tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post3771608741786095303..comments2024-02-22T07:47:22.661-05:00Comments on The Bathroom Monologues: Bathroom Monologue: A PriestJohn Wiswellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416044628686736927noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-57807001447913251782012-01-29T23:14:28.418-05:002012-01-29T23:14:28.418-05:00It's brutal, and I love it. One of the hardest...It's brutal, and I love it. One of the hardest lessons. So well-told.Raven Corinn Carlukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06014248975870886289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-89160022019098959702012-01-29T12:40:25.663-05:002012-01-29T12:40:25.663-05:00I really like the parable aspect of this and it wa...I really like the parable aspect of this and it was well told, as usual. <br /><br />But, then again, given the subject matter of the story, will you ever know if I'm telling the truth or not? :)Chuck Allenhttp://www.chuckallen.us/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-75137680119973039262012-01-29T11:26:00.684-05:002012-01-29T11:26:00.684-05:00I really enjoyed this, John.
As has been mentione...I really enjoyed this, John.<br /><br />As has been mentioned above, it has a different 'voice' than the other pieces of yours I have read, which I liked.<br /><br />On another note, once I had finished reading I tried to pull my best "purposeful face", but just ended up looking slightly angry/desperate for the loo. It's tough!Jack Holthttp://jackkholt.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-49309518430286675912012-01-29T10:25:47.396-05:002012-01-29T10:25:47.396-05:00Astonishing, complex story this week that raises b...Astonishing, complex story this week that raises big philosophical, moral and theological questions; I keep thinking of the moral ambiguity of 'the white lie', and Christianity's obsession with truth.. It reminds me too of a line in a Bob Dylan song "all the truth in the world adds up to one big lie."<br />Priests are capable of lying about all sorts of weird and twisted things, but would they lie, or train each other to lie in a situation like this? I though they'd be more likely to dwell in the pain..<br />You've set up a moral maze here John that we could lose ourselves in for hours... <br />Brilliant!tom gillespiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14587969162663951721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-6192525566972436242012-01-29T02:25:45.163-05:002012-01-29T02:25:45.163-05:00Stupendous and powerful ... And a marvelous read, ...Stupendous and powerful ... And a marvelous read, John ... I've been away a small bit. Glad to see it's still awesome 'round here.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11413377601369107260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-28207747476248734722012-01-28T22:19:05.736-05:002012-01-28T22:19:05.736-05:00If deception is a sin, then he is teaching them to...If deception is a sin, then he is teaching them to willfully incur transgression.John Wiswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07416044628686736927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-77722337365527691202012-01-28T22:18:24.006-05:002012-01-28T22:18:24.006-05:00Did something in particular about this amaze you? ...Did something in particular about this amaze you? Regardless, thank you for the compliment.John Wiswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07416044628686736927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-3418890716681422982012-01-28T22:11:22.295-05:002012-01-28T22:11:22.295-05:00It's okay Helen, I'll accept crocodile tea...It's okay Helen, I'll accept crocodile tears. And thanks for the nod on narration.John Wiswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07416044628686736927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-76090516480297331732012-01-28T22:10:52.953-05:002012-01-28T22:10:52.953-05:00But what if you're only believing something...But what if you're only believing something's been saved?John Wiswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07416044628686736927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-59217647128124811862012-01-28T07:53:55.491-05:002012-01-28T07:53:55.491-05:00Better to die knowing something had been saved tha...Better to die knowing something had been saved than to find all had been lost.Donald Conradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11299995538611948494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-68539523084128329092012-01-27T23:14:15.926-05:002012-01-27T23:14:15.926-05:00I'm afraid John those were metaphorical tears ...I'm afraid John those were metaphorical tears ^_^ - I came back to listen to your reading of this. Nice narration!Helen A. Howellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12748128819820230841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-86445737201705661982012-01-27T22:56:24.191-05:002012-01-27T22:56:24.191-05:00There was a horse that broke through the ice in Sw...There was a horse that broke through the ice in Sweden this week. He was a little luckier than these folks. An interesting choice... one lies initially to move one over the cusp to when the truth is bearable.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14170148559429001125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-66241392766694773002012-01-27T20:05:40.174-05:002012-01-27T20:05:40.174-05:00An effective experiment because its concluding lin...An effective experiment because its concluding line exposes a paradox between the truth and a lie.<br />Who needs forgiveness? The living or the dead?<br />Adam B @revhappinessAdam Bhttp://afullnessinbrevity.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-10775802737376271512012-01-27T18:40:18.521-05:002012-01-27T18:40:18.521-05:00Wow. This one is pretty amazing. I would have lied...Wow. This one is pretty amazing. I would have lied to her, too. Poor thing.Sonia Lalhttp://storytreasury.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-50165313018913501712012-01-27T18:13:38.553-05:002012-01-27T18:13:38.553-05:00Whoa. Lemme take that in for a second...It always ...Whoa. Lemme take that in for a second...It always catches me off guard-in the very best way-when an author whom I associate with great humor, as I do you, paints in serious, dramatic strokes. Especially as well as you have here. You're going to keep me thinking on this one for a while.<br /><br />Very well done!Aaronhttp://www.mgideon.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-83810259103563000522012-01-27T17:46:39.608-05:002012-01-27T17:46:39.608-05:00A Serious Man was strangely captivating. Was a gli...A Serious Man was strangely captivating. Was a glimpse into a life that seemed so normal, but so different at the same time. Glad you let this one free and didn't stick it into the backburner file.Craig Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07176851401465801580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-81761068801849132872012-01-27T17:08:59.141-05:002012-01-27T17:08:59.141-05:00What's the most outrageous case you've liv...What's the most outrageous case you've lived through where a lie would have (or did) serve better than the truth?John Wiswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07416044628686736927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-77855965253816276152012-01-27T17:07:40.303-05:002012-01-27T17:07:40.303-05:00This story came from three places. The first is th...This story came from three places. The first is the "Sussman" scene from the Coens' A Serious Man, which has an excellent tone about its narrator, and something I return to over and over again. The second influence was an encounter with a rabbi that made me think about things we traditionally deem immoral but that can get embraced in systems of morality. Then the last is simply a bit by Lenny Bruce, about the virtue of The Lie.John Wiswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07416044628686736927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-32849287210301516382012-01-27T17:04:33.205-05:002012-01-27T17:04:33.205-05:00Every week you surprise me with something new. I w...Every week you surprise me with something new. I wonder what sparked this story off? It's always fascinating how a story can grow from the smallest idea.Craig Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07176851401465801580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-87284778835375509022012-01-27T16:35:07.755-05:002012-01-27T16:35:07.755-05:00Bah, they've all said it already! I'll joi...Bah, they've all said it already! I'll join the 'one of your best' bandwagon.<br /><br />It has a different voice to the other stories of yours I've really liked but still goes deep. I (annoyingly) can't remember the other pieces that are 'faves' (though look back and my comments will tell you) but I can define them against the ones that didn't make such an impact on me, like the superhero one last week.Peter Newmanhttp://www.runpetewrite.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-17198473882822096412012-01-27T16:23:27.449-05:002012-01-27T16:23:27.449-05:00Nice writing as always from you John. Sometimes a ...Nice writing as always from you John. Sometimes a lie serves a better purpose than the truth.Steve Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18414279461366098783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-49883561497539207752012-01-27T12:37:32.037-05:002012-01-27T12:37:32.037-05:00Thank you kindly. These quotable descriptions all ...Thank you kindly. These quotable descriptions all came out emergently from the narrator's voice, so I almost hesitate to take credit for them. Certainly they were the easiest part of writing this story.John Wiswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07416044628686736927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-51730192730840190902012-01-27T12:35:36.039-05:002012-01-27T12:35:36.039-05:00I'm also conflicted over the teacher's con...I'm also conflicted over the teacher's conclusion. Did you read the story as one where the mother will survive in the end, though?John Wiswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07416044628686736927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-41791050407254833072012-01-27T12:33:22.388-05:002012-01-27T12:33:22.388-05:00I'm uncomfortable answering this question, Ton...I'm uncomfortable answering this question, Tony, as I don't find it becoming when authors explain or defend their work. If I fail the reader, then I fail. But your question goes to the intent of the narrator, which I'm taking from other readers is clear enough that I can say it without feeling too badly, barring the disclaimer. <br /><br />Compassion is one of my favored virtues, but compassion is also why the narrator is demanding he learn how to lie. The truth is only useful to her if she lives long enough to accept it and overcome; here, she is dying and will only go through the distressed stage of learning before death. Compassionate delivery of truth in such a circumstance is only a softer cruelty.John Wiswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07416044628686736927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-8564066532080873202012-01-27T12:32:04.592-05:002012-01-27T12:32:04.592-05:00This is a very cleverly-crafted story - on so many...This is a very cleverly-crafted story - on so many levels!<br />I'm torn with the priest's final response - a lie will avert the immediate pain, but sooner or later the truth will come out!<br /><br />A very challenging piece. Well done!<br /><br />SueH <a href="http://irefusetogoquietly.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">(I Refuse To Go Quietly!)</a>SueHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11394307650434614637noreply@blogger.com