"The Burden of Being a Prodigy" by Alan Dwight

[Rutabaga]

Here:  https://awesomedude.com/alan_dwight/the-burden-of-being-a-prodigy/index.htm

This story quite literally starts out with a bang.  

R

[Camy]

I think I'm going to like this... providing it concludes before I get too ancient.

What with Altimexis' 'Brilliant Boy Billionaire' and now Alan Dwight's 'Burden of Being a Prodigy', are we seeing the birth of a meme?

I'm thinking 'My Cat: the Yowling Laureate' would be a good addition.

[Rutabaga]

Rusty is proving to be quite an amazing young lad.  

R

[Rutabaga]

Rusty rocks.  Cool that he has made a friend in David Miller.

R

[Rutabaga]

Pretty exciting stuff going on with Rusty and his playing and his composing.  He is certainly living up to the story's title.

R

[Rutabaga]

Just want to say that I am continuing to enjoy the story.  I could particularly relate to the narrator's comments about being alone after having someone else in the house for so long.

R

 

[Nigel Gordon]

I am really enjoying this story and it is developing nicely.

[Rutabaga]

As long as Mr. Miller doesn't go out and try to turn the whole town against Abe and the boys . . .

R

ON FURTHER THOUGHT:  Mr. Miller has just recently lost his older son in the war.  Now he's jettisoning his other son.  He needs help.

[Rutabaga]

OK, I'm confused.

"The boys who had attacked Rusty and David where shunned by the town, and soon they and their families moved away."

I thought the boys were facing serious criminal prosecution and imprisonment.  How could they just "move away"?

R

 

[Rutabaga]

The story has concluded. Thanks for a lovely journey. 
 

R

[Merkin]

Alan, your take on the life of boys is always unique, and the results are stories that are unpredictable.  I love it.  Thanks for this one.
James