Nice! That’s an interesting challenge to take on a different “dialect.” I don’t know that I’d have the courage to do that, or that I’d have the patience to keep tweaking it until I got it just perfect. And you retained that same sweet core that makes it what I’m coming to think of as a “Justin Deming” story. Well done.
Wow, Tom, that was very unexpected and incredibly kind of you to say. Thank you so much!
I wanted to try a different approach and tell a story through a more unique perspective, so I figured...why not? (Side note: I’ve edited the story twice since posting it, ha! I guess it will have to do for now.)
Oh, I edit post-publication all the time! I remember one or two instances where I went, “hmm, he may not have gotten that one” ... I may got back and look to see if you caught it.
Haha! There were a few misses. The first draft was surprisingly clean, but I kept revising the story over the course of a couple of days...and...goofed it up a bit. Gah! 😅
Very nice post, thank you. This reminds me of experience I had in Germany. The first time it happened, I didn't know what to do. I was in Heidelberg as a student and had walked down the pedestrian zone away from the university. At the end, there are street car tracks. There are about 15 feet separating one side of the pedestrian zone from a main square. So I arrive and everyone is standing in an orderly way with a red person highlighted on the sign. I walked to the front and looked in both directions. There wasn't a street car to be found. Not even a bicycle. So I'm going to cross the street, right? Of course I am. Not so fast. I did so to a chorus of comments, as though I had someone violated one of Germany's strictest tenets -- no crossing the street when there is absolutely no danger it all. It taught me a lot about German culture. Thereafter, every time I reached a red person and there were no street cars, I crossed.
I really appreciate you reading my work! Thank you, Ben, and thanks so much for sharing your experience. With no danger in sight, I’m sure I would have crossed the street beside you. It’s funny how something so simple can be considered normal in one culture and offensive in another.
I’m really happy you liked Gordon’s character, Jason! He’s one of my instant favorites. And that is incredibly high praise coming from you. Thank you so much for the kind words and for restacking my story! 🙏
Thank you, Kim! I really appreciate that. I wanted to aim for a different perspective this time around, so hearing this makes me thrilled. I’m happy the story worked for you!
What a good story, and so interesting that it is told from Gordon's perspective. I love how he treasures his simple interactions with the people who come into his small life, and how that one moment where someone reaches out to help him saves him from a meltdown and at the same time reaffirms his feeling that people are good at the core. Wise thoughts from someone not thought of as so wise. We can all learn something from each other. You should definitely put Gordon in a bigger story one day!!
Thank you so much for reading and commenting, Andrea! I like that element about Gordon’s character, too. There’s always something to learn from other people, and I think he’s managed to figure out some important facts of life!
Green Light Gordon is my new favorite character. He sure does miss his Pa. His Pa still guides him even though he is gone. Thank you for bringing old dirty-pants Tim to the rescue. "And I say oh, nothing new. Cause nothin ever is. But I’m not so sure that’s a bad thing." I would love to hear another episode about him.
Thank you, Sharron! I’m really happy you liked Green Light Gordon. I definitely want to write more about him in the future. It was a story that wrote itself. To be honest, it felt like it wasn’t even mine to tell...funny how that works sometimes!
We just got home from our VT trip and I can’t wait to dive in to your stories from over the weekend!
Nicely done Justin. You conveyed Gordon's mental challenges without backstory and brought in an inspirational "regular guy" at the end. I really enjoyed it.
Nice! That’s an interesting challenge to take on a different “dialect.” I don’t know that I’d have the courage to do that, or that I’d have the patience to keep tweaking it until I got it just perfect. And you retained that same sweet core that makes it what I’m coming to think of as a “Justin Deming” story. Well done.
Wow, Tom, that was very unexpected and incredibly kind of you to say. Thank you so much!
I wanted to try a different approach and tell a story through a more unique perspective, so I figured...why not? (Side note: I’ve edited the story twice since posting it, ha! I guess it will have to do for now.)
Thanks again for the very thoughtful comment!
Oh, I edit post-publication all the time! I remember one or two instances where I went, “hmm, he may not have gotten that one” ... I may got back and look to see if you caught it.
Haha! There were a few misses. The first draft was surprisingly clean, but I kept revising the story over the course of a couple of days...and...goofed it up a bit. Gah! 😅
Very nice post, thank you. This reminds me of experience I had in Germany. The first time it happened, I didn't know what to do. I was in Heidelberg as a student and had walked down the pedestrian zone away from the university. At the end, there are street car tracks. There are about 15 feet separating one side of the pedestrian zone from a main square. So I arrive and everyone is standing in an orderly way with a red person highlighted on the sign. I walked to the front and looked in both directions. There wasn't a street car to be found. Not even a bicycle. So I'm going to cross the street, right? Of course I am. Not so fast. I did so to a chorus of comments, as though I had someone violated one of Germany's strictest tenets -- no crossing the street when there is absolutely no danger it all. It taught me a lot about German culture. Thereafter, every time I reached a red person and there were no street cars, I crossed.
I really appreciate you reading my work! Thank you, Ben, and thanks so much for sharing your experience. With no danger in sight, I’m sure I would have crossed the street beside you. It’s funny how something so simple can be considered normal in one culture and offensive in another.
This feels like a perfect story, Justin. Green Light Gordon had the x-factor to be a deeply memorable literary character.
I’m really happy you liked Gordon’s character, Jason! He’s one of my instant favorites. And that is incredibly high praise coming from you. Thank you so much for the kind words and for restacking my story! 🙏
Your stories are always so different and entertaining!
Thank you, Kim! I really appreciate that. I wanted to aim for a different perspective this time around, so hearing this makes me thrilled. I’m happy the story worked for you!
What a good story, and so interesting that it is told from Gordon's perspective. I love how he treasures his simple interactions with the people who come into his small life, and how that one moment where someone reaches out to help him saves him from a meltdown and at the same time reaffirms his feeling that people are good at the core. Wise thoughts from someone not thought of as so wise. We can all learn something from each other. You should definitely put Gordon in a bigger story one day!!
Thank you so much for reading and commenting, Andrea! I like that element about Gordon’s character, too. There’s always something to learn from other people, and I think he’s managed to figure out some important facts of life!
Green Light Gordon is my new favorite character. He sure does miss his Pa. His Pa still guides him even though he is gone. Thank you for bringing old dirty-pants Tim to the rescue. "And I say oh, nothing new. Cause nothin ever is. But I’m not so sure that’s a bad thing." I would love to hear another episode about him.
Thank you, Sharron! I’m really happy you liked Green Light Gordon. I definitely want to write more about him in the future. It was a story that wrote itself. To be honest, it felt like it wasn’t even mine to tell...funny how that works sometimes!
We just got home from our VT trip and I can’t wait to dive in to your stories from over the weekend!
Thanks again! 🙏
Nicely done Justin. You conveyed Gordon's mental challenges without backstory and brought in an inspirational "regular guy" at the end. I really enjoyed it.
Thank you very much for reading, Jim! I always appreciate your keen eye for detail and your kindness. Grateful for your comments!