Riding the big train today and started to daydream, in the daydreamy style of reductive logic unique to the accompaniment of a train horn, the subject which was What I Might Read to the Internet Tonight. And so, in the comparatively confined space of that dreamscape, the decision of What To Read, usually answered with the same response to the question “What am I reading right now? or “Who’s the First Writer That Comes to Mind… NOW?” become exponentially more imposing, as the question, in mid-daydream, instead became “What might I read tonight that will send pleasant dreams to the Entire Internet? And since when did accountability become an issue for a homespun raconteuse? And how can I live up to these sorts of pressures, and what will happen to the electromagnetic and fragile psychic balance of the universe AT LARGE if my sandmanic selection stirs even one listener to a point of restlessness, or worse, causes nightmares!” And it was just about at this point that the eyes started to roll in the head everywhich way but forward, and when the breath started to shorten, and when all signs turned to Level Four Anxiety Attack, did I snap open my eyes and discover that the big train daydream had, at some point, evolved into big train actual dream, and in doing so, I managed a tiny little daytime nightmare so that you wouldn’t have to. And with that, the decision is suddenly fraught with nothing more than the act of reaching up and grabbing whatever, because despite twenty hundred email spams and the need to read my self to sleep following the time on the train, I am now compulsively focused on satisfying your need for randomness. That, Internet, is commitment.
So here you are, the result of a page opened at random from the book grabbed at random from Miette’s Short Story Collection Shelf.
I think, for a variety of random reasons, this was the perfect random selection for right now. I’ve really liked listening to you read and this one was especially good.
A wonderful story. Thanks for reading it.
Fans of Graham Greene might like to look at the above web site.
I enjoyed this story. The 2 (actually 3) people came through so clearly. I also particularly enjoyed another story called, I think, “Mr. Andrews.” Do you ever tell short stories of Isak Dinesin?
Your voice has a nice intrigue about it. Sometimes, for me, it brings life to a story that might need it. I really appreciate the service to all of us your stories bring–a nice snippet of relief and distraction at the end of what can be an exhausting day.
Tell you the truth, the dog sometimes drives me nuts, altho it may be part of your mystique (“Love me enough to pay for it thru hearing the story thru all the dog yaps”).
I’d love to hear stories with an exotic, magical, and puzzling twist to them. Maybe something from Jelal-uddin-Rumi.
I looked on the Internet to see a photo of you, but of course (how silly of me), there was none.
Thank you for the fun and intrigue of your podcast! Diane C.
Hi Diane,
You might have read my mind. I love Dinesen and plan to read something from Winter’s Tales soon. Stay tooned.
And my dog drives me nuts sometimes too. So rather than enhancing the mystique, perhaps the dog’s just bringing us all closer together?
Thanks for listnin’.
xo
— Mtte.
Hello, Miette;
What a delightful way to end an evening–listening to your voice–lingering so respectively over the language and words of this story. I saw this dramatized in 1978 on BBC TV and never forgot those two people so lonely and looking for solace and understanding. Each chained to narcissistic and non-kind spouses. You communciated this theme impeccably. Thank you!
Elle in San Francisco
Thank you so much. It was a great help.