"A Work of Art" by Cole Parker

[Rutabaga]

From Cole's inventive brain comes a new story, "A Work of Art."  http://www.awesomedude.com/cole-parker/a-work-of-art/a-work-of-art-01.htm

It begins as a  first-person narrative with Artie, the protagonist, ironically protesting in fulsome prose that he has nothing to write about.  Then it transitions to a first-person "narrative within the narrative" where Artie proceeds to write in detail about himself and his life.  While it's early days to see where this tale is going, I distinctly heard echoes of Luke, the protagonist and narrator of one of my other favorite Cole stories, "First Year."   At the same time, the photograph on the main page adds a further level of intrigue.

I'm looking forward to more.

R

 

[Altimexis]

Good start on the story, but already I'm confused! Is this a story that takes place in the past - perhaps twenty years ago - or is Artie's dad really old? Artie's dad supposedly worked for NASA in the Apollo program, but the last moon landing was in December, 1972. Artie speaks of the moon landings as ancient history to him. I was sixteen in 1972 and I certainly can't imagine having a teenage son at my age. For the sake of argument, if Artie's dad was in his mid-twenties at the time of the last moon landing, he'd be in his mid-seventies now. Sure, it's possible. Artie's mom could have been in her early forties when he was born, and his dad could've been sixty. That's definitely within the realm of possibility, and I did get the impression the story was written in the present day. However, that meant that Artie's dad married someone twenty years his junior and became a new father at an age when most men are at most sending their kids off to college, or playing with their grandkids or great grandkids.

I'm sure Cole will be filling in the details, but which is it? Is this a story that takes place in the 1990's or 2000's, or one about late-life fatherhood?

That's a great photo - I take it that's Artie and his twin brother?

[Rutabaga]

1 hour ago, Altimexis said:

Is this a story that takes place in the 1990's or 2000's ?

That would be my guess.

R

[Cole Parker]

I have no problem making the numbers work, but if you wish to obsess about it, be my guest!    😏

[Altimexis]

2 hours ago, Cole Parker said:

I have no problem making the numbers work, but if you wish to obsess about it, be my guest!    😏

Cole, that's what I do! As you probably noticed, I sweat the details. I obsess over the sandwich my character orders at an obscure restaurant in the middle of nowhere. Someday, one of my readers is going to comment that they've been to the Kettle Kitchen in Gnome, Alaska (totally made up example) and that the Gnome Gnoulash was discontinued five years ago. Seriously, as much as I loved Chris James' writing, it drove me crazy when he lost entire years from his characters' lives. Some readers take everything in stride as it comes, regardless of whether or not it fits with the rest of the story. Like the main character in the story I'm about to start posting, I remember nearly everything and little inconsistencies are like that person who's leaning on their horn, making it hard to concentrate on anything else. (After all, that never happens here in NYC.) In my defense, I've read that writers who actually get paid for writing have to put up with fans writing them about every little inconsistency in anything they write. Not that any of us are in danger of having that kind of fan base.

[Cole Parker]

I too am a bit picky about details.  But the one you're going on about in this story is easily discounted.  Use your imagination!

C

 

[Altimexis]

1 hour ago, Cole Parker said:

I too am a bit picky about details.  But the one you're going on about in this story is easily discounted.  Use your imagination!

C

 

Well, there's a third possibility - that the boys were adopted.

The thing that makes the most sense to me, though, is that since the story's about a journal of sorts, we're now reading it some twenty years after it was written.

[Cole Parker]

That's one of several explanations I can think of.  In any case, it's immaterial.  Forget about it!

C

[Rutabaga]

And it is a "Work of Art" as in Artie.

R

[Camy]

Well, I liked chapter one.

I'm looking forward to the ending -  when I can hoot with delight that my secret theory was correct. One needs a theory when reading a Parker, and a secret one is always best.

Spoiler

with time travel, aliens, and a passel of very naughty moles.

 

[Merkin]

Well, that's one hidden content I wish I'd never clicked on.

[Cole Parker]

Moles?  

[Merkin]

Chapter 2, and who could have predicted it? 

Cole just keeps on stirring that fiction-laden brain of his and before you know it he’s cooking up a revolution.  Although I can’t say I’d like to do a belly-flop into the school pool with all my bits dangling.
I would probably have enjoyed reading Melville in the nude.  I sure didn’t while fully clothed.

[Camy]

Structured nudity? Hmm... brain still processing, brb.

 

[Camy]

21 hours ago, Merkin said:

Cole just keeps on stirring that fiction-laden brain of his and before you know it he’s cooking up a revolution.  Although I can’t say I’d like to do a belly-flop into the school pool with all my bits dangling.

I concur, though James, as always, has couched it better than I ever could.

[Ivor Slipper]

23 hours ago, Merkin said:

Chapter 2, and who could have predicted it? 

I would probably have enjoyed reading Melville in the nude.  

 

You could have a whale of a time doing that!

[Rutabaga]

On 3/31/2021 at 7:15 AM, Merkin said:

I would probably have enjoyed reading Melville in the nude.

How would you know he was nude, if you're reading a book?

R

[Merkin]

Melville is well known for his tendency to bare all.

[Camy]

On 3/31/2021 at 3:15 PM, Merkin said:

I would probably have enjoyed reading Melville in the nude.

I've hunted high and low for a copy of 'Melville In The Nude' but I can't find one anywhere. Rats.

Luckily, chapter 3 will soon be posted.

[Rutabaga]

Amazingly enough look what I spotted on Amazon:

 

[Cole Parker]

UNBELIEVABLE!

[Merkin]

An apt introduction to Chapter 3.

[Rutabaga]

Fun with Photoshop.

R

[Rutabaga]

I never did find out if Mrs. Darnell left the room like she did, telling us how long she’d be gone, as encouragement for what happened.

Well, duh.

R

 

 

[Camy]

Mrs Darnell is remiss. If you can't 'art' it's a doddle:

1) Two cans of paint - one red, one black - and a canvas... Mark Rothko did quite well. Or failing that:

2) Any old cans of whatever coloured paint you like, a canvas and a bicycle... Jackson Pollock. Or:

3) Trash your room, sell it Charles Saatchi for £250,000 and voila! Tracey Emin - who is now a member (and a professor) of the Royal Academy.

The latest 'thing' are NFTs (Non Fungible Tokens), which let you sell non existent digital art to morons for a fortune.