A Note Regarding Rashomon Entries...
Thursday, 4 November 2004 - 9:51 AM HST

Name: TartnTiny

Entertaining! This sounds fun.

Now to make sure what you're looking for... you are wanting us to take one of these characters and "retell" the story from their perspective and not go further than your stopping point?
However, could be go back in time?
For example, if I chose to write from Bobbie's view could I have her paying the caterer earlier that morning or
Dana sweating to the oldies before she got ready for the big family dinner?

Thanks
Tart

Reply to this Comment

Thursday, 4 November 2004 - 10:09 AM HST

Name: Rubber Duckie

You are correct...The object is to take one of these characters, or a character of your own invention that you can logically place within this story, and tell things from their perspective, but go no further than J.B. standing up to make the announcement. You can go back in time as far as you wish...

Also of note:

Characters so far:

J.B. - family patriarch
Bobbi - J.B.'s wife

J.B.'s children - Greg, James and Sherry

Dana is Greg's wife
_________is Sherry's husband (he hasn't been given a name yet)

Interesting plans for the weekend?

Anyone? If so, share them here. As for me and mine, I intend to trot down to the Legion Hall for a fabulous dining experience this evening. Sounds inviting no? I'll admit, it may not sound tempting, nor is the atmosphere anything to write home about, but the food...fabulous. A mouth watering rib-eye that falls apart in your mouth, orange roughy that crumbles at the touch of a fork, homemade salad dressing that is out of this world good, so good that I'd drink it if no salad were available, and crab cakes that even a crab would love. Never mind that you're sitting at a card table covered with a thrift store tablecloth, or that the chair you're sitting on is metal and folds up nicely to be transported to the "hall" for the weekly meetings, or the fact that your napkin is a hand towel incognito. It's all about the food...

After dinner we'll mozy on home, perhaps rent a movie. Any good suggestions? Being that the only movies I've seen at the theater over the last year are 1) The Passion of the Christ and 2)The Princess Diaries, Part II or Returns or the Biology or the sequel...whatever.... So, it's pretty much guaranteed that you'll successfully suggest a movie I've never seen.

I must say that I've already received several entries for the new contest and they're great. It's going to be very hard to choose. Keep them coming!

I hope you all have a weekend...anything more is gravy on top...

Sincerely,

RDD

Rashomon, the beginning

Tonight I have to endure the torture that is dinner with the in-laws. Oh, how to describe it.

Let's see, first we'll be greeted at the door by the family patriarch. He's an alright fellow at first glance, but then you get to know him. He made his money in life the hard way, by saving every penny he ever made and investing it in something safe, like a savings bond. His billfold is tighter than Jocelyne Wildenstein's brow. Had he ever actually taken a risk his net worth would be in the billions instead of the millions. Millions, billions...what's the difference right? He answers the door wearing black socks, blue jeans stained with paint, and a flannel shirt that only Paul Bunyan would wear. Before the evening is over he will be compelled to change into his plaid fleece pajamas. 365 days out of the year he sleeps in full pajama regalia, a long sleeved pajama top over a white v-neck t-shirt, full length pajama bottoms and socks...always the black socks.

He'll give us all a warm, welcoming hug, genuinely glad to see his daughter and grandchildren. But me? Is he genuinely glad to see me? That's debatable. Let's just say it's never an ideal way to get engaged to your fianc? by telling your father-in-law-to-be that "We're pregnant and want to get married." It's always been a spot of soreness and contention that has never quite healed.

We'll be ushered into the kitchen where my brother-in-law and his wife will be sitting on the sofa impatiently tapping their feet and looking at their matching Rolex watches. We're always a day late and a dollar short when it comes to punctuality and they've always got somewhere to be. When you see my brother-in-law's wife one of the first things that comes out of her mouth, right off the bat, is an insult. It's never an obvious insult, mind you. Oh no. It's one of those thinly veiled, said with a smile and a hug insults like "Hey, what's wrong? Are you sick?" Or "Wow, look what the cat dragged in. That's what happens when you ride in the car for an hour." It's a sneaky, crawl up your leg and bite you on the butt before you know it insult that she's mastered like a culinary chef masters a custard.

Physically, she looks like Dom DeLuise in drag. She wears a lot of make-up, more specifically eye shadow, blue eye shadow. She's extremely large everywhere, but unproportionately so. She has small shoulders and a relatively small chest, but from the stomach headed thighward she's gigantic. I can honestly say I've never seen an ass like hers. When you're walking behind it it's almost obscene. It's wide, it pokes out, it jiggles where things shouldn't jiggle and it's so large you can see the cellulite from beneath layers of clothing. It doesn't matter what she's wearing, a dress, a skirt, beneath three inches of fabric, you see it. You automatically get that burning sensation in the back of your throat, you know, the gagging reflex.

I figure right about now you're beginning to feel sorry for Dana, but don't. Let me explain. When Sherry and I got married she quit her job and decided to go back to school. Dana, aka brother-in-law's wife, asked her what she was majoring in. Sherry told her she hadn't decided just yet. Dana then asked my wife, "What about animals? You love animals..." Sherry told her she'd considered that, but vet school was hard to get into and would take a lot of time, which we didn't necessarily have if we wanted to start a family. Dana then laughed in her face and said "I didn't mean vet school silly! I meant you could be a receptionist in a vet's office. You could be a vet helper. Just remember, college isn't for everyone." Need I say more?

Oh, but I will. She belches at the dinner table! After desert she'll call my kids around and say "Hey kids watch this!" Never in my life has something exploded from my body like that. My spoon will be at my lips and she'll do it, causing me to drop my spoon and excuse myself from the table. I know she does it just to irritate me.

Her husband Greg, my wife's brother, is tall and extremely thin. Not a spot of cellulite will you find on his tanned and trim body. Why he doesn't take his wife with him to the gym is beyond me. He makes the rest of us look like lazy slobs. He's always dressed in Kenneth Cole, black or grey, and is in constant motion. I have never seen him sleep. When the rest of us take our after Thanksgiving dinner nap he's out jogging off his meal. I've often wondered if he isn't human and why my wife didn't get his genes.

After the traditional greetings in the kitchen we'll all shuttle into the dining room where a 10 foot custom made table covered with enough food for an army awaits us. At the head of the table you will find my wife's youngest brother already at eat. What do I say about James...James is what you would call that thing you can't describe...you know, indescribable. He's a heavy partier and extremely liberal. The first time I met him he was just getting up at noon while still living at home with his parents at the age of 27. He was bald not because he was bald, but because he shaves his head. He straggled out of bed wearing tattered jeans, red Converse shoes with holes in the toes and his head covered with glitter.

James is definitely a free spirit. He has lived out of the country since my wife and I got married. Nobody knows what he does. He'll disappear for six or seven months at a time and then poof, he's home. The family has speculated that he works for the CIA, is running drugs, or has been in jail. IN college he would work parking cars in Little Rock, take the summers off, and then miraculously have enough money to get a plane ticket to South America and Europe and travel the world by backpack. While gone these 6 to 7 months at a time no one would hear from him, not even a phone call. It was during one of these disappearing acts that his mother died and no one could find him for the funeral. We still, to this day, have no idea where he had been or what he was doing. He drives a bright yellow clunky truck with fire engine red devils painted all over. Why? I personally think he's nuts.

And last, but not least, my step mother-in-law, aka "the trophy wife". After the death of his wife Mr. Daniels went through a major mid-life crisis. When the dust settled my wife found out she now had a new mother...who was old enough to be her sister. The funny thing about Bobbie is even with her fake breasts, injected lips and French tips, she's actually one of the most genuine people I know. She never has a bad word to say about anyone. She religiously lives by the mantra: "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all." If you didn't know her you'd think for sure she had married J.B. for his money. I mean really, why else would a 36 year old babe marry a 63 year old fart?

If she has a downfall it would be her I.Q. One evening, for fun, we all took an online I.Q. test to settle the score of our egos. Her score? Well, let's just say she came in somewhere around the level of a student in junior high. The sweet girl she is, she immediately began to cry and lament over this finding. We all assured her it wasn't scientific and the scores meant nothing,although I would later print mine out on a certificate and have it framed. What's a guy to do when he scores 154?

On this evening things went exactly as I described above. Bobbie had outdone herself on the food, not that she'd ever cooked so much as a bean, but she was excellent at ordering from the caterer. As I rushed to shovel the last bite of chocolate pie into my mouth before the belching began J.B. stood up and nervously cleared his throat. Little did we know, he had an announcement to make that would leave all of our mouths catching flies for days...

Okay folks, here we go. As of today, the deadline for entries pertaining to this piece is next Friday, November 12th. If you have any questions as to exactly what we are doing, see the previous entry. If you still have questions, just ask. Use your imaginations people! There is no right or wrong way...

It's All Relative

And no, I'm not talking about the election. I'm referring to our new literary challenge.

It will be based upon the "Rashomon Effect". This term evolved from a Japanese movie entitled "Rashomon". The gist of it all is that everything is relative, including the truth. James Berardinelli noted that that movie "is not about culpability or innocence. Instead, it focuses on something far more profound and thought-provoking: the inability of any one man to know the truth, no matter how clearly he thinks he sees things. Perspective distorts reality and makes the absolute truth unknowable."

The new challenge is as follows, with the rules being subject to change as we go as this is new territory for me:

I will begin by writing a piece, or chapter if you will, of a story being that I can't write a complete story in one sitting. The goal then is for each of you to write this story from another character's perspective, either from a character I have already introduced or a character from your own creation that you can sensibly place within the story.

This will be a contest. The best entries will be chosen and put up. From there, the story will continue with a new chapter introduced here and there with new entries being accepted for those chapters. Who will write the centerpiece for each succeeding chapter will depend upon how things go. It is my goal to ask the best entrant from each chapter to write the starting piece for the next chapter and that hopefully they will accept.

As to time limits, I intend to let this flow at a comfortable pace, rushing no one. Obviously, it will depend upon the number of entries received as well.

On days between stories it is my intention to always have something up for discussion. Any suggestions or subjects or articles that any of you have will be welcomed. Just send them in. The more, the better.

Sincerely,

RDD

Note to all: Since my computer is still busted I am having extreme difficulty accessing my yahoo email account or replying to any emails there that I have been able to read. Annie, I wanted to let you know I did get to read yours and I thank you and will be taking you up on that.

Thanks,

RDD

Here is an article I read today over at the Guardian that I thought I would share with you all on this election eve.

Article

Please note that I am in no way endorsing either candidate nor attempting to influence your vote. I merely found it thought provoking and wished to see what thoughts it would elicit from this incredible group of people that gather here on a daily basis....That includes you too Rance. Any humdingers will be considered for front page billing...

Sincerely,

RDD

News Item: Rubber Duckie Guilty of Vice
It is with great pleasure, as well all of the platitudes generally found in letters of this sort, that I hereby announce the promotion of Rubber Duckie to the positions of Vice Rance and Chief Operating Officer, effective as soon as I finishing typing this letter.

At a time when this blog was adrift, Rubber Duckie appeared and not only provided a rudder (please feel free to replace "rudder," etc., with good water fowl metaphors if you've got them; I've still got a whopping candy corn hangover and the caffeine's yet to kick in), but steered it in a new and wonderful direction--no less than the digital equivalent of a literary salon. She is a fantastic administrator, an equally gifted writer, and a swell bird--I'm thankful she wasn't among the barrelful shot by Mr. Cheney.

I now turn the control panel over to Rubber Duckie and look forward to the ride.

Sincerely,

R


Administrative Note:

Not to detract from Rubber Duckie's promotion, but it's been brought to our attention that there are "captainhoof"s and "rance"s keeping blogs elsewhere (notably mindsay) and purporting to be one and the same as the people (or machines) responsible for this site. They ain't.

PTI The Ending By Rocker aka The Director's Cut

The bubbles from the champagne lifted laboriously from the stem of the champagne glass. John looked through the opaque yellow liquid, out of the window of his hotel room. The world danced so much quicker to the rhythm of champagne, he thought. Dancing, dancing dancing...

Alexander looked on, while listening in an earpiece. Poor John Luc, he thought, so much money, so little life left. And in his ear was his wife. Crazy, poor, destitute, lost. From one man to another, he was there every step of the way. Love, they called it. The poets, the romantics, the prose masters who made him believe that one person who touched him so could make so much sense. But the harshness of life had taught him that love was as relevant as Latin. A beginning of everything, but dead, nonetheless. Daisy, my love, he thought, what a fallacy. And there, talking to her, was his daughter, Annabella. The child that a false love conceived. All he wanted for her was a good life. The purest of character, Annabella deserved the riches of John. As long as he kept his employer, John Luc, believing that Annabella was his daughter, Anna would inherit everything. Then he could let John Luc die.

Annabella stood in front of her mother. Her knees felt weak, like they would give way, but she held on. It was Daisy who fell. Her face hit the ground, but Anna didn't move. She tried to stand, but Anna didn't move. She was crying, but Anna didn't move.

Daisy, or Sara, as she once was known, or Alexis, as she was known before she met and killed the real Sara, cried. It was over, she thought. The inheritance, the life goal she built her life around. All of it was crumbling. She felt her side, felt the .45 with the silencer and contemplated killing everyone before she was forced to kill herself. Contemplated a death that warriors once believed in. Warriors like the Vietnam vet father that beat her and raped her. He was the reason for this. War and violence had twisted him. Why should she be the only one to suffer. She pulled out the pistol and watched Annabella finally fall with her, the barrel to her head, like she welcomed death.

Anna closed her eyes. She felt the cold steel on her head and her eyes closed, the memories of a false past fading in. The swingset Daisy, or Sara, or whoever she really was, pushing her while a man stood and laughed. The man they said was Inigo. The Inigo with a lost father. She had not known him, her grandfather, but Inigo wanted the best for her. He held her, he loved her. He kept her away from her mother when she was too drunk. He took her fishing. He taught her about life. Taught her about love. And then his scar on his forehead flashed. The same scar the jogger had. That man, that killer, that man who was protecting me....she smiled. She may die now, and she heard the click of a hammer being pulled back...but she would die knowing the truth.

Kites. That's what he saw. Kites outside the bars. OHHHHH, so pretty they were, Stan thought. Sam saw them too. But he was too busy crying. They hated bars, WHY THE BARS!!!! Stan slammed his head against the stone. It hurt, but he did it again and again and again and again and....

Kato's eyes opened. The darkness was gone now. Doctors walked the hallways outside his door, and he pulled himself up. The cold tile floor caused him to reflex at first, as he pulled the wires from his body. He walked out and nurses paid no attention. Why would they, he was the man in this town. The Sheriff in a southern oasis. The one thing that kept him going...Anna. He knew about her past. He knew who she was...that she could inherit it all. And along the way...he fell in love...

John fell. He hurt. His body hurt. Age had done this. Time had done this. Love had done this. A heart can only feel so much, he thought, as his body started giving way. Alexander came to his side. He held him. He had been so good, this man. He deserves it all. I wish, John thought, I wish I had known him before all this. John smiled, and touched Alexander's face. Alex let a tear fall...but only one. His face didn't show the emotion, as if that tear never existed. But John knew....he saw it. The crystal drop...in it he saw Paris...he saw New Orleans...he saw Rose dancing, Rose smiling, Rose laughing...Rose...and it all faded to black..."Anna" was all he could say...

"You don't deserve it." Anna opened her eyes and saw her mother staring at her. "You don't...I did all the work...you were a mistake..."
"Then kill me. My life is a lie. A joke. A con."
Sara blinked twice. She saw her eyes in Anna's eyes. She saw her determination in her. She saw her strength in Anna. She saw her life in Anna.
"Kill me" Anna said again. "My entire life...its all a lie. You made me a lie. And I should die now that I know the truth."
The hammer was pulled. It was all ready. Two bullets. One for he daughter, one for her.

But 'Sara' never felt the lead that filled her head. She never felt her gray matter split in two at the base of her brain. It was too perfect a shot. A shot from an assassin. But this wasn't an assassin. This wasn't a bodyguard. This was a Podunk cop in a Podunk town.

Anna watched as 'Sara' tried to smile. She was free, Anna thought, as Sara's body fell, then gun falling from her hand. And there, to her left, was Kato. Still in hospital gown. Still smiling. Still warm...He fell next to her. He held her. And behind him, the jogger, the assasin, the employ of John Luc, the man she knew as Inigo...Alexander : Her father.

"He's dead...your grandfather," There was a wink, and Alexander handed Anna the pendant and pin that would secure the inheritance she deserved. Anna stood up to hug him...but he stepped back. In China there was a missionary whose life was his charge. This selfish adventure was over...another awaited him. He blew his daughter a kiss and walked away...the fallacy of love, he thought...so fleeting...

Sam stumbled out of the broken bars....no alarm had sounded. Stan was dead. So much blood. He tried to put it back in the body but it was so messy. SO MESSY!!! And all Stan said was...GET THE PIN. IT IS OUR MONEY. MONEY!!! GREEEN!!! FROGGSSSSS!!! Sam liked Frogs...time to find that Pin. To get the frogs...Stan had died for it...too much blood. Stan lost so much blood. We need to get more...from the pin...from frogs??? And Sam took off....

And in a small room in a small house in a small part of Opelika a small girl sat in a chair and watched her false father die from the poison that killed so many before her....Her mother died and another was going to inherit what was hers...Lily knew that even though she was young...the time would come to get what was rightfully hers...so the blood that coursed through her veins told her.

"CUT!" Michel Gondry said. "PRINT!"

Dakota Fanning stood up from the chair and the hot lights that set the scene faded and the studio stage lights came on, a door opening and the sun blasting in as the crew clapped. Dakota did an exaggerated bow, laughing. John C. Reilly came up behind her and swung her around. This cast had been playful, enjoying the ride. And it translated on celluloid.

Rancette stood aside with LC, the producer, and Rance, now relegated to an exec. Producer.

"Do you think it'll play?" LC asked.

Rance shrugged. Rancette looked worried.

"Doubt it. Too many twists. This isn't a fucking Alias episode. This isn't a fucking feature." Someone said.

"Fuck it. I like it well enough. Why not, right? I told Kevin McCormick we'd have something good, and he approved the script. I don't see why Warners won't agree with the print. Shit, Michel will edit it all himself anyway. He's genius. It'll be sweet. Lorenzo thought it'd be good. And if DiBoniventura thought It'd be good, It'll be good." Rance said, assuring himself.

THE END.

PTI The Ending by Rubber Duckie (Due to Rocker being MIA)

Note to Rocker: If you happened to write your part, but simply failed to get it in please send it on and we will post it as an alternative ending.

"You're not my mother?"

The white coats behind the mirrored glass waited with great anticipation. Were they on the verge of the long awaited break through? Kato leaned forward, pressed a button and spoke into a box "It's time. Proceed."

Anna was startled by a knock on the door. An attractive lady with a calming presence entered the room. She had dark auburn hair and familiar eyes. In a hypnotic voice she began..."No, Sarah is not your mother. Your name is Rose, not Anna. You are 64 years old. The year is 1968. You are in the Moon Valley Sanitarium. You have been here since the age of 40."

Anna pressed her hands to her temples and clawed her fingers through her hair. This had all become too much. How much more insanity could she take? Through clenched teeth she defiantly, but quietly said, "My name is not Rose, nor do I live in a sanitarium." As the words escaped from her lips a white light from behind her eyes shot pain through her head like a bolt of invisible lightning. She held her head as she fell to the floor on her knees. The flashes grew brighter until eventually she could see the presence of images before them, like a shadow puppet scene on the wall projected by the light of a blazing fire. The images soon grew more defined and the movie that had been her life began to play...

She mouthed the words "My name is Rose." It was more of a questioning statement to herself than to anyone else.

The panel behind the glass listened intently. They had been working on her case for years and this was the farthest she had ever progressed. During this last episode she had finally acknowledged Sarah's death, even though it was at the hands of someone else. This was a positive sign. Perhaps she could recover her past, work through it and begin to live in the present as herself instead of this alter personality.

The woman in white took her hand and helped her up from the floor. She sat her down on the bed and in a soothing voice she said, "Your name is Rose. You were married to Clyde. You had two children, a son and a daughter. Your son's name was Anthony. You thought he had died at birth, but he didn't. Anthony was taken from you by your father and given to a couple to raise as their own. You soon after had your daughter, Sarah. As fate would have it, Anthony left home at an early age and wandered into your town. Your true relationship remained unknown to you both. He came knocking on your door looking for work and you hired him to work around the house. He became very close with your daughter. In fact, they fell in love..."

She paused here, waiting for the knowledge to sink in, looking for some recognition in the patient. Anna's eyes looked down as she squeezed and twisted her hands. A single tear streamed down her cheek. She turned her head away, but asked the woman to continue.

"Sarah became pregnant and she and Anthony came to you with the news. They were going to be married. You were sad because she was so young, but happy as you knew they were in love. When your father learned of the relationship he had the boy investigated. He wanted to know exactly who this boy was and his family connections. It wasn't long before he discovered that Anthony was his grandson, your son, and Sarah's half-brother. Karma had more than repaid him for the horrible deed he had done. He couldn't tell anyone the truth, knowing that all would see him for who he was, but he also couldn't let this baby, conceived in incest, be born. He had Anthony and Sarah killed, staging the horrible scene as a murder/suicide at the hands of a jealous Anthony. To be rid of any memory of this horrible mess he had taken your pin, the gift from John, who was Anthony's father, and had the engraving of love sautered over and replaced with the engraving of death...memento mori. He had it stuck in the breast of Sarah. He knew you wouldn't want to keep it then. He also took the pendant and had one of his lackey's sell it to the jeweler. Your father was a very powerful man. When the sheriff didn't automatically declare the crime a murder/suicide he saw to it that he was not re-elected and that the new sheriff would be in his back pocket. This would close the past for good...or so he thought."

Anna screamed out in pain. She knew! She knew that it wasn't a murder/suicide. Anthony had no cause to be jealous. Sarah had never so much as looked at another boy. And he could never have harmed her. Never! The pin would lead her to the murderer. The officials might have closed this case, but she would never give up. She had went to the police station and asked for the pin back. After all, the case had been closed and it was hers. She took it and went to every jeweler within driving distance until she found him...the one who did the work. While waiving a gun she threatened his life until he told her who had brought it in...it was her father. She drove in a blind rage to her father's estate. She found him in his parlor enjoying a Cuban cigar. It would be his last.

He had confessed to everything, horrors beyond her wildest imagination. She had made him kneel on the floor and ask forgiveness from her and his God. Then she shot him...

*********

They gave her several hours to be alone with her thoughts and to express her grief. Then they all went in to explain her condition and answer any questions she might have. Dr. Kaelin was in charge.

"Rose, we think it is now time to explain why you are here at Moon Valley. After the murder of your father you had a nervous breakdown. You developed an alter personality...Anna. We believe that psychologically you chose Anna as a representation of the child that Sarah never had. Via Anna you were always trying to solve the murder of Rose and Clyde, jumping forward years into the future. Apparently, it was too much for your mental state to acknowledge the death of Sarah and Anthony so your mind conveniently altered facts to accommodate your fragile mental state. In most of the fantasies, Sarah and Anthony were always alive; they had simply disappeared or ran off. We knew this last episode was going to be a break through because you finally acknowledged the death of Sarah, albeit at the hands of someone else. Your mind always found a way for Rose to have knowledge of Anthony's origins, thereby correcting through fantasy the mistakes of reality. Most times this was brought out through your father's natural death and his honorable admission of his secret. It was simply too much for you to acknowledge what your father had done. "

He paused for her reaction and then continued, "When you were brought here and put under the care of our staff it was our job to bring you back, bring Rose back. The people you now see standing before you have been assigned to your case and have worked with you over the past 20 years, some longer than others. I am Dr. Kaelin, or Kato as you like to call me. This is Stan and Sam, two interns who have been extremely involved in your care. And last, but not least, Dr. Sandburg....Dr. Lily Sandburg."

"You have the pin!" Rose exclaimed. "You took it from me!"

"Yes." Lily said. "I have the pin. Upon your admittance it had to be removed from your possession as it was seen as an object that you could use to harm yourself with. We soon realized that this pin might be the key to your recovery. I would occasionally show it to you in the hopes that it might trigger something within."

Lily reached into her pocket and pulled out an object. As she unfurled her fingers dazzling reflections played off the light above and danced around the room. It was as brilliant as ever...

An E-Mail
Tomorrow is the grand finale of the PTI series. After that we've got some other swell stuff lined up. Today I'm going to share an e-mail I received. Its sender would be happy if you read it as well. To those of you who'll complain of the bias implicit in my decision to share it: This is my damn blog. I'd be well within my rights to go into the rename function thing and rename it "Bring Back Chairman Mao Blog" if I felt like it. To all of you: Please vote. There are some decent civic reasons to do it, plus everyone who does gets a DVP.

Happy Halloween,

R

****

Dear {Rance},

In less than one week, America will conduct what political pundits like to call "the only poll that matters." But, as Election Day fast approaches, polls give us a clear sense of our main tasks in the final days of this campaign.

We all know the bottom line. This is a remarkably close election -- both nationally and in one battleground state after another. There is little question that our get-out-the-vote efforts will decide whether John Kerry or George W. Bush leads America for the next four years.

Friday is the last day for you to contribute online to help fund these make or break efforts. The get-out-the-vote program must be fully funded by Friday. So please make a contribution to the Democratic Party today.

https://www.democrats.org/support/kerry.html

It is my responsibility to analyze polling data for the campaign. Because of the special role that you have played in this campaign, I want to take this opportunity to share some observations:

George Bush appears to have hit a ceiling of support at 47-48%. During the past several weeks, he has tried to break through this ceiling by attacking John Kerry. This strategy has failed, and he is running up against the clock. An incumbent president who cannot break through the 50% barrier is going to find it very difficult to win reelection.

Young voters are overwhelmingly supporting John Kerry and are one of his strongest voting blocks. This year millions of new young Americans have registered to vote, and their turnout on Election Day will be one of the deciding factors.

Almost every poll, public and private, has John Kerry doing even better in the key battleground states than in the national horserace.
This election is going to come down to the wire. Turnout on Election Day is going to decide this election. We need to make sure that the Democratic Party has the resources necessary to mobilize every voter in battleground states. Again, every piece of polling data that I have seen indicates that this effort will decide this election.

I know that you are told repeatedly, "you can make the difference." Every day I analyze polling data and I can assure that is not just a line. This year everything that each one of us does and gives in the next six days will make all the difference. Let's make history.

https://www.democrats.org/support/kerry.html

Thank you,

Mark Mellman

Part 27 by feenxc
Anna quickly sidestepped, hoping her mother hadn't seen the police car pulling in.
"I need to stall" she thought.

"Mother, please, you've got to rethink this!" she blurted out.

Sara gave her a shove and said "No, little girl, you're the one who has some thinking to do. Now get moving."

"Mother, I just don't think I can take anymore of this. Do you have any idea what kind of hell the last two days have been for me? I pissed off this entire town when I bought the pin, even though I gave the rest of the junk to Lily. I have had an insane monkey-like man jump out at me. That was just the beginning."

Anna quickly glanced outside, wondering who was in the police car and what was taking so long.

"On top of that, someone left a gross message on my front door, then cleaned it up before anybody else could see it. Now people are starting to think I'm the crazy one!"
"I've been in a car crash, which I am sure gave me a concussion because I had the strangest dream last night. After that, an 8 year old broke into my house, tried to steal the pin from me, and according to you, has been conning me from the get-go."

"Well I'm not sure she's been totally conning you. I am positive she has her own agenda, though." Sara interrupted.

"But I believed her" Anna wailed, "Mother, she's just a little girl."

Sara looked at her in disgust. "Pull yourself together, we've got to get going."

Anna was getting desperate. It couldn't be Kaelin in the car, he had been in surgery last she knew. Who was it? Where were they?

"Oh no, you're going to hear me out, Mother! Lily told me the most amazing story, which I thought was about my ancestors. But no, you had to ruin that, didn't you? This has been the worst day ever! I fell down my steps, hit my head, when I came to, I thought Lily had been kidnapped. On the way to look for her, I got hauled off to a murder scene by someone I thought was becoming more than just a friend. He had even brought the files on the old case for me to read."

"Please let someone come soon, I don't know how long she'll listen to me whine" thought Anna.

"I know, I read the same files" Sara interrupted again. But Anna was on a roll, not truly listening to what Sara had said.

"The absolute worst, was witnessing Deputy Kaelin being shot. I still have his blood on my clothes. And who do I find lurking around? You, of all people! Only we don't get a chance to even talk, the electricity goes out and I get kidnapped. As if enough hasn't already happened to me!"

Anna was beyond desperate. There had been more than enough time for the cop to show up. And knowing her mother's lack of patience, Anna knew she was running out of time. The only thing she had left was to keep talking.

"Mother, the strangest man took me. He claims that he is a paid killer, working for John, trying to find the true heir to John's fortunes. Only John turns out to be as looney as those two monkey-like men who now I'm told might be my brothers."

Sara laughed "Yes, he is, isn't he".

By this time Anna was getting pissed. "Mom, he told me that you are not Sara, you are not the heir, and he implied that you killed my dad...Mother you need to start telling me the truth. Are you Sara? Did you kill my father? Mother, please..." Anna was beginning to choke up, overflowing with anger and sorrow.

Sara was still laughing "You really think you can handle the truth? Well, let's start with a little question of my own..."Why do you keep calling me that?"

Anna looked confused "Calling you what?"

"Mother..."


to be continued...and ended