I have submitted five stories today. FIVE. I think that beats my previous monthly total. Not only that, I think I’m caught up: the two still languishing were written in 2011 and aren’t up to my current standards. I either need to completely rewrite them or trunk them.
I am now completely braindead and exhausted.
I was checking out at the grocery store. The undergrad-looking clerk told the guy ahead of me that he was doing a project for class on classic movies. The two of them discussed The Princess Bride and a few other things.
When my turn came, the clerk asked me my favorite movie? I asked if he wanted classic, and he said sure.
“Casablanca, no contest.”
“Yeah? What’s that about?”
I looked at him blankly for a moment. “You need to just watch it.”
“That’s pretty old, isn’t it? What about something newer?”
“It’s in black and white, even. But it’s an excellent movie: Humphrey Bogard, Ingrid Bergman.” This time the blank look was his.
I proposed The Usual Suspects as a “newer classic.” He’d at least heard of Kevin Spacey. We discussed The Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me, apparently both more his idea of classics, though he hadn’t seen either.
I left him with a parting admonition to watch Casablanca. I wonder if he will.
I came away feeling old, and sincerely hoping that this guy isn’t a film major.