I just love your style of writing, Silvio. What a great pondering voice.
I had to read that first line about 5 times because I was thinking it is a metafictional allusion ("stories" as well, fiction stories). I don't know if you intended it, but I liked where it took my mind!
Thank you so much, Kathleen, for your kind words. And about the beginning line: that’s interesting, it was certainly not intended, but you made me think about this whole metafictional notion now. Thank you for bringing it up!
How I love this, Silvio. I started getting that warm inner glow and creeping smile, thinking to myself "you know, this has such a similar feel to Murakami", which of course made sense after our conversation last week, but then there was a quote actually from Murakami and I smiled even more.
Margherita is magical. This line I love: "There was a strange connection between us. We spent time together without ever asking a question, as if we already knew everything there was to know about each other." along with "quasi-perfect citations of book passages without knowing the books or their authors".
and
"I’ve always been a curious person, but with her there was this unexplainable, subtle force that made me keep curiosity at bay and accept things as they were."
It bleeds that subtle strangeness of Murakami. So so good.
Nathan! Yes, Murakami's always a great source of inspiration for me. His simple prose that conveys complex thoughts and brilliant reasonings is so precious. Such a distinctive style. And the fact that you felt some Murakami in there made my day! That passage is from Hard-Boiled Wonderland, but I guess you know that. Also, I'm happy you found Margherita an intriguing character. That's exactly my intention. Part 2 will come out in two weeks. Thank again for your kind words and always so sharp and interesting comments.
I had a similar experience. Well ok not that similar. I took there stairs to my old apartment in the San Francisco Bay Area, ended up on the wrong landing. tried my key in the door, didn't work I stood there for what must have been a minute looking at the key the the lock, then back to the key, and again back at the lock. Then from the other side of the door my neighbor yelled "You're at the wrong door" and apologetically left to my landing.
I'm sure Oscar either had his hand in this and/or will be thoroughly delighted by this one. The duration of the bank deposits had me do a triple check. So good. As always, I look forward to your next dispatch and will probably read this one again before the next post comes. Well done friend.
Steven! Thank you so much my friend. It all starts with these wrong landings, and then who knows what happens lol. No, Oscar wasn't involved, but I know this is up his alley. Always good to see you here. :)
You’re conjuring up that magically effortless imagery again, Silvio! You transported me to those old cranky lifts I’ve been in in New York, in The Netherlands, in Belgium, in London. You captured the emotional attachment to a lift stairwell beautifully.
“This is when my head started spinning and I passed out. I was awakened by someone shouting Elevator! in the stairwell, insistently, while heavy raindrops were hitting my window panes.” - this was such a wonderful dramatic moment. I laughed out loud. I don’t know if the narrator is you, but I imagined it to be you.
You’re inspiring me to start up a fiction Substack…
Eric! Thank you so much, my friend. Yes, the narrator is me, although, as you know, not 100% of what I narrate is real. So glad you like this. "You’re inspiring me to start up a fiction Substack" -- you definitely should! Writing fiction or autofiction is surprisingly helpful in the process of self-discovery; something that's neverending, to me.
I love where this is going! the way possibility eases into your stories makes them feel like little hologram worlds. like they could go anywhere fantastic yet somehow they are held together and it makes sense, like counter weights in balance. can't wait for the next part
"Who’s this Murakami guy?" I chuckled.
We had such an elevator in Vienna. Wonderfully humorous. Love it.
Thank you, Alexander! I guess these elevators are quite typical in old European cities. Here in Milano there's plenty of them.
Less and less so, I guess, but yes, we had them a lot in Vienna.
I just love your style of writing, Silvio. What a great pondering voice.
I had to read that first line about 5 times because I was thinking it is a metafictional allusion ("stories" as well, fiction stories). I don't know if you intended it, but I liked where it took my mind!
Thank you so much, Kathleen, for your kind words. And about the beginning line: that’s interesting, it was certainly not intended, but you made me think about this whole metafictional notion now. Thank you for bringing it up!
PS allusions to some of my very favorite writers!
How I love this, Silvio. I started getting that warm inner glow and creeping smile, thinking to myself "you know, this has such a similar feel to Murakami", which of course made sense after our conversation last week, but then there was a quote actually from Murakami and I smiled even more.
Margherita is magical. This line I love: "There was a strange connection between us. We spent time together without ever asking a question, as if we already knew everything there was to know about each other." along with "quasi-perfect citations of book passages without knowing the books or their authors".
and
"I’ve always been a curious person, but with her there was this unexplainable, subtle force that made me keep curiosity at bay and accept things as they were."
It bleeds that subtle strangeness of Murakami. So so good.
A cliff-hanger ending! Can't wait for Part 2!
Nathan! Yes, Murakami's always a great source of inspiration for me. His simple prose that conveys complex thoughts and brilliant reasonings is so precious. Such a distinctive style. And the fact that you felt some Murakami in there made my day! That passage is from Hard-Boiled Wonderland, but I guess you know that. Also, I'm happy you found Margherita an intriguing character. That's exactly my intention. Part 2 will come out in two weeks. Thank again for your kind words and always so sharp and interesting comments.
You're welcome :) Thank you for the words you write.
I couldn't recall which specific book it was from without Googling, so thanks for letting me know.
Humorous, engaging and entertaining . Waiting for the part 2.
Thank you, Dhanesh! Happy you liked it.
I had a similar experience. Well ok not that similar. I took there stairs to my old apartment in the San Francisco Bay Area, ended up on the wrong landing. tried my key in the door, didn't work I stood there for what must have been a minute looking at the key the the lock, then back to the key, and again back at the lock. Then from the other side of the door my neighbor yelled "You're at the wrong door" and apologetically left to my landing.
I'm sure Oscar either had his hand in this and/or will be thoroughly delighted by this one. The duration of the bank deposits had me do a triple check. So good. As always, I look forward to your next dispatch and will probably read this one again before the next post comes. Well done friend.
Steven! Thank you so much my friend. It all starts with these wrong landings, and then who knows what happens lol. No, Oscar wasn't involved, but I know this is up his alley. Always good to see you here. :)
This is highly entertaining! I eagerly anticipate the shenanigans of part two. Well done Silvio.
Thank you, Tai! Great to see you back around here my friend. :)
You’re conjuring up that magically effortless imagery again, Silvio! You transported me to those old cranky lifts I’ve been in in New York, in The Netherlands, in Belgium, in London. You captured the emotional attachment to a lift stairwell beautifully.
“This is when my head started spinning and I passed out. I was awakened by someone shouting Elevator! in the stairwell, insistently, while heavy raindrops were hitting my window panes.” - this was such a wonderful dramatic moment. I laughed out loud. I don’t know if the narrator is you, but I imagined it to be you.
You’re inspiring me to start up a fiction Substack…
Eric! Thank you so much, my friend. Yes, the narrator is me, although, as you know, not 100% of what I narrate is real. So glad you like this. "You’re inspiring me to start up a fiction Substack" -- you definitely should! Writing fiction or autofiction is surprisingly helpful in the process of self-discovery; something that's neverending, to me.
I want to know more about Margherita. Did they name the pizza after her? Did she know Garibaldi? Napoleon? How youthful/old looking was she.
I’m hooked. Thanks for writing this fiction, Silvio. It felt very real.
Haha Camilo! Who knows. We'll see how the story unfolds. The thing with this is that it is Autofiction, so some parts of the story are real. :)
You’ve hooked me in with this curious story 😀
Stay tuned!
I cannot wait!!!!!
Thank you, Jisoo!
Oooooo. You have a way with dripping out of fact, stra8 (I swear spellcheck dif that, so I've left it!) into faerie.
Love stra8! Good thing you left it. :) And love the idea of "dripping out of fact". Thank you, Karena!
I love where this is going! the way possibility eases into your stories makes them feel like little hologram worlds. like they could go anywhere fantastic yet somehow they are held together and it makes sense, like counter weights in balance. can't wait for the next part