Myshuno! 2014 Prompt: Performing for a nonexistent audience (205 words)
The prompt for this story was “Performing for a nonexistent audience,” submitted by katrisims. This story fits into Ruth’s (un)Officially Wacky Boolprop Challenge between chapters 8 and 9. There are no spoilers.
Rating: G
Dramatis Personae
Old Adam Shankel, who has a part in the school play
Ruth Shankel, his mother
Setting
Yes indeedy.
OLD ADAM: (flings his hand dramatically towards his audience) I will watch over you, dear friends, from my position as sentinel in the niche near the controller. (points at his audience, or at an imaginary wall that’s where his audience is, anyway) Just as my distant forbearer did, I will keep you safe although (closes his eyes, clasps his left fist to his chest and brings the back of his hand to his forehead in a melodramatic “martyr” position) I fear that Jason and his myriad of brave Argonauts would have fared much better with my ancestors than with myself. (still in the same position, begins to jump up and down with his feet close together) Indeed -
RUTH: (sticks her head around the bathroom door) Sweetie, what do you think you’re doing?
OLD ADAM: (stops jumping) Practicing, Mama. (directs a firm, reassuring gaze at his audience, who directs a firm, reassuring gaze right back at him from the mirror over the bathroom sink) I have been cast as the Blue Canary, and I must do justice to the role.
Note: This song owes basically everything to two songs by They Might Be Giants:
Birdhouse In Your Soul has the “blue canary, in the outlet by the light switch, who watches over you”. (After many many listens, I figured out that the song is about a nightlight.)
Til My Head Falls Off has the part about “clearing my throat and gripping the lectern/I smile and face my audience/clearing its throat and smiling with its hands on the bathroom sink”. (Or, you know, the audience is himself in a mirror.) The title also come from this story.
If you are not familiar with the work of They Might Be Giants, you should be. Go watch the two videos linked to immediately, if not sooner.
Rating: G
Dramatis Personae
Old Adam Shankel, who has a part in the school play
Ruth Shankel, his mother
Setting
Yes indeedy.
OLD ADAM: (flings his hand dramatically towards his audience) I will watch over you, dear friends, from my position as sentinel in the niche near the controller. (points at his audience, or at an imaginary wall that’s where his audience is, anyway) Just as my distant forbearer did, I will keep you safe although (closes his eyes, clasps his left fist to his chest and brings the back of his hand to his forehead in a melodramatic “martyr” position) I fear that Jason and his myriad of brave Argonauts would have fared much better with my ancestors than with myself. (still in the same position, begins to jump up and down with his feet close together) Indeed -
RUTH: (sticks her head around the bathroom door) Sweetie, what do you think you’re doing?
OLD ADAM: (stops jumping) Practicing, Mama. (directs a firm, reassuring gaze at his audience, who directs a firm, reassuring gaze right back at him from the mirror over the bathroom sink) I have been cast as the Blue Canary, and I must do justice to the role.
Note: This song owes basically everything to two songs by They Might Be Giants:
Birdhouse In Your Soul has the “blue canary, in the outlet by the light switch, who watches over you”. (After many many listens, I figured out that the song is about a nightlight.)
Til My Head Falls Off has the part about “clearing my throat and gripping the lectern/I smile and face my audience/clearing its throat and smiling with its hands on the bathroom sink”. (Or, you know, the audience is himself in a mirror.) The title also come from this story.
If you are not familiar with the work of They Might Be Giants, you should be. Go watch the two videos linked to immediately, if not sooner.