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| Literary Masters, Inc. Publicists for Short Stories, Books, Poems and Songs Long Island, New York 11971 |
| NEW REVIEWS: Geese, Cash. Lighten up a little. The whole damn country is not going to the dogs. Just that part of it that we won't miss anyway. Actually, a truly fine piece of allegorical writing. Your right; it is us who will make things better in the long run. We just got a little disoriented along this way. Good read! Needs to be read more than once to appreciate its full meaning. *****__Captain Apple Jack I don't understand this story. Are we being punished by God? Are we being punished by ourselves? What is the punishment anyway? I Think things are just fine and we are back on the right track now. At least they are here in Georgetown. Maybe the author should move. Disappointed! *__Su Chang. Grow up! There is plenty wrong with this country today. I have often been accused of being a worrier. At my age why should I worry? I'll be gone in a few years anyway. Well, that may be true, but I have children and grandchildren that I worry about. I grew up in an America that was a wonderful, special place for the most part. I long for a time my grandchildren might know such a country, but I fear their country will be starkly different. And not for the better unless they are the ones to make things right. A harsh and brutal burden that we are leaving them. Great story, John. Do it again! *****__Barbara A. Sabo I enjoyed “Bearers” as it spoke to me in more ways than one! God does not punish . . . we punish ourselves! Our country is going haywire, while our politicians lead the way . . . stuffing their pockets with their greed. This story is well written, and I enjoyed the banter style conversation. The descriptions were vivid, revealing a talented writer using his creative skills to make us “think”! This may be life at a miserable low point, however, we always climb up because there are more of us who love and care about our country than those who covet and steal! *****__ Linda Law Well, Cash, I think the Government, the mafia, what have you are symptoms of a deep issue in the human psyche, a dark spot, horrors such as the abuse of innocence, stuff we can hardly bear to look at or into in ourselves, so it grows and gets acted out in our world. The bright aspect is it's more and more in our face and we can SEE it and learn, understand, mature, evolve (some of us anyway) in a better, more natural fashion. But you know it is up to us, individually more than collectively, rather than God. My thoughts off the top of my head. So, your story is most provocative. *****__Richard L. Sassoon At first it seems that the one who doesn't get wet from the storm is the lucky one. But then things are not always as they seem, are they? There's an analogy about that, I'm sure, one that I can't remember. But it has something to do with jumping in and not being afraid of getting dirty in order to get things done. This rough stretch--we're all going to feel this one, that's a fact. But if we're smart, we'll be resourceful, hang in there and survive all of it and be the Bearers instead of the "lucky" one who didn't get wet. (Mommy, Mommy, can I go for a swim? Yes, my darling daughter. Hang your clothes on a hickory limb but don't go near the water . . . ) Yes, I liked this one. A lot. *****__Leann Marshall Reading along, I was content w/my assumption this was a not so thinly disguised rant at our country, not much of a story . . . until the end, when the dry lucky one turned out to be not so lucky at all . . . or was he? And that's what good writing does . . . makes one think. ****__Frank W. Bosworth The issues of today's world echo deep in this short story. Bearers and the characters that we meet are reflections of those thinking the same things. How bad will things get, and will we be the ones to pick up the pieces and make things better again? And will the fury of God, the blasts of thunder, sound the same as the fury kept within us? Like those caught out in the cold rain, all we can do is hope that something will be done soon. Great piece of writing. *****__Melissa R. Mendelson |
| “Bearers” By John E. Cashwell Sunday, February 14, 2016 Rated -G- by the Author Sometimes it is better to be wet than dry. It was a time of fighting again, On all too many fronts, When they could of less than one, Bear the brunt. Thousands were being dispossessed By sad banks Foreclosure better now Than just a simple thanks. Hollywood getting a subsidy From the White House For few wanted to see their movies Made of trash. The price of a barrel of oil Down a hundred dollars, Most corporations and industries Didn’t need none, While Islamic despots fired up satellites, Just for fun. America going into the wilderness again, As She had often done, Her people too timid now, To bring Her back from ruin. -In The Parking Lot- [There were five men in the parking lot when it really started to rain. The four men who ran for the church got wet. The one who stood still stayed dry.] A huge black cloud hovered above everything. Its darkness sucking the light out of the world. There was no air, all that was left having been sucked up like the light into the huge cloud. Stone silence, lingering until you wanted to scream. Then God letting loose His heavy depth charges of bunker busting thunder onto the land that shook its mountains and valleys to their very bottoms and raped His innocent creatures of the forests and the parks. His creatures were just collateral damage; it appeared He was very upset about something. “I knew it wouldn’t hold off,” Claude said when they reached the vestibule. “Yeah, something like this always happens right when you need it least,” Sam added. Some of the people had gotten into the church before the downpour. But, like all, they didn’t escape the crushing thunder now that shook the walls of the church and rattled its stained-glass windows. “I really feel sorry for those poor souls who had to wade through that water out there. Up over their shoes it was, Lads. Never seen anything quite like it. Just pouring out of the sewer right into the church parking lot,” Mike lamented. “And just how does something like this happen? Apex has always been a most beautiful town. Right here in the center of the state. Why it seems the Cherry trees are always in bloom. The sun never sets on the Village Green. And the streets are so clean you could ‘ave your breakfast right off ‘em,” Ray said. Another huge depth charge resounded against the walls of the church shaking its foundation and all inside. Causing some to jump, others to tremble. Then rumbled away. “Greed.” “And Corruption.” “The whole damn country is going to the dogs,” Sam said. “I’m not so sure about the whole country. There are still some favored sites. The reason for the degradation of most of the country, hell the whole world, is those assholes who are running things in government. Now there is an example of total corruption for you,” Claude renewed the lament. “Yeah, a superb example of bi-partisanship. Every damn one of ‘em blokes is either a criminal or a thug,” Mike laughed, contributing to their caustic overview of America sliding into a sewer of Her own making. “There’ll be blood in the streets if things continue in the direction they’re going. Them churchgoers won’t have to worry about waterlogged shoes. It’ll be a lot more serious kind of wet feet,” Sam said. “The Mayor is going to catch holy hell for this one. As soon as the service is over, everyone of those ol’ geezers is going to be on the horn to his office,” Ray added. “Right, government at your service once again,” Sam chuckled. “Not everyone,” Mike interrupted. “Ol’ Barney out there never even got wet. All snug and gussied up in that expensive coffin.” “Yeah, he’s a lucky one. He got out before the end,” Ray said. “The stark truth is that government has never solved any of our problems, only made them worse," Claude returned to the lament at hand. “It’s us, the people, who always fix things after they get broken . . . you know, make things right.” “Yeah,” Mike agreed, “we’d better get back out there and bring ol’ Barney in.” ©2016 John E. Cashwell [All Rights Reserved] |
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