« In hindsight, it helped that cellphones hadn’t been invented yet. » 😅 great story, don’t judge a book by it’s cover. Loved the ending, poignant, deep, be grateful for the people in your life however long you have with them.
Incredible, Silvio. Each week you push out these stories that I so love to read. This one has so many layers. I was swept through the truth and mystery of it.
Brilliant ending. I sensed what was coming, but that in no way diminished its power.
I was waiting in line at a cafe as I read this, and I blurted out my own laughter at this section: 😆😆
"As my face evidently betrayed some skepticism, he went on: You know, I’ve been taking it myself for about a month, and last night I filled six condoms. I tried not to laugh. Six condoms? With whom?"
Thank you, Nathan! I kind of knew you'd like that passage (lol). And you know what? It belongs to the 99.9%. I figured I'd take a break from the Margherita series; there's no hurry on that one. I was thinking of Vladimiro the other day but was unsure whether I should make it an Unsent Letter or just a story piece. I'm so glad you liked it, really! :)
I thought it might, which is marvellous to think on this all being true. Perhaps Vladimiro will somehow find it and read it and realise what he bestowed.
I'm glad you posted it as a story piece instead of being part of the unsent letter series. I think that was the right choice.
I really enjoyed this story- it made me think of unusual people I once knew and took for granted until they were no longer in my life. And then, like some odd delayed reaction I began to see their profound influence on me . You carried a fascinating mystique throughout not only through peculiar Vlad but with the lady and narrator-I was intrigued and sorry to see them part.
Thank you so much, Tracy, for commenting and sharing your own experience. “Like some odd delayed reaction” is a beautiful and effective way to put it. :)
Wow - mysterious as it is 'real' - great character sketches with intriguing loops of ideas. I noticed something in this story at least. You have these super enticing first sentences of your paragraphs and each reads like a neat little anecdotal exploration. Neat in execution, but with those wonderful gaps of meaning that make it so much more fascinating to read. Lovely work, Silvio!
These especially:
"But the apotheosis was reached whenever Vladimiro dropped by without prior notice. "
"Despite his intrusiveness, driven by the need to fill an apparently empty and lonely life, Vladimiro was one of the most sensitive and generous humans I’ve ever met. "
Thank you so much, Kate! I always discover something about my own writing through your comments. This reminds me of what (among other things) Patrick Modiano said in his Nobel Prize lecture, which I recently reread: 'The reader knows more about a book than the author himself. Something happens between a novel and its reader which is similar to the process of developing photographs [...]'. I find this view very interesting.
« In hindsight, it helped that cellphones hadn’t been invented yet. » 😅 great story, don’t judge a book by it’s cover. Loved the ending, poignant, deep, be grateful for the people in your life however long you have with them.
Thank you so much, Alexander! "Don't judge a book by its cover" -- precisely. I'm glad you always nail down the key messages. :)
Incredible, Silvio. Each week you push out these stories that I so love to read. This one has so many layers. I was swept through the truth and mystery of it.
Brilliant ending. I sensed what was coming, but that in no way diminished its power.
I was waiting in line at a cafe as I read this, and I blurted out my own laughter at this section: 😆😆
"As my face evidently betrayed some skepticism, he went on: You know, I’ve been taking it myself for about a month, and last night I filled six condoms. I tried not to laugh. Six condoms? With whom?"
Thank you, Nathan! I kind of knew you'd like that passage (lol). And you know what? It belongs to the 99.9%. I figured I'd take a break from the Margherita series; there's no hurry on that one. I was thinking of Vladimiro the other day but was unsure whether I should make it an Unsent Letter or just a story piece. I'm so glad you liked it, really! :)
I thought it might, which is marvellous to think on this all being true. Perhaps Vladimiro will somehow find it and read it and realise what he bestowed.
I'm glad you posted it as a story piece instead of being part of the unsent letter series. I think that was the right choice.
Thank you, my friend. Who knows where Vladimiro may be, today. He's one of the greatest mysteries of my entire life.
I really enjoyed this story- it made me think of unusual people I once knew and took for granted until they were no longer in my life. And then, like some odd delayed reaction I began to see their profound influence on me . You carried a fascinating mystique throughout not only through peculiar Vlad but with the lady and narrator-I was intrigued and sorry to see them part.
Thank you so much, Tracy, for commenting and sharing your own experience. “Like some odd delayed reaction” is a beautiful and effective way to put it. :)
Lovely story Silvio. Cherished every word
Thank you so much, Tommy!
What a wonderful story, so intimate, so human. I think I discovered you through Nathan Slake and am so happy to now be on the Silvio bus!
Thank you so much, Kimberly! And welcome! I hope you'll find my stuff enjoyable going forward. :)
...what an ending...well done man...
Thank you, my friend!
Wow - mysterious as it is 'real' - great character sketches with intriguing loops of ideas. I noticed something in this story at least. You have these super enticing first sentences of your paragraphs and each reads like a neat little anecdotal exploration. Neat in execution, but with those wonderful gaps of meaning that make it so much more fascinating to read. Lovely work, Silvio!
These especially:
"But the apotheosis was reached whenever Vladimiro dropped by without prior notice. "
"Despite his intrusiveness, driven by the need to fill an apparently empty and lonely life, Vladimiro was one of the most sensitive and generous humans I’ve ever met. "
Thank you so much, Kate! I always discover something about my own writing through your comments. This reminds me of what (among other things) Patrick Modiano said in his Nobel Prize lecture, which I recently reread: 'The reader knows more about a book than the author himself. Something happens between a novel and its reader which is similar to the process of developing photographs [...]'. I find this view very interesting.
Very much enjoy your writing! It’s magical and heartbreaking at the same time.
Thank you so much, Ki!
Love....you never know when an angel is in your presence, be hospitable at all times is the message received. Thank you.
Yes. Be hospitable at all times. Very well said. Thank you, Tom!
Gave me chills! You surely have a gift for story telling!
Thank you so much, Rose!
What else can I say? Thank you, Silvio, for another gem!
Thank YOU, Remanon, for reading and commenting!