A Bit Of Experimentation

Discussion in 'Reading & Writing' started by Bill Boggs, Jun 3, 2021.

  1. Bill Boggs

    Bill Boggs Supreme Member
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    I'm an old guy, more or less stuck at home. I can't get out and about much anymore and the only thing I can observe is my front or back yard and across the street. I’m no longer a good conversationalist if ever I was. l like forums, I like this forum but I'm not much of a contributor so I wanted to find something I could comment on maybe at the bottom of this forum in the Diary Section. If it don't work out, I'll change the subject.

    I've never, to my current memory, stated my hometown on any forum. I've said I was born in Texas and I was
    and I have also lived in New Mexico, in Hobbs, Lovington and Portalas. Some of my stomping grounds have been Roswell and Carlsbad. No body gives a hangnail where I've lived and spent most of my money, so I'll
    say no more about them. Instead, in Widespot In the Road, I'm going tell you about my Hometown.
    I would tell about yours but I don't know it as well.
     
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  2. Joe Riley

    Joe Riley Supreme Member
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    Here's an audio book you might enjoy, Bill.

    The Town of Widespot (Audio: Thomas McGuane reads).

    Wide Spot
    By Thomas McGuane

    "Still, it had been a very long time since I’d last visited Prairiedale. Back then, the town was known as Wide Spot; it wouldn’t have had a name at all if it weren’t for the filling station there, and, had anyone thought about it, would have been called something more dignified, like Fort Lauderdale".

    "In the old days, the Indians led their cattle to the freight yards many miles away on horseback; their wives awaited them in Model T Fords, pulled their saddles off the horses, and drove them back to the reservation. The horses turned up on the res within a week, grazing their way north on unfenced grass".
     
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  3. Bill Boggs

    Bill Boggs Supreme Member
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    Well, that’s just dandy. Here I am all set to talk about my home town and right here in almost the start of things you plop down a professional author talking about his home town. You know there is going to be comparisons. Now what chance do I have? None. So back to the drawing board. Now that I think about it, the Diary Section is not the place to tell such a tale. I’ll let you know.
     
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  4. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
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    Go ahead Bill. I'm here for your stories. :D
     
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  5. Joe Riley

    Joe Riley Supreme Member
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    Sorry, Bill I was trying to encourage you. Stick it out and keep trying. I know you got it in you!
     
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  6. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    I don't want to hear some professional author tell me about his purported hometown. And what's a "professional author"? Hell, the guy was born and raised in Queens and he's writing about Injuns and cattle and grazing horses. [spits on ground]

    As long as you don't try to tell us you were raised at Lake Wobegone, we're all ears.
     
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  7. Lon Tanner

    Lon Tanner Supreme Member
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    Well now fellow old timer tell us about your Hometown and your life I think the members would enjoy reading about it. I know I would.
     
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  8. Bill Boggs

    Bill Boggs Supreme Member
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    I was joking. The story of Widespot is printed in the a copy of the New Yorker. I read part of it and will finish it tomorrow. It gave me something to say while I was
    compiling my thoughts.
    So, thank you.
     
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  9. Bill Boggs

    Bill Boggs Supreme Member
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    Stories from my hometown

    Apologies to @John Brunner and @Nancy Hart and perhaps others who stumbled onto Widespot in the road
    and found another blockage. Had trouble getting starting and being a poor excuse for a storyteller, I needed to start over.
    It did occur to me Wide Spot mighgt not be the best place to spot another story. In view of that, and for
    your information.
    I rewrote a quick replacement this morning covering the same subject matter. So, John, your 'damn, Boggs' story was moved
    to, Tall Tales and Fabrications. Thought it unnecessary as long as it was readable. Thanks flor reading. I'd like your serious
    opinion so that i might or might not continue telling stories from my home town. Cheers.
     
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  10. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    You are a very engaging writer, Mr. Boggs. Your storytelling voice and construct are much different than your informal written conversational voice.

    More, please.
     
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  11. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    For other fans: Bill's stories are now here.
     
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