Tom Rayfiel's short story, "Another Night in Tunisia," begins:
Ennui, having once again planted its sweaty buttocks on my face, drove me to Great Lengths, the local hippified gin mill run by a purple-haired diva named Stella Artois. Stella, who was handy with a chain saw, had done most of the decorating herself, but because of my degree in literature asked if I would glue shut some six hundred editions of Shakespeare bought wholesale from a failing grade school. This I agreed to do in return for unlimited credit at the bar; a coffin actually, propped on sawhorses.
There's enough interesting stuff going on in that opening that I was ready to sit down and see just what might happen with Stella and/or this literary narrator. However, by the beginning of the fourth page there was the first of many deviations to historical facts, poetry, and other side trips that to be honest had me wondering just what in the hell I was reading. I've gone back now three times and simply have to admit that Ijust don't quite understand what Rayfiel was doing with this story. There are sections like that opener that I really like, but not enough to dip back in for a fourth attempt.
Dan,
No need to look for deep meanings. It's a take-off on The Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter, a work of which only fragments survive. Petronius writes in very racy Latin prose. I was shooting for something similar, in English.
Posted by: Thomas Rayfiel | April 02, 2011 at 12:43 PM
Thomas,
Thanks! While I would rarely ask an author for an explanation (mainly out of the embarrassment of having to admit I didn't understand), I'm glad you did--based on your description, I think you nailed it--the fragments, the racy prose.
Appreciate your stopping by here and helping a guy out.
Dan
Posted by: Dan Wickett | April 02, 2011 at 01:51 PM