Wikipedia defines solipsism as the idea that only one’s (your own) mind is sure to exist. This story by Fredric Brown takes an irreverent view of the universe and the place of one solipsist in it. Walter B. Jehovah has had a bad week. He decides to end it all… not just his life, but everything. After some initial success, he finds that the only way for him to cease to exist is to create a new universe and float around alone for millions of years until another suicidal solipsist emerges to replace him. Themes include perspective, existence, creation. More…
African Passions
This Beatriz Rivera story blends a serious tale about the end of a dysfunctional relationship with the humorous antics of eight Santería gods. The unfortunate woman in the fourteen-year co-habitation is feeling frisky but being ignored. She invokes the gods with the words I want pleasure! And I want it right away!. Later, after her cowardly partner ends things as they drive around trying to bury a cat the gods threw out their ninth story window, she prays: African Powers … help me get over this man! Themes: love, innocence, spirituality, passivity, moving on (Teresa); social class, exploitation, deceit (Armando). More…
Chivalry
This Neil Gaiman fantasy features a nice old lady with nice friends, who lives in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. She was also living a nice, peaceful life until one day her routine was interrupted by Sir Galahad on a quest to find the Holy Grail. Having recently bought the Grail at an op-shop, the woman refuses Galahad’s offers of the Sword of Invincibility and Apple of (eternal) Life in exchange. Fortunately, the lad finds two other items she thinks would look better on the mantelpiece. Themes include civility and respect, patience, perseverance, and contentment in old age. More…
Tennessee’s Partner
Bret Harte’s Tennessee’s Partner is said to be one of America’s first ‘bromance’ stories. Set in an isolated mining town during the California Gold Rush, two men sharing a cabin have a friendship so strong that it survives when one of them (Tennessee) runs away with his partner’s new bride and returns after she leaves him for someone else. Unfortunately, the townspeople become tired of Tennessee’s mischief and begin to suspect him of theft. A purported armed robbery, frontier justice and a hanging separate the two friends. But not for long! Themes: friendship, loyalty, crime and punishment, justice. More…
The Ransom of Red Chief
In this story by O. Henry, two bumbling swindlers kidnap a boy to raise money for their next scam. Unfortunately, they choose the wrong victim. Not only is the boy hyperactive and uncontrollable but, poorly treated at home, he enjoys camping out with them so much that he doesn’t want to return. Through various persona (including the warrior Red Chief), he drives the men to distraction … so much so that when his father refuses to pay their ransom, they pay him to take the boy back. Themes include crime, parental neglect, misjudgement, imagination and make-believe, violence, poetic justice. More…