The protagonist was a little introverted for me, but I suppose that’s what the story is about, so he was likable enough.
It reminded me of me. I recently quit my job because it was taking too much of my time. I have a lot of projects going on (Litmocracy is one of them) and the job was keeping me from them. But since I quit, I’ve spent just about all my time at home. Sometimes it’s with my kids or wife, but I hardly ever see anyone else. Though I don’t have an Elvis thing, there are things that keep me from going out. This morning I had dream after dream after dream (this is what happens when you aren’t used to sleeping in but you are able to do it anyway, as far as I can tell) of being in public places and just looking at people. I miss people. I gotta get out more. My brother-in-law’s 40th birthday party is tonight and we have to go dressed in all black to mourn the passing. So I’ll see people. And this morning (I take a walk every morning) I met a neighbor and walked with her for about 50 yards, chatting about our walks (she walks her dog every morning). So things are looking up.
It also reminded me of my friend Alex Boese, whom I haven’t seen for a long time. He’s the curator of the Museum of Hoaxes (www.museumofhoaxes.com) and a graduate student (still, I think), because he has a thing for Elvis and he’s an excellent writer.
Anyway, I have a book of ten stories that I wrote (“Brain Juice”), and I sent to an editor and paid her $100 to edit it. She (swankivy at Everything2) said that I “have a tendency to end stories with a sudden fast-forward and overall wrap-up…” Your story reminded me of that comment too.
Dave.