A Taste of My Writings: The Dark Side of the Dune & Feline Meanderings

By reading the opening paragraph or two of a story, you can get the flavor of what follows. Poe began The Cask of Amontillado “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.” I have kept that as a guide and challenge myself to begin each story as he might have. The following stories appear in Morning Wine and Other Stories which is available here.

THE DARK SIDE OF THE DUNE

I have no recollection of killing her.  I don’t remember the face attached to the bones, nor the eyes, nor the hair, nor the lips.  I can assign no logical motive, though for the last few weeks I have spent nearly every moment pondering that.  I have only sketchy shadows from which to draw, murmurs from somewhere my mind refuses to venture.  I retreated from the dune, but what it conceals pursues me relentlessly.  I don’t believe in ghosts, but she will not relent.  Closure will never come.  I cannot confess.  Cowardice dictates my fate; the sentence is life without parole.

FELINE MEANDERINGS

“Hi, there.  I’m Bruno.  My human prefers to call me Fluff.  Fluff, indeed!  Just look at my food bowl.  Fluff! And in green letters that sparkle.  I have to close my eyes when I eat so I won’t see that word.  A member of the most dangerous species in the animal kingdom cannot be named Fluff.  Fluff indeed!  Sounds like what an old woman does when she has eaten too many beans.  Sounds like the extra embellishments that have no substance, like when a politician speaks.  That’s definitely not me.  I may meander a little, but everything I say is worth hearing.  Please, call me Bruno.

“I am a feline.  Yes, a FELINE!  Got that?  I am not a cat.  I categorically hate that word.  Calling me that could lead to catastrophe.  I’m not being catty, I simply hate that word.  Any animal whose nearest relatives stalk the plains, mountains and jungles of the world striking fear into the hearts of all should be given the respect to be called a feline.  A disrespectful rat called me that a couple of months ago.  I ate his liver with some fava beans.