Prince Myshkin and Hold the Relish by Harlan Ellison

Prince Myshkin.

Not gonna lie, the quirky title pulled me in immediately. What does the protagonist from Dostoevsky’s The Idiot have to do with a hot dog condiment? Turns out, quite a bit. Our narrator is a bona fide hot dog connoisseur who spends his late nights deep in conversation with his hot dog vendor buddy—dissecting Dostoevsky, the man, the myth, the literary giant. Among the topics on the menu: Was Dostoevsky a misogynist? Can we separate the art from the artist? It almost feels like Harlan Ellison himself is preemptively responding to allegations about his own less-than-stellar behavior toward women. Could he be aligning himself with Prince Myshkin, the naïve yet tragic figure of The Idiot? Or am I just completely out to lunch? (Pun absolutely intended.)

But wait, it gets weirder. Enter one of the hot dog stand’s more flamboyant regulars: a mysterious man dressed like a pimp. This guy sidles up to the narrator and with zero prompting, launches into a wild monologue about the many women he’s been involved with over the years, each of whom has met a ridiculous Final Destination-style demise (one gets crushed by a falling cinder block. Yikes.) Is he cursed? A walking bad omen? The Grim Reaper moonlighting as a stylish raconteur? Who’s to say. All we know is that once his tragicomic tale wraps up, he vanishes into the night, leaving our narrator to ponder life, death, his relationships with women and the colorful characters drawn to a good late-night hot dog stand.

And then comes the kicker at the end. The narrator turns back to his friend and deadpans: "There are some guys who are strictly no goddamned good for women." A self-aware moment from Ellison? A guilty confession disguised as fiction? Or just another absurd gem in this bizarre and darkly humorous fever dream of a story? Either way, I walked away mildly entertained with a sudden craving for a hot dog.

The Garden of Time by J.G. Ballard

"You cannot conquer time."

After many years of searching, I’ve finally found a J.G. Ballard story that deserves the highest praise. This is not meant to be a disparaging remark against the author. He's an erudite and talented writer and I have enjoyed several of his works but his style doesn't always gel with my personal preferences. However, The Garden of Time is not just an excellent short-story, it might actually come close to masterpiece territory. With its evocative imagery, lyrical prose, and lush descriptions, Ballard crafts a beautifully melancholic and uniquely haunting take on time travel.

The Count and his wife live in secluded opulence within their grand estate, seemingly untouched by the outside world. However, their idyllic existence is fleeting. On the horizon, an unstoppable army advances, threatening to tear apart their tranquil lives. Their only defense lies in the mysterious “time flowers” growing in their garden. Each bloom they pluck momentarily rewinds time, delaying the inevitable. But the flowers are dwindling, and no new blossoms can grow quickly enough to stave off the relentless march of time.

The true antagonist of The Garden of Time is not the encroaching horde but time itself—an enemy that no wealth, power, or beauty can ever truly defeat. While reading, I was immediately reminded of  W.H. Auden’s famous lines from As I Walked Out One Evening:

But all the clocks in the city

Began to whirr and chime:

'O let not Time deceive you,

You cannot conquer Time.

Like Auden’s poem, Ballard’s story is a meditation on the illusion of control and the inevitable passage of time. No matter how desperately the Count tries to hold onto his world, time slips through his fingers like sand. The flowers grant only temporary reprieves—just as love, art, and beauty may offer fleeting resistance against time’s advance, but never true victory. In the end, the garden withers, the flowers are gone, and the relics of the past are forgotten because time always wins.

The Romance of a Busy Broker by O.Henry

Too busy for love until he checked his emotioanl portfolio.

Here’s another cookie-cutter O. Henry tale, predictable in structure but still enjoyable enough. His sharp wit, economic prose, and  sardonic humor are in top form in The Romance of a Busy Broker, even if the “twist ending” doesn’t quite pack the usual punch. It’s a bit silly and exaggerated, but that seems to be the point.

The story does a great job of capturing the chaotic, nonstop energy of the New York Stock Exchange in the early 20th century. Maxwell, our frazzled broker, is so hyperfocused on the market’s ups and downs that romance doesn’t even register as a possibility until he finally pauses for half a second and realizes he’s in love with his stenographer.

It’s a fun little story, even if it’s not O. Henry’s most memorable. The humor and pacing keep it engaging, and the over-the-top nature of it all makes for an amusing read. If nothing else, it’s a reminder that work isn't everything and sometimes you just need to stop, take a breath, and notice what’s right in front of you before it is gone forever.

You can read this story HERE.

Referential by Lorrie Moore

Daniel Boone.

There's a great moment in this story where the narrator wryly drops a profound aphorism: "How could people be mentally well in such a world." This statement encapsulates the story’s central theme of mental illness while also showcasing Lorrie Moore’s penchant for dark humor. It is not just a personal affliction but also a response to an overwhelming, chaotic, and indifferent world. I think there's some truth to this statement. 

Anyone familar with Vladimir Nabokov's short-story Signs and Symbols, is bound to notice a few similarities with Referential, especially the basic premise of parents visiting their son in a mental instituation. The intertextuality is fun to dissect, also riffing on the misinterpretation of symbolism that is so prevalent in Nabokovo's story. For instance, hospital policy prevents giving gifts that could be used for self-harm and she decides to get him a book about Daniel Boone. The son believes it contains secret messages or perhaps he can take inspiration from Daniel Boone's life, a reflection of his own struggles and bravery dealing with mental health issues. But, it's just a book. 

Feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt over her son’s condition, the mother is burdened by a deep and inescapable powerlessness. This also extends beyond her role as a caregiver and seeps into her romantic relationship with Pete. Though his emotional withdrawal and avoidance clearly signal his desire to end things, she either misinterprets his behavior or refuses to fully acknowledge the inevitable. Her denial or inability to confront the truth mirrors the broader theme of miscommunication that runs through the story. Similarly, the son’s cryptic and fragmented conversations appear random and disjointed, but their true meaning remains elusive to both his mother and Pete. Whether through willful ignorance, emotional detachment or simple misinterpretation, the characters struggle to connect, further emphasizing the story’s exploration of misunderstanding as a central force in their unraveling relationships.

The First Annual All-Indian Horseshoe Pitch and Barbecue by Sherman Alexie

"Somebody forgot the charcoal; blame the BIA."

If it has not become obvious already, Sherman Alexie is quite fond of using long titles for his short-stories and yet ironically, many of them like The First Annual All-Indian Horseshoe Pitch and Barbecue are very short in length. Clocking in at only four-pages, we are offered a highly condensed depiction of a communal gathering on the reservation. Victor even makes a cameo appearance, dragging a piano over to play some music for the event. 

As the narrator later observes, "There is something beautiful about an ordinary carnival." It's a mixture of cynicism and sincerity. Sure, there are plenty of hotdogs, Kool-Aid, foot races for the kids, fun pranks, basketball tournaments. This should a time of joy and celebration but the narrator's underlying cynism is difficult to ignore. He views these activities as perfunctory or meaningless: "And then Seymour told Simon, "Winning all those contests makes you just about as famous the world's best xylophone player." Shattered dreams and disappointment cast a pall over the festivities but there are still glimpses of hope to be found here. The parental affection towards a mixed-child, the first meeting of a potential romantic relationship: "Neither has the words to describe this but they know how to dance, yes, they know how to dance." It's these beautiful little moments highlighting perseverance that are packed with meaning. Despite all the hardship and trauma, there is still a sense of community that endures under the yoke of oppression. 

The Grasshopper and The Bell Cricket by Yasunari Kawabata

You have much to learn, young grasshopper.

It's always exciting to discover new authors, especially those from outside of North America. Yasunari Kawabata's The Grasshopper and The Bell Cricket, is a brief, highly compressed fablelike story that is deceptively simple. The narrator is observing a group of children playing in a field with their paper lanterns, catching bugs. There is a lyrical quality to the prose that reminds me of a Miyazaki film with a beatiful score by Joe Hisaishi in the background, perfecting capturing childhood innocence with an underlying melancholy. The dramatic irony is derived from the narrator's commentary, as the young boy thinks he is excited about catching a grasshopper for one of the girls but it turns out to be a bell cricket, much to his disappointment. He doesn't fully understand the signifance of the bell cricket and why it is so meaningful to the girl. Like many fables, they usually end with a moral. In this case, the bell cricket represents a special love that might be overlooked due to conformity and conservative values. Moreover, childhood innocence is fleeting and will eventually be replaced by experiences of heartbreak, disappointment, and loss. The joys of childhood are expertly counterbalanced with cynicism, further contributing to the story's melancolic tone.

You can read this story HERE.

New York Mining Disaster by Haruki Murakami

More than a Woman.

Haruki Murakami is fond of incorporating Western pop-culture references in his work, especially music, and the title New Yorking Mining Disaster is a Beegees song. What is the connection in this story? Well, the narrator is metaphorically trapped in this "disaster" called life. Even though he's in his late 20's, he is attending the funeral of many friends and acquaintenances of a similar age. This existential dread and fixation on mortality contributes to his sense of despair and loneliness. Similar to the trapped miner in the song, he too suffers from fear, isolation and uncertainty about escaping this hellish nightmare. 

The narrative's underlying melancholy is juxtaposed with subtle surrealism, creating a sense of absurdity. Like other Murakami stories, the refined calmness and discursive prose has a floating, dream-like quality with a perfect balance of sadness and humor. The quirkiness is kept in check and the tangents highlight other common themes that show up in his work such as nostalgia and memories. The New Years Eve party at the end of the story is where the tonal shift towards playful humor becomes most apparant. He meets a woman there and their flirtatious conversation seems to awaken him from this debilitating reverie. She seems to connect with him on a deeper emotional level through humor and he finally begins to come out of his shell. 

It's great stuff.

A Fairy in the Flat / A Pot of Tea by Agatha Christie

T&T.

I surprised myself this month and actually caught up with the all the previous short-story selections for FandaClassiclit's Agatha Christie Challenge! Most of them were enjoyable, some more than others. I had never even heard of the Tommy and Tuppence mysteries before, so this was a pleasant surprise.

Not much happens in A Fairy in the Flat, which mostly serves as an introduction to Tommy Beresford and his wife Tuppence. They are both British ex-military and finding it somewhat difficult to adjust back into civilian life after the excitement of international espionage during WWI. Tuppence feels bored returning to a humdrum life of domestic and wifely duties. Tommy seems a little more complacent about their current circumstances wheras she is eager to embark on the next big adventure. He comes across as more pragmatic whereas she seems more forthright in her convictions, impulsive, mercurial. The title of the story refers to a photograph that he shows her where if looked closely enough, you can just make out a fairy-like figure hovering in the background. Perhaps I missed the significance of this discovery because it's mentioned once and then Christie quickly transitions into the turning point of the story where their friend shows up at the flat, presenting an opportunity to take over a detective agency. Looks like Tuppence's wishes for a new adventure have been answered. 

This brings us to the next story, A Pot of Tea, where the couple receives their first case. It's mystery-light and doesn't involve grand conspiracies or murder. The "big reveal" is rendered inconsequential; rather, it's main purpose is character development, giving the reader a better sense of their contrasting personalities. Like many of Agatha Christie's works, these two stories are dialogue heavy and it's the witty banter that really shines. Since this is just an introduction to Tommy and Tuppence, I can only imagine that the stakes are higher in their later adventures. 

Slingshot by Souvankham Thammavongsa

Golden Girls.

When it comes to symbolism, I’m still scratching my head over why Souvankham Thammavongsa’s short story is called Slingshot. The title brings to mind youth and mischief (Dennis the Menace comes to mind), which seems at odds with the narrator. She is an older woman in her 70's who embarks on a sexual relationship with a much younger man that lives next door. But hey, just because you’ve got a senior discount doesn’t mean desire disappears. The story explores how aging, particularly for women, can be a lonely and frustrating experience, especially in the realm of romantic relationships.

Now, if you’re here for steamy erotica featuring a grandma and her young stud, you might want to adjust your expectations. While there are some spicy scenes, the story is more about the narrator's search for intimacy and genuine emotional connection rathar than just physical passion. Aging makes it harder to be vulnerable with others, and while this fling offers a brief thrill, it’s just a fantasy. As much as the narrator wants this relationship to work, it isn't sustainable in the long term because she can’t outpace the reality of time creeping up in the rearview mirror. 

In the end, Slingshot isn’t all about wild, reckless passion (although that is one of the main driving motivators of this relationship), it’s more about the pull of longing and the bittersweet release of reality. In some ways, much like a slingshot, the narrator is stretched between past and present, desire and acceptance. Perhaps this could be one possible explanation for the title.

You can read this story HERE.