Belief/Robot Overlords update and excerpt

[Josh R.]

I've posted "Belief", which used to be called "I For One Welcome Our
New Robot Overlords" to my online writing group. I hope it goes over
better than my remodeling story, which I think scared people off
because of the content.

"Belief" -- crappy title; I'm hoping they come up with better -- is
about a divorced guy with a couple of kids who's in a boring job so he
can be near them. He starts getting messages from someone, and
because of what he believes, he's pretty sure it's aliens. His
friend, the IT guy, gets them too, and together they make plans to get
to the bottom of it.

Like many of my stories, it has archetypes:

* Divorced guy with 1 or more kids.
* Strained (or worse) relationship with ex-wife.
* Comes across as the better parent.

* Wisecracking best friend.

* Kid(s) who play a vital role at the end, usually at cross purposes
with Divorced Guy.

* Pop-culture references that are only funny if you like 80s humor.

Still, I like it, and the fact that I left the ending open, I think,
is better for this story than for "113 Feet". I guess the group will
be the judge of that. I do know the next scene in the story -- and
it's not a happy ending, not really -- but I'd rather not add it in if
I can avoid it.

Here's a small chunk of Belief... this is the part that inspired me to
write the whole story.

*****
When I was five, Star Trek came on channel six every evening. My dad
would get home from work halfway through the show, change out of his
work clothes, and shower; then we'd sit and watch it for a little
while before dinner.

Some parents bond with their kids through sports or dance. For me
and my dad, it was Star Trek. Also NWA wrestling on Saturday nights,
but mostly Trek.

And at that age, I wanted to believe. I would lie in bed at night
after getting good-night kisses from my parents, clutching my stuffed
dog and hoping that, when I woke up, I'd be on a starship, ready to
explore strange new worlds and show Captain Kirk that I was a valuable
member of his crew.

I wanted to believe.

I wanted to believe in a future where I could work with giant robots.
Or join a ragtag fugitive fleet searching for a shining planet known
as Earth. Or have a super-powerful car with lasers and turbo
boosters. Or hang out with a group of soldiers of fortune, on the run
from the government, wanted for a crime they didn't commit.

That sort of thing.

Then came real life. Kids in high school didn't think that was cool;
they thought it made me weak and stupid. And by the time I got
through college, real life had taken over. Instead of believing in
the United Federation of Planets, it was United Healthcare. Instead
of NCC-1701, it was 401(k).

Instead of someday meeting Dr. McCoy, all I had to look forward to
was someday meeting some doctor's gloved finger checking me for
cancer.

And the divorce didn't help.

Oh, I still wanted to believe. I still watched all the sci-fi shows,
still went to the fantasy and action movies on opening day, but that
was it. There were no aliens, no superheroes, no James Bonds.

I could believe anything I wanted to, as long as I believed in reality.

*****
--

J (theli...@gmail.com)

"Tell the truth. But live a life so improbable
that it is not to be believed." -Aleister Crowley

[theli...@gmail.com]

Oh, and I almost forgot... as I was putting in the edits tonight, I
realized that the date of the Event -- April 18, 2008 -- was "Poop for
Peace" day this year. Totally unintentional...

http://www.poopreport.com/Peace

> J (theliste...@gmail.com)