With a sheaf of papers under his arm, Austin strides into the Pub w'out letting the alternately installed batwing doors collide with his caboose.
Takes a seat beside Nobody, who is playing shortstop with Who, is at the nearest table of first base.
I Don't Care is seated next to him and that's when Austin notices that the entire place is fulla TOE memberships, with no small number of camp followers, Yahoo slurps, et al.
There seems to be a celebration going on and after a few questions Austin learns that its a party for Robert, who has just scored 21,230 points in the Arcade play pen, killing Asteroids and inveterate flying saucers.
There's a decorated note on the bulletin board announcing Robert's new place at the top of the Asteroid's totem pole. Tomorrow is in the outfield, calling attention to the outstanding score on the board, since it wasn't there for Yesterday to behold.
"Whatcha got there, Austin?' Queries Lloyd - s'more of those award winning illustrations? Any new ones?"
Austin replies evenly that it's work in progress and he'll put it up on the bulletin board when he's through with them.
"Well. Don't keep us waiting too long", snaps Dave, winking at Lloyd.
"Just before I got here I found an envelope on the sidewalk", Austin adds, "it's sealed and got Rascal Puff's initials on it."
RP looks up from his Chardonney served to him at a nearby table, and answers up, "Oh. That. I left it out there on purpose hoping somebody would find it and bring it in here so's I could show it off. Mebbe start a little short story competition in honor of the fact that Robert just cleaned my plow, shooting unfriendly flying saucers and blasting itinerant asteroids - they're hazards to navigation you know."
"You mean it's not personal?" Queries Greybeard.
"You mean the envelope contents?" RP answers.
Pause.
The entire vastness of the Pub is presently attentive to the conversation.
Even MJA is listening in anticipation...
"Oh, heck no, Austin. I woulda put it on the bulletin board myself, except I'm not too familiar with the rules here; thought it might be more appropriate if all presiding party animals were introduced to it by way of a course of events much like that which is presently unfolding.
Bottomlander gamely pipes up: "Is it hermetically sealed?"
"Naw, I was hoping to persuade somebody like you or Silly Sally, or maybe the Prof, Tina, or Piffle to open it up and post it.
Chazzysaw squints and chortles, "It ain't a bomb then?"
"Well. It may be at that, but not any kind of pyrotechnics. It's basically harmless, but it did win a Valentine's Day Dinner for two in a love story contest about a year and a half ago."
You don't say- a love story contest winner", quips Michael
.
"Hey Austin, Antonio says, "why not just open the envelope and push pin it to the bulletin board. See what sort of thunder old RP is trying to steal here...?"
"Hey amigo. It ain't my intention to out do Robert's arcade score. I mean, 21,230 points in Asteroids may never be excelled. Naw. This is an entirely different subject. I just figured I'd mosey in here and leave the envelope just outside the door, an' sorta play it by ear from there, see what would happen if'n somebody found it..."
"Well, I did find it, Austin volunteered, "and since you don't mind it being on public exhibit, the question is whether or not it's ok with our dauntless leader, Robert..."
"That's what I ain't sure of myself", replied RP.
Tedjay. "You wanna read it first, Robert, and make sure it doesn't infringe on any of the Pub's sterling standards? It may be contrary to Standard Theory, and as everyone here knows, we can't allow any of that."
Fredrick adds decisively, "That's right, it may be unorthodox, may not be every man's medium".
"Enough of this tokenistic name dropping, Robert resolves, "Austin, you go ahead and pin it up on the bulletin board where people can read it at their leisure, if anyone is so inclined, that is." Pause. "But if you ask me, a Valentine's letter is kinda off topic. I don't guess it can hurt any."
Pause.
"I was just thinkin' like it's kind of a letter of introduction, is all. Austin, are you really gonna post it on the bulletin board, even before it's edited for content?"
"Yup. If it's ok with Robert, it's okay with me."
"In that case, I have but one request", replied RP.
"And what might that be", Austin queried.
"On accounta the fact that I'm a little self conscious about the message, I'd like to go play in the TOE arcade before it's posted..."
"Aha. So it is some sort of a bomb", MJA interjected.
"Since you feel that way about it, maybe it'll make folks more comfortable if I just open it myself right here, and then Austin can go post it, before I disembark the premesis, on accounta, I don't like to show too much emotion in public..."
Austin put a hand on RP's shoulder, "It ain't nothin' gonna hurt anybody, and I do wanna see what it takes to win a short story contest. Austin opens the envelope right there and then and it contains a one page letter...
"Hmmm. Oh ho. Uh huh. Ya don't say. Well I'll be darned. Doggone. Wow", etceteras.
Austin heads for the bulletin board, while RP wishes everyone a good night and, trying to look relaxed, ambles out the door...
The letter reads:
Love Story. It all started to happen on 6 June 1960. Caryn and I were married. We were both 18. We had eloped. The following February of ‘61, we had a formal wedding with family and friends. I had military obligations from July of ‘58 to July of ‘62 and spent most of the time stationed on an ammo ship - sea duty in the Mediterranean, North Atlantic, and Carribean. We met in Bayonne, N.J., not far from the Naval Base there. Three months later we were married. Didn’t see much of each other while I was in service because I was doing sea duty most of the time. While overseas Caryn and I were blessed with the birth of a baby son, Todd, 13 December, ‘61. I didn’t see him until March of ‘62. I participated in the failed invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs (not to be confused with the ‘missile crisis’, where there wasn’t a shot fired; we were overwhelmed in the Bay of Pigs due to lack of air support) when I returned from a tour in the Mediterranean. I was honorably separated from service in July of ‘62. Held but could not maintain several jobs between then and January of ‘63, when Caryn and I separated. We still loved each other but unbeknownst to either of us at that time I had acquired post traumatic stress disorder, one of the many symptoms of which can be estrangement from loved ones, stoicism and the inability to work on a schedule under certain conditions. I had never had that trouble before entering service but my post military employment was fragmented and I couldn’t hold a job. Making a longer story shorter, this and several other symptoms of what we have since learned is ‘military service acquired post traumatic stress disorder’ caused our marriage to fail. 19 March 2003 while residing in California I received an email from someone named Todd in NY state, who had encountered my web site which included his name, in the event that he might somehow connect with me, after forty + years of separation from- and my searching for - his mother and him... ‘My name would have been Robertson but my mother divorced my genetic father and my adopted last name is now _______’. I immediately responded, saying, ‘If your mother’s maiden name is Caryn Frances _______, you are my son. I have been searching for you, and your mother, for decades.’ Todd, age 42, wrote back, saying, ‘That is her name. I have been looking for you, also’, etceteras. Two months later I visited Todd and his single mother. Six months later, my son Todd’s mother and I remarried (25 September 2003), after forty years of not seeing each other or knowing where the other was. We now live together in Williamsburg, VA. http://forums.delphiforums.com/EinsteinGroupie 
Re: Pub Short Story Bulletin Board -
10-17-2007, 10:32 AM
Linear Mode
