You have been a gift to me, my distant friend. Thank you for your support and I give back any way I can— today with a restack— and more as I am able. The gifts here on Substack of giving to each other, especially for us writers who are not politicos where most of the subscribers seem to go. We have hope here and you are one of our hopes.
I'm so grateful for your support, Mary. I don't need a million subscribers, but I like the right ones, and those I have. (when i remember to remind myself)
😘 Thank you. After The Gondolier, it's my favorite thing I've written for these stories so far. RE: diversity, switching back and forth between writing this and Knuckleball Artist was like a head spinner. The voices are so different, I couldn't get my head to switch unless i gave it a break or read them from the start to make the shift. I'd have Phineas sounding like Lauren (bad) or Lauren sounding like Phineas (catastrophic.)
This character is great, Adam. Love the way she’s very cool - the prose is almost distant, in a way that shows she is trying to keep up this appearance. And then she’s so vulnerable at the same time, maybe all the “cool kids” are. The arc of the story is so subtle and really drew me in!
It's incredible to me what the diversity of what you can do as a writer. Also this reminds me of my friend when we were fourteen--she was a GnR groupie and had all these stories about partying with the band but also (thankfully) she said even though she passed out on the bed with Axl on the bed every night he never touched her.
For me, the intention was less about the rhyming words meaning something specific and clear than having people talk about you like you are an object in front of you through some shared code.
You're a "thing." You fall into a bucket (of the women we sleep with that can all be categorized with our little system.) In fact, I wanted the *suggestion* of meaning in them, but still unclear. "Learner" is fairly clear, and I wanted that to sexualize the descriptions.
Lauren doesn't understand exactly what they mean, either, other than, maybe, you don't want to be a Learner. But that's the point. (Or at least my intention writing it.)
Perhaps, I've removed too many crumbs. But really a twenty-one year old man with a 13-year-old girl is the only bread crumb that really matters. Everything else is processing damage.
I don’t think it’s your doing, I was typically the kid feeling like she was on the outside of an inside joke, so I probably over-read to make up for some perceived deficit!
I love hearing your explanation though. The sense of wanting to be something, but not even sure what it is, other than to be “accepted” “loved” “belonging”, these are clear and painfully felt in Lauren. (And my younger self. She both leans toward you for shelter and runs away, feeling way too seen.)
And wanting to be accepted by people you know that, on some level, are mocking you couldn’t be more human even if we vote to run. (I’m referring to the character here and not projecting her onto you.)
You have been a gift to me, my distant friend. Thank you for your support and I give back any way I can— today with a restack— and more as I am able. The gifts here on Substack of giving to each other, especially for us writers who are not politicos where most of the subscribers seem to go. We have hope here and you are one of our hopes.
I'm so grateful for your support, Mary. I don't need a million subscribers, but I like the right ones, and those I have. (when i remember to remind myself)
Channelling your inner McKenzie Phillips on that one.
Well I COULD have gone with Christiane F.
The references are getting harder! (I had to look this one up, but it seems like I'm in for a pretty unsettling film.)
It’s awesome
I had to look that up to remember the reference, but, yes, similar in its way (though even grimmer than the situation here.)
This is very damn good! It’s late or I’d have a better comment. But my brain’s done. Just know I love this and the diversity of your writing pen. :)
😘 Thank you. After The Gondolier, it's my favorite thing I've written for these stories so far. RE: diversity, switching back and forth between writing this and Knuckleball Artist was like a head spinner. The voices are so different, I couldn't get my head to switch unless i gave it a break or read them from the start to make the shift. I'd have Phineas sounding like Lauren (bad) or Lauren sounding like Phineas (catastrophic.)
Yeah, I can imagine those voice require very different headspaces. ;p)
This is excellent work, vivid, like looking at an old photograph of friends.
This character is great, Adam. Love the way she’s very cool - the prose is almost distant, in a way that shows she is trying to keep up this appearance. And then she’s so vulnerable at the same time, maybe all the “cool kids” are. The arc of the story is so subtle and really drew me in!
I’m glad you got it. Yes, this is definitely someone whose bravado is trying to prop up some rough events. I think you’re right on the cool kids.
It's incredible to me what the diversity of what you can do as a writer. Also this reminds me of my friend when we were fourteen--she was a GnR groupie and had all these stories about partying with the band but also (thankfully) she said even though she passed out on the bed with Axl on the bed every night he never touched her.
Thanks, Anna. I will say the first song that came to mind was “Sweet Child of Mine.” Sigh.
I just googled learner, churner and burner to see what might enlighten me, but only biz models and some solar panel company manifesto.
Childhood friendship, dead, before they could even grow into those hopeful lies and borrowed heels. Maybe Burner is right.
I may need to read this one again, for those quintessential Adam crumbs.
For me, the intention was less about the rhyming words meaning something specific and clear than having people talk about you like you are an object in front of you through some shared code.
You're a "thing." You fall into a bucket (of the women we sleep with that can all be categorized with our little system.) In fact, I wanted the *suggestion* of meaning in them, but still unclear. "Learner" is fairly clear, and I wanted that to sexualize the descriptions.
Lauren doesn't understand exactly what they mean, either, other than, maybe, you don't want to be a Learner. But that's the point. (Or at least my intention writing it.)
Perhaps, I've removed too many crumbs. But really a twenty-one year old man with a 13-year-old girl is the only bread crumb that really matters. Everything else is processing damage.
I don’t think it’s your doing, I was typically the kid feeling like she was on the outside of an inside joke, so I probably over-read to make up for some perceived deficit!
I love hearing your explanation though. The sense of wanting to be something, but not even sure what it is, other than to be “accepted” “loved” “belonging”, these are clear and painfully felt in Lauren. (And my younger self. She both leans toward you for shelter and runs away, feeling way too seen.)
And wanting to be accepted by people you know that, on some level, are mocking you couldn’t be more human even if we vote to run. (I’m referring to the character here and not projecting her onto you.)