Here’s an excerpt from a short story on which I’m working. I’m trying to emulate one of my favorite writer’s style, Roberto Bolano. He wrote Last Evenings On Earth. Check it out, it’s a great collection of short stories that are profound in their simplicity. Anyways, here’s my excerpt:
“This story is partially true. The only false part of this tale is the story itself. The emotions are real. The events are real. The people are real. But the story is not. It began, like all tumultuous stories, with B meeting Beauty.
B is an average man with the standard hopes and dreams of a person who, upon looking at the brilliance of stars, sees only bright gaseous disconnect of light. He lives an ordinary life which leads him, inevitably, to fall in love with an extraordinary woman. That woman is Beauty.
Now, her name is not actually Beauty. But she does personify this adjective. She is the perfect woman for any man. In fact, she is also perfect for any woman. She is both the dreams and lust of Aphrodite and Cupid. But she is not the most beautiful woman. There is nothing physically striking about her. There are women more attractive; more alluring. She has neither supple breasts nor ample buttocks. Her eyes are not striking. Her smile is not a kiss of sunshine falling through leaves. But what Beauty possesses is radiance. When she walks in a room, men tend to forget there are other women around. The reason is because Beauty represents the perfect woman for any man. Or any woman. It is that representation with which people fall in love. And she is the woman with whom B falls in love.
B works at a photography shop. He makes and preserves digital copies of photos delivered to him by customers or, on rare and nervous occasions, he would take photos of the customers. They usually encompass family photos, school photos, head shots, etc. B is new at this so he only prefers to do head shots. Then he would process the film into photos. But because everyone now has a camera and a computer, B does not make much money. In fact, he is quite poor. And he is also a full time student. B is twenty five years old. He has three more years left before he finishes his degree.
It is in this situation in life that B meets Beauty.
Beauty came into the shop at a prominently beautiful day. This would be symbolic to B if it wasn’t for the fact the he was working. If he was outside, he would notice the dazzling sun, the cool weather, and the soft breeze…..”
Copyrighted by Hoang Tran.
