Go to Life in the fast lane--where's the on ramp?
- Add a comment
- Go to Peanut Butter Paranoia - conclusion
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