Sunday, March 02, 2008

Bethy built a boy trap. Part of it was a metal frame stuck in the ground, two legs on each side (V's turned on end), and a connecting bar on top. From the top bar dangled two chains, ending at a black rectangular seat down by the ground. In fact, the construction looked exactly like a swing. And since it looked exactly like a swing, Bethy decided she didn't actually have to build that part herself but could borrow the swing at the playground on her way home from school. A boy trap is, of course more than just that. It's a complex merging of chemical, biological and psychological elements that are as easy to understand as why no sometimes means yes.

On Monday at 3 o'clock in the afternoon Bethy walked past her trap. The trap was empty. On Tuesday she walked by again. A boy lingered nearby, snapping twigs he'd torn from one of the bushes. On Wednesday as she passed the swing, there was the boy, caught!, hanging by his legs from the top bar, waiting for the girl to free him. Bethy walked towards the boy, to help him out of the trap and onto his feet again. The boy saw an inverted Bethy walking in close, smiling up at him, ready to turn his entire world upside down. This was the ineveitable result considering his belief that he had just caught Bethy with the girl trap he had built.

Story #421

This was the third in a series of sketches by Tabita. If you'd still like to contribute your own story, please feel welcome to. You can see more of Tabita's work at her Danish gallery - the series of self portraits especially caught my eye. Tabita and I plan on collaborating more in the future: stories to pictures and pictures to stories, like this very sweet surprise for Indeterminacy #205 (page down to see it).

Postscript: Tabita asked me to thank all of you on her behalf for your stories and comments. I'm happy she let me borrow her artwork for a set of stories. So thank you, too, Tabita!

14 comments:

Doug The Una said...

"Get dressed one leg at a time. I'll show her!"

You've discovered another superior talent, Indie. I think you're the impresario of the internet.

Jamie Dawn said...

The world looks very different from this angle.
Topsy-turvy.


Tabita's sketches are great. I especially like the one from Monday (striped socks) and your fun story that accompanied it.
You now have your own illustrator!!
The pairing of your words with her drawings would make a nice book.

Lorena's Blogbilingüe said...

"Look at me, Daddy, look at me, look at me!" the little girl screamed as she performed her routine on her backyard gym set.
But when she landed on the ground again to take her bow, he was looking the other way and her heart sank.

Diane Dehler said...

Hi Indy,
Hope you are doing okay these days.

Well, this photo shows a different view of the world. I remember swinging so high that I flipped over a swing set once, but never hanging upside down. LOL Talk about a novel experience.

Anonymous said...

Loved the Danish gallery.

Anonymous said...

Her hair flopped down and swung back and forth. Her sweater came up and almost covered her face, and her t-shirt came lose from her jeans. She swung herself back and forth a bit more violently, feeling the breeze in her hair--but it was no use. The thrill was gone. She was growing up.

Indeterminacy said...

Doug: Maybe he fell into his clothes? Thanks for calling me an impresario - I think. Maybe I better look it up first.

Jamie: I know what I like, but having your confirmation makes me even more confident. I hope Tabita and I will find lots of common inspirations in the future. Check Story 205 to see what she did with that number! (link is above). I'd be proud to be in a book with Tabita.

Lorena: That's so sad. But a nice story nonetheless. Thanks for contributing.

Princess Haiku: I never even swung all the way around, let alone hung upside down. So what can I say?

Mrs Weirsdo: Great that you enjoyed the gallery. And I enjoyed your story - your words always evoke a little more than is there in black and white.

Anonymous said...

Splendid story Indie, I'm liking the art, it's working.

Indeterminacy said...

Thank you Cooper. I run into so much artwork on the Web, but most of it is so abstract and far out that I don't get it, and the rest is in these manga styles that are so in right now, none of it distinguishing itself from the rest. Tabita seems to me to just follow her own idea of what a picture should be. And it works for me too :-)

Anonymous said...

Great to see you back posting and branching out in new directions. The drawings are lovely! I wish I were more creatively inspired to write a longer story. Somehow, I feel like being a spectator a lot these days...

Mindful Mimi said...

Indie,
Thanks for sharing Tabita's art and making me discover RedBubble. Guess it's time for me to put some art on there...
Good to see you're writing more often again.
Mimi

Indeterminacy said...

Ian: I've been doing more and more stories to photos intended as art - and I'm happy that this experiment with non-photos has worked so well. Don't worry about writing long stories. I haven't written any yet, either.

Mindful Mimi: I'm glad I could help you find something new. When you are in RedBubble, send me a message. My id is indeterminacy. So we can be in touch there, too.

Cori said...

Fun and fantastic story!

Tabita is a great artist!

Anonymous said...

"I hope that giant fly doesn't come back and tickle me again," thought Charles. "I hope it's flown back to outer space for good. Nobody believes me about it. But I know it's real. It says it plays for the greatest rock band in the Universe and it's always asking me if I know anyone who wants a really good massage for just 666,666 Quatloos. My mom says if I mention Buzzin the Giant Fly again she will have to take me to see Dr. Zigmund Fraud. Because everyone knows there's no such thing as giant alien flies. But I know there are! Because every time I come to the playground and I'm all by myself, Buzzin comes to tickle me. And that's the truth!"
By Gary the Axolotl
with lots of help spelling from Mickey Ratt