This was a simple exercise for a creative writing class in 2008; I was asked to write a story around an evocative painting. I decided to try it in second person, and I'm pretty pleased with the result. The narrative voice reminds me of someone I've missed for a long time. Have you ever tried writing dialog in the voice of someone you know well? How'd it work out for you?
Hey kid, did your dad ever take you to one of these shows? No? Well, let me tell you, you’re in for a treat. Yes, sir. It may not be much to look at now, but when I was a boy, this theater was the most popular spot in town. Your dad and I used to come up here with your granddad, you know, when we were young, and we’d stay here for hours in these same seats watching the show. Oh, yes. It’d be one act after another all evening, and you could stay for as many shows as you like for with just one ticket so long as you stayed in the theater.
Hey, look at that. I remember this act. See that fat fella on the left? No, not the short one. Him. He’s going to do something great in just a-- there he goes! No, look close. It’s not just juggling. They’re all juggling. Can you see what he’s juggling? Watch the cigar boxes, kid. Hah, yeah, that’s right. That’s the ticket. There’s the show. The tough part is getting them all back in. That’s what the other guys are for. This was a popular act back when I was a kid. Every show used to have an act like this, even when the theater shut down back in, what, forty-six, I think. Oh, look at that, one of chickens is making a break for it! Bet that’s something you don’t see too often, huh? They’re not as good as the performers we got in the old days, but it stirs up the older acts no end, don’t you—hang on a second.
What?! The hell did you say? Hey, who asked you? It’s the kid’s first time here, all right? I’m just explaining-- Jesus fucking Christ, will you watch your mouth in front of him?! the kid’s parents just d—Yeah? Well, I was in Korea! No, you sit your ass down! Look, if you don’t like it, move! Grumpy old bastard. Don’t pay any attention to him, kid. What was I saying? Oh, right, you could stay all day if you wanted to. Those were great nights.
Oh, your dad and I had some great times in here. Hah, especially when we were a little older, and started going without your granddad. Kid, I can’t tell you the trouble we got in when we snuck Jenny Stark down into the orchestra pit, and your dad, he… Yeah, well, maybe when you’re older. But let me tell you, I can’t count how many times I got myself thrown out of here. Your dad and I made these pea shooters; you know what pea shooters are? And whenever a boring act came on and they were just dancing, we’d wait until they were facing away from the audience and blow—phut!—right in the butt! Hah, they used to say they’d ban us whenever they caught us, but they never did. The worst they ever did to us was, one of the ticket takers, a sour old bastard by the name of McMahon, he dragged us outside once to go tell your grandma what we did. That was how we handled troublemaking kids like us in those days. Hah, yeah, you’d think that was pretty bad, but your aunt Nancy was married then and had her own house, so we told that old grump her address and the minute she saw us, she knew what was happening and chewed us out until he headed off. She was a good woman, your aunt, you know. Always one for a laugh.
Oh, wow, you see this dance? Kiddo, I once saw this act performed by—Oh, this takes me back. Oh, boy. Do you know who Baby Gumm was? When I was a few years younger than you, way back in twenty-eight, I saw a show in this theatre with the traveling Gumm sisters. Just these three little girls, Suzy, Jimmie and Baby Gumm, who’d do a little song and dance and that was it before the old Topsy and Eva, which your granddad never even let us watch because it was so racy. Now, I didn’t think much of those girls at the time, I wasn’t really interested in that sort of an act, but I saw Baby Gumm again later, when I was older. I was fourteen and she was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen. Still was to this day, let me tell you. And that second time I saw her, it was a number like this. Just like this, with the umbrella and the hat and everything. Of course, she wasn’t called Baby anymore when I saw her then, and Gumm had become Garland. And kid, after I saw her that time, I took every opportunity I could to see her again. Hell, I’ve got an old poster of her somewhere in the basement, we’ll take a look at it when we get home. I heard about the worst news of my life last June. Apart from your folks, I’ve never been so sorry to see anyone go, you know that? Not your granddad or grandma, not my old colonel, not even your aunt Anne. I really felt like a part of-- um... yeah. So, yeah, it’s a great act. Yes, sir. Good stuff. Yeah...
Say, uh, how’s that popcorn holding up for you? Why don’t you let me go get you some more. No, it’s okay. You just stay here. Watch the show. I’ll be back in just a minute, okay, kid? I’ll be right back.
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