Nov 14, 2011

Magpie#91

Tess Kincaid at Willow Manor offers writers an enigmatic picture this week -


"Please . . just give me a minute to explain. It's a game called "The Other Musical Chairs." Y'know how in the real game, one chair is taken away every time the music stops, right? And one of the partygoers has to either drop out or get trampled to death in the rush for an empty chair, right? Until there's only one chair left for the last two people to fight over, right? Well, we were losing too many chairs that way and they don't come cheap. They were getting broken and some people were actually nicking them can you believe it and selling them on "Bargain Hunt" and "Cash in the Attic" and so on. Chairs do have rights, y'know, like the right not to get broken or pinched. So we thought, let's play the same game, more or less, but instead of taking the chairs away one at a time we'll take the people away one at a time, right? Till there's only one guy left - and whad'ya know that's me! All the chairs are still here and looking good, so that's good, no more bills for repairs to chairs and so on.  You wanna know where all the people are? Far enough away in the mist so you can't hear the gunshots. HeHeHe!"

(Worthier responses can be viewed at Magpie Tales.)

34 comments:

  1. Deliciously deadly on a dank, drear morning! Thank you.:)

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  2. An entertaining, creative take. Thanks.

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  3. Have you noticed that the chairs are facing in different directions? Complicates wars and games, somewhat. A great take.

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  4. Back to front musical chairs, brlilliantly original.

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  5. I think that's how they deal with chair thieves in Texas, lol.

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  6. Many meanings, many levels! Yep, everything has rights, even chairs, and we no longer keep score so that everyone's a winner in every game...even life! I really like how this tale is spun, and where it took me. Within the frivolity of life there are hidden agendas....

    Really enjoy this tale!

    Rick

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  7. devious write! I thought it was a great take on the prompt.

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  8. Thats the last time I'll play Musical Humans. I'm sick of having some guys stinking bum on my face. Nicely written! I love the end, I couldn't help but picture people screaming and pleading they'll buy a new chair if you just let them finish playing.

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  9. haha...the gunshots....wow...that took this to a whole different place...wonder if i can run fast enough...def some interesting thoughts through out, though the gunshots kinda wipe that out...

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  10. Definitely reflective of your unique and sardonic point of view, Dr. I'm chuckling quietly here across the pond.

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  11. I read this quote from your profile: " And I hope one day to be the last person left alive..." and wonder if you need to get out more! :-)

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  12. You entertain with wit and flair ..... loved this!

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  13. Oh, my that was unexpected but chillingly good!

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  14. Nice chilling write with the perfect amount of humour

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  15. ... fun to imagine the kind of music that would be playing while this game was played out! I haven't written to the prompt yet and don't usually look at the Magpies until I do... but I couldn't resist taking a look at yours. You did an excellent job!

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  16. This is how I imagine "The Lottery" would've gone if Shirley Jackson had written it in reverse and as a humor piece.

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  17. As usual, you made me laugh at the computer and feel truly delighted. This was so creative. :)

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  18. A real cracker of an interpretation.

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  19. this is kind of mad but my kind of mad ...love it thanks x

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  20. Phew! I'm relieved that it's you...can't imagine anyone but you left standing(or sitting)!!

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  21. As I read I imagined that the point of the game would be that each person had to fetch a new chair, rather than have one taken away.

    The people could still be taken away and shot, of course. You'd end up with a lot of free chairs.

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  22. so clever and witty- thanks for the early morning chuckle!

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  23. My mind was headed in one direction and then...the gunshots.

    I loved your idea of taking the people away. It was creepy in such a delightful way!

    =)

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  24. hahaha! Delightful take on this image -- and yet it felt so obvious, I was thinking "why didn't I think of that?" which is exactly how good writing should make me fell. Well done!

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  25. Hey, if Mississippi wanted to grant a fertilized egg complete human rights, why not a chair? Am I getting too political? Anyway, a clever write!

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  26. It was quite easy to immediately interpret this picture on a personal level, but it is so interesting to read your (possibly) metaphorical view of "musical people", who in our current world events could be the toppling heads of state, among others.

    I found the tale particularly chilling because I had just read an article in the current issue of NYRB about what happened to deportees of many different nationalities after WWII. Although it wasn't news to me, it was detailed enough to leave me with a horrible sense of what human beings really are.

    In any case I always look forward to your imaginative pieces of course :-)

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  27. I think I'll sit this one out...

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  28. Chairs have rights, too...hee hee. Thank you.

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  29. Wow, the ending was so creepy! I love how you captured the voice of a rather deranged person who thought she was quite reasonable. So fun and disturbing!

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