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It began with one book…3
His home wasn’t exactly what people would have called typical. But it was his place, his space; it was a reflection of its owner.4
There were no closets or bureaus. Nor were there decorations or wall hangings. Nothing that most home owners used to simplify their daily living or express their personalities; at least not by the usual definitions.5
Besides a bed and a desk, only books surrounded him. Books of every genre, of all interests and origins. Many of them of antiquarian nature, he had acquired most of them at flea markets and used book sales, but 6
each of them he'd chosen carefully, purchased to fill a specific need. 7
Those old, dog-eared pages were important, and were now nearly his whole world, where knowledge had been assimilated, where time travel was perfected, and where he'd entered into self-imposed exile. 8
With the passing years, the books became paramount, allowing worlds of fantasy, lands where he was the main character and the sole protagonist. It started small, with just one flight of fancy, but soon it became many, each fantasy bore his own unique personality, it's own story and way of thinking. They were born, came to tell their tales, and remained as a unique presence, that made their progress, or not…at each change of mood, or flight of fancy. 9
He made use of a specific character as a covering for his real emotions, like a shield that protected him from full exposure. His choice of a specific character depended upon his emotional state. One adorned happiness, another his anger. They protected him from feeling...he had many characters ay his disposal. 10
Others possessed his intellectual energy, others expressed odd thoughts which many times served to disguise truths that he was unable to admit openly. At other times he portrayed the role of Jester, just playing a 11
comic role, hoping to disguise further his true emotions. 12
He presented these characters not only to himself, but to others. He knew he could not long fool himself if he did not first trick those around him. To each of them, he presented a different character, which in its 13
turn, changed his manner of 'speech' as well. He superficially shared his private territory with others, where he was the puppet master, where he was in control, pulling on each string with accurate precision. 14
Yet to one who knew him well, a question arose above the many. Was this act, this elaborate disguise, a refuge, a way to avoid reality or was it solely a way to exercise his broad imagination? It's been said 15
that the distance between madness and genius is short, but on what side of the statement did he lean? To that question, no one really knew the answer, but it might have been explained every time he picked up an old 16
copy of Robinson Crusoe, and instead of reading, he stared at the desolate island on the cover and became shipwrecked in that world.17
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What did you think? Please comment!
Comments
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Excellent, thought provoking, more!
Oh, how this brings to mind one of its co-authors and thus, hard for me to be objective, yet it still stands on its own as a story...
I think the Genius may be where he leaned as he was sane enough to (in real life, lol) find love and share such collaborations that make a difference, well, at least the one with the other coauthor, here
s See, said it would be hard to be objective, but truly, on its own, if defines this man who found so much in books and in creating characters of his own that did somehow mask the feelings beneath that it reminds one of their own journeys and one asks how many of us do hide in one form or another...
This man lived through his readings for so long and yes, perhaps it was/is an escape, yet those characters sprung to life all as some part of him...which was real?
That imagination seems boundless and yet that last line makes one a bit sad, that 'island' and becoming 'shipwrecked in that world'...
Love this story and my hopes for this character are as above, that this man did find a someone who was able to bring out the 'real' among all those characters, the one who indeed was him and through love and the grace and persistence of the life of his real heart and soul and true self, I'd like to believe he found at last a place, not of such desolation and lone survivor, but of one who learned to perhaps truly know love/life and at last be ablt to pull apart from the Island and have such love/life!
Wonderful, insighful, thought provoking piece dear Mari y Mayne!
much applause, more than they let me give and Bravo!
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WOW! Love it:)
This is a fantastic story. I can really relate to it. My room is just as the one you've described here. Your choice of words, the atmosphere this built, the way this flowed and the imagery - everything is wonderfully done. Thank you for sharing!
love,
Charishma
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Hi cocada, when are we going to write a new one?
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Hello partner.
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I love books! We have several book cases in each room of our house. Even in the kitchen there are various cook books. It is very easy to escape this world, and enter the next through alluring pages of fanttasy. It is hard to tell who wrote what in this wonderful passage, and that is all emcompassing, and impressive. The imagery in this story brings us right into the setting with the writer(s). Brilliant! You two are a match to be reckoned with. I love the connectivity that this story lends. I am well pleased. BRAVO!
Much Love,
Renee
Edited on Mar 01, 11:29 because ''. -
This is wonderful. One can feel that the story delves deep in to reflection and introspection. Of course I could give my personal views, but then such matters are often beyond logic... Wish the character enlightenment, and same to Mari and Yem!
Love
Sau -
This sounds like an old friend of mine. Books were his entire world. In his world he was the puppet master and all the puppets in the show. A nice easy read.
Sincerely,
Leo Long -
About books ? Viva Books
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excellent~
I have always escaped into an entirely different world through my books...If I had enough money I would have an entire library built just for books books books...I enjoyed this collobration very much....and I can see where he was indeed trapped in one world but so wishing for another
Penned excellent..
Love n hugs
Susan~~~
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Hi Mari,
I am so drawn to this from the beginning to end. I love the concluding question in the last paragraph, definitely reminds me of your beloved. I love the eloquence here too, you both are a perfect match! Bookmarking this. Thanks for sharing.
Hugs, Eris
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Escaping to a different world through books, yet always wishing to be somewhere else? That sounds kind of like me!
I read books to find some sort of comfort in knowing that I don't have to 'stay' where I am, I can always just open a book and escape for a short time. But I always have to come back...sad, really. Anyways, this is lovely, Mom. This reminded me of someone I know...
Elisa
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Dear Mari, (mi querida hija) and Yem,
This penetrating expose of the unknown puppet master explains much and brings to mind the immortal words of my favourite poet Kipyard Rudling (or is it Kupyard Riddling?):
"IF you can dream and not make dreams your master,
IF you can think but not make thoughts your aim....."
(That's all I can remember and I'm too lazy to try to find the book and look the rest up but I know there's a bit about walking with crowds and keeping your virtue which sounds a bit like the "City to Surf" race we have here in the winter.)
Thanks to your story I can now understand the diverse personalities of Ima Cucumber, Coehlo, Vigorito and Mussolini in stark reality but, apart from a distressing split infinitive and a failure to mention that great influence on all their lives (which is only brewed in Maine but is imbibed as far afield as the pyramids of Egypt and Popacatapetl) due, no doubt, to momentary oversight, I applaud your grasp of the language in which it is written which is as near good English as I have had the pleasure of reading for many weeks.
Applause, love and hugs, XXX El Padre.
Edited on Feb 26, 5:08 p.m. because ''. -
Hey! There's a party over here, and everyone's invited. Yem's the host, but can you guess who he is? The puppet master!
Interesting story from the two of you!
Prince
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I have two brothers (we look like measuring family forces lol) you still ahead me
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Wow, that's almost enough for a softball team. Do they like you? Sorry. Wow, must be weird having siblings you actually can hang out with. I envy you and blueberry pie.
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A very beautiful read. Trapped in one world and wishing so much to be in another.
well done
John -
lol Mari, I have 3 brothers also, but none of them are on the site..YET!!! Mike, Randy and Joey... I'm working on them..
Yem must like pie or muffins. lol -
Wow, more sisters than in my family! And we are with 5
Pie in their bellies...hm, make it pies in Yem's belly only
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They other 4 doves:
Linda, Shirley, Kathy and Patty
My four older sisters...
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Yem and Ms Muffin baked a pie
They put in a handful of cherries
After the bake they were so proud
As they carried the pie in their bellies
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Mati wanted me to ask you where the other four doves are? See the exciting stuff we talk about.
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wowowow Ms Muffin. Such an excellent write. I am impressed
Cindy
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Thanks for the inspiration and for the passages you added here and corrections too! I still have lots to learn about how to write stories, good to have you near
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Ah my little Blad zeden this is exceptional, and why include my name, I helped very little. That poor sucker seems very lost in his dream world...but I bet he had room in it for one more! That island, I know where is is, it's in Brazil right? No wonder he dreams.
It's quite perceptive if you ask me, but then again you care about this character so of course you'd understand him.
His head provides quiet, that world he'd like to live in but can't...It never existed. It's a wonderful character study of a man who has maybe given up, but maybe found a better place?
I wonder who your inspiration was? Who ever it is, he sounds like one heck of a cool guy!
Hey, we need to collaborate more. You write the story and I'll add a couple words and get half the credit! Effortless fame!
You are the cats meow...no, you're the fantasy I most like to visit!
Beautifully done Ms. Muffin. -
Thanks Mayne for working in this one with me
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