Take Back the Night
by Ann Bogle
I took a “what kind of lesbian are you?” quiz on Facebook, and I learned that I am a femme lesbian. There were only women to choose among in the quiz and one guy who held zero interest for me. So, now that I know this, I'll need to learn how to pick out a woman in a bar. I am a novice at it. A woman who is, say, a culinary arts champion or an heiress devoted to literature such as Annie Winifred Ellerman a.k.a. Bryher or Peggy Guggenheim might be able to turn me on, turn me out, turn me around. Typically, real lesbians apply a battery of tests to see who has paid dues and who has not. It is in some places a cult that cannot be exited without social consequence to oneself. So, to make this a little easier, how does a writer pick out a man in a bar? She starts any kind of conversation, or a man starts one with her. The interjection of “writer” does not create a downer first impression, but it gets thick a bit later—even though she is less than political in her writing—because men start to near the N.S.A. after they meet her.
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So that's why it never works out.*
Some things do work out, and then one of them dies!
Kathy was right. Your work is always in the moment.
"The application of 'writer' does not create a downer first impression, but it gets thick a bit later—because men start fearing the N.S.A. after they meet."
I've often hoped the pen in my hand could be directly connected to my brain - What might I write then? But with you, Ann, the words are directly connected to the firings in your brain. That's a deeper mode. Always real.
Good piece. *
Thanks, Amanda, Kathy (on the forum), and Sam. Sam, thanks for sharing that insight about your writing and mine. I have often wondered what sort of fiction I might have written had I felt the true authorization to write it. Because training was in fiction, I feel it is professional and so ought to pay us as writers; whereas, the direct firings of my brain are sort of lawless in their intents, and as they do not pay (as crime does not pay), they need not, as long as I may.
If I could put a star by the comment you made above, Ann, I would :) *
GREAT.
And this, Ann:
"...the direct firings of my brain are sort of lawless in their intents, and as they do not pay (as crime does not pay), they need not, as long as I may."
Like Jane, I want to star this comment, too.
"It is in some places a cult that cannot be exited without social consequence to oneself." What everyone has said. I'm smiling at the image of Peggy Guggenheim turning you out. No wonder Jackson pissed in her fireplace. You always provoke. *
Jackson Pollock, John Riley? That brings Sean Lovelace's persona fictions to mind. I really appreciated those pieces, examples of excellent historical fiction. I hope they have become a published collection.
This double package (above) reminds me of a set of Amy Winehouse records I bought (CDs) that are plastered with FBI warnings against copyright infringement.
Thanks, Jane and Kathy and John!
I think this story would work well with illustrations. Or pictures. Or maybe sock puppets, if the lighting is right.
Just stumbled over here from The Forum. Only question I have would be the choice one: are we then all latent homosexuals, or are all homosexuals latent heterosexuals, or, ultimately, who the hell cares? *
Oops...by starting my question with "we" I just now realized I'm assuming "we" are all practicing heterosexuals, which would be presumptuous--and being presumptuous is the last thing I would want to be, especially if it means having to write it, which, I'm sure is a tad tricky for arthritic fingers.
Ann, yeah, Jackson Pollock drank too much, as usual, and pissed in her fireplace. Drunk or not it was a statement of sorts, or perhaps the run-of-the-mill resentment of a peasant-born artist?
Ann, your writing NEVER ceases to amaze me. This piece most certainly does. Fascinating and thought-provoking, and so current. *
Wow, thanks, Robert, Adam, Matthew and John Riley (again). I would like to leave off the author's note. But the note almost needs to be there to give a warning that consent has gone up for grabs, presenting a need to keep it there sort of like a headline story and to keep the story on the left more like a short story. I appreciate all of your-all's feedback!
How interesting. I love the raw honesty of this. There is so much pressure everywhere, so many labels and assumptions. It's a miracle we don't just flatten out. Well told*
Thanks, Jen ... !
Author's note mistakenly deleted!