Luca. She called to say she was quitting the group after she caught Drew cheating on her again. I threw out the one I wrote for Luca and dug out my old notebook. I hope this one gets me the job. I'm betting everything on this song. This song... It's been awhile since I wrote this. It's much too personal to just give away.

"So guys, I guess the band has an opening..." I sheepishly said. I don't know which was funnier, the look on the guys faces (the kind of face you make when you smell something putrid) or the fact that I was naive enough to think they'd let me in the band... That day, Drew took over vocal duties for Bloodshot...

...and I hate my life.
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Somber Concessions in the Short Life of Gary Gray: Ruthie's Theatre project

Posted On 9:45 AM by nerdluck | 0 points of view

"Rehearsals start at five. Be there, no excuses. We only have a week for this." Ruthie's message was clearly posted on the classroom board. Damn.. I wish I didn't have to do this but I'll fail freshman English if I don't. Why should "participation" form a big part of our grading system. I can't imagine myself acting in front of an audience... let alone in front of my schoolmates. Worse yet, I'm playing a secondary role with much speaking lines. My guts are all in knots and I feel sick... I have a feeling this will not be a good memory...

Although I'm not at all thrilled about this, I know that I have to do my best not to mess this up. My rep needs a lot of boosting already. I had all my lines memorized and I'm all psyched up to play a convincing antagonist. I'm gonna blow 'em all away.

8:00 pm. Ruthie's eyes are red and I can understand why. Any saint tasked with helping me learn to "act" would die of frustration. Ruthie is no saint. Soon, I find myself in the receiving end of a vicious tongue-lashing from our diminutive class leader. I can't help it. Even in this small group, raising my voice to barely audible is a herculean task. I am too conscious of every set of eyes and ears in the room. I have awkward movements that make walking seem like a strange dance. I blew them away alright... laughing. I made a fool of myself today... again... I fear for the fate of Ruthie's play...
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Somber Concessions in the Short Life of Gary Gray: Little 'ol Karl

Posted On 12:36 PM by nerdluck | 0 points of view


They say time slows down when you know you are about to die... It is so that the scenes that matter can pass before your eyes and you can see how you have lived your life. Probably to give you a chance to be happy about it somehow.

Well, I didn't die. Not in the real sense of the word.

I always hated Karl's guts. For a boy of small stature he thinks highly of himself. He walks around with a swagger that seem to say he's better than everyone else. Or maybe just me and a bunch of others like me. He snapped at me on the fist day of our sophomore year in High School 'coz I was tapping my pencil too loud. He was the heckler, a year before, who got the class in a laughing fit on a school play at my expense. The year before that, he got the other guys to roll me up in a gym mattress and piled up on top of me. I had a growth spurt during last summer and I noticed he was now just about the height of my shoulder. . I thought to myself, I could probably take this guy if I had to. Then it happened...

Ironically, we were paired up in a science project where we had to slice up a frog. Our frog got messed up and for some reason, it became all my fault. I told him to shove it and before I know it, our "date" is set. 4:00 behind the east wing. At last, I have the chance to put this mouse in his place. At 4:15, I found myself sitting against the wall of the gymnasium behind the east wing with a bloody nose, torn shirt and a broken spirit. I just lost a school yard brawl against a shrimp.
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Somber Concessions in the Short Life of Gary Gray: Carrie's Silence

Posted On 9:17 AM by nerdluck | 0 points of view

I've been to uncle John's many times before. But I felt there was something strange today. Carrie wouldn't talk to me the whole trip. Even though I can barely comprehend a word she say most of the time, I would still rather she humor me with the usual gibberish. Oh well, I'ts gonna be fun seeing my cousin, Justin, again. We get along really well even though he's just half my age. I left Carrie with Uncle John and Aunt Betty so Justin and I can get on with our usual fun. I can't always keep an eye on her. Sooner or later she's gonna have to learn to do things without me.

Time really flies when you're having fun. It's already dark, so I figured We would be staying here for tonight again. Except that I can't seem to find Carrie anywhere so I went to ask Aunt Betty. "I'm sorry, Gary, but your mother went home already. You're too young to understand now but from now on, you have to start getting used to calling me mom."

A week has passed before I was sure mom was not coming back for me. I was 4 years old.
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Somber Concessions in the Short Life of Gary Gray: It's gone

Posted On 9:55 PM by nerdluck | 0 points of view

"Damn this cheap guitar!" I reassured myself after fumbling again with a simple chord progression from an early 90's song from a band named after some spices... I've been at it for hours on end since I bought this guitar at a mall sale. My fingers were tender and I was really frustrated. I was blaming the innocent instrument, betraying what I always believed that making a thing of beauty lies on the craftsman and not his tools. Out of nowhere, I felt a wave of grief... like somebody dear to me has died long ago and I've only come to realize at that moment. Holding back the tears was futile. I can no longer play.
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