Every once in a while I come across an article about 1 paragraph stories or 1 sentence novels. I am always bemused by these tales though they don't play to my strong suit --- I usually like my words in abundance. But they do appeal to my preference for the use of precision in expression.
I have lately realized that I hear a number of one line pronouncements (mostly from students and my friends) that make me laugh in the moment and then linger in my mind as I idly wonder what the rest of that tale might tell. I decided to save a few of those one-liners and I'm re-producing them below, in the hope that other readers will also wonder how stories that begin with these lines might play themselves out.
"My mom can't make pasta. We're Indian."
"When I do shots, I only drink Southern Comfort."
"This poem is killing me."
"There is no Boy Scout badge in not being afraid of the woods. I think they just hope that you will sort that out for yourself."
"Look, there's a Wendy's. I feel safe now."
"How old do you want me to be?"
I can't promise you that these stories will appear anywhere any time soon. But I can promise that if they did appear, I would read on.
1 comment:
Heh - they remind me of McSweeney's Phrases that have Never Been Uttered in Human History - http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/lists/neversaid.html
"Look out, God -- behind You!"
"Nothing's the same since Julie started those wars."
"The New World has that New World smell."
"We, the jury, find the defendant cute as a button."
"Shoot him again, Mr. President. He doesn't mind."
"Yummy plague!"
"I claim this land in the name of Phyllis T. Brunell."
"Let the ant-shaving begin!"
"No man is so tall as when he stoops to help a child kill."
"That was no lady, that was Iraq."
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