Comments on Peanut Butter Paranoia - conclusion

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PatB

Thank you for making it all straight for me love, that was really good of you. I am just very overtired.

posted by WileyJohn on May 2, 2012 at 8:40 PM | link to this | reply

Re: I didn't get it...

Wiley, here's the story in a nutshell (pun intended). Elaine has overcome early adversity, suffered a stroke, survives on her disability, doesn't complain much. Virginia complains constantly, talks endlessly about herself, takes advantage of those around her. One hot Saturday night after the movie Elaine listens but wants to choke Virginia, who makes a rude comment about peanut butter, Elaine blows up and leaves. Big V chokes on a bite of cherry pie she's snuck into the DQ. On Monday the cops call Elaine in to give a statement, she thinks they suspect she killed Virginia over the comment she made: Elaine suffers from peanut butter paranoia...

posted by Pat_B on May 2, 2012 at 4:32 AM | link to this | reply

PatB

I'm sorry but Kabu understood this ending immediately, I did not. I couldn't connect the last piece of cheery pie going into Virginia's mouth to Elains talking to the cop. Still I hadn't connected Virginia dying to that cop conversation, actually I thought Elaine had some kind of car accident after the description of her taking off in her car. Kabu says if I read the whole story at the same time I would have understood it. Frankly, I don't think so, maybe I've just got dumber with age. LOL

posted by WileyJohn on May 1, 2012 at 9:39 PM | link to this | reply

What a terrific ending...totally surprising - and awesome - and probably reminded a few of us that there have been occasions when we were not that far from Elaine.... You are a master, Pat_B.

posted by adnohr on May 1, 2012 at 8:24 PM | link to this | reply

Re: Another funny story occured to me, reading the ending of this one.

I like the way you think.

posted by Pat_B on May 1, 2012 at 4:15 PM | link to this | reply

Another funny story occured to me, reading the ending of this one.

What if Virginia, in Elaine's presence, choked on her cherry pie, and the table heimliched her... and ruptured her spleen...  ?

 

posted by Ciel on May 1, 2012 at 1:32 PM | link to this | reply

Re: just love it, best short story that I have read in a long time. I was so

Peanut butter & banana sandwiches -- also a favorite of "the king," Elvis Pressley...

 

posted by Pat_B on May 1, 2012 at 12:10 PM | link to this | reply

just love it, best short story that I have read in a long time. I was so

pleased i went and made peanut butter and banana sandwiches for myself. Wiley thought I had gone mad, he just doesn't know how good they are together.

posted by Kabu on May 1, 2012 at 12:08 PM | link to this | reply

I've never read a better peanut butter story. 
In fact, I don't think I've read anything quite like this before.  LOL.  You are a one-of-a-kind writer.

posted by TAPS. on May 1, 2012 at 10:27 AM | link to this | reply

Well you wrapped this up quite well Pat and don't you just feel it when some old enemy takes off to meet the maker and well; what we say or used to, I don't know if it has gone out of fashion or maybe I have moved into higher class society. I'll whisper it into your pearl like .' tough titty.'

posted by C_C_T on May 1, 2012 at 10:12 AM | link to this | reply

Pat

On second thought, in a sense she did, of course. But the interesting thing here is that her aggressive move with table is barely noticed, as is was barely noticed by herself, and of while she might well have wanted to kill V. subconsciously, I'm sure there was no conscious intent to do away with her...

The nice part about your story is that the reader is left with the same sense of ambiguousness that E. experience...

posted by Nautikos on May 1, 2012 at 8:21 AM | link to this | reply

Pat

This was a great story, very well done! To the end I thought Elaine somehow had a hand in Virginia's demise...

posted by Nautikos on May 1, 2012 at 7:13 AM | link to this | reply