Vindaloo Weekend (Stratum XI)

Excerpt: Blind Ascent

Gutts, J. (1974). Blind ascent. Heritageville: Orville (out of print).

[S]ome compared them to Crooked Houses — but in this case, the higher you climb, the taller they grow. Vertigo push-pull on vertical ascent. Prenatal monoliths… bone without sinew, grasping into the heavens… Acidic skies suffusing the Easy Breathers with despair, to the point where their Thumotic Assertive is quelled (not that they had much of it in the first place). Heartier souls, of course, would have no problem with the challenge of the climb...

Excerpt: The Fountain at Eryth

Gutts, J. (1973). The Fountain at Eryth. Heritageville: Orville (out of print).

[The] Fountain at Eryth Field triumphed over the old car park... which was an ancient athletic field to begin with. Venivi ad meum primordium sicut circulus.

Denarii were cast forth in the very first seconds of the new millennium under brisk moonlight — a mild gesture of velleity at the time.

Centuries later pfennigs were tossed thither for a much more heartfelt Gebet, the recipients of such wished fortune fraternal antipodeans struggling in the age-old throes of youthful stultification.

“O, mere wish and coper mixid, koude bringe but mirth and blessinge to those so far...”

Family Black Sheep and Media Muckraking: New Depths

Once again the Media struggles to dig up dirt on icons of industry, forward-thinking and entrepreneurship. Industrialist Johnny Gutts of the multi-national Orville Corporation often is a target by envious Frankfurt School media types with a crab bucket mentality, and shallow criticism is usually casually deflected.
  But leave it to this very media to plumb new depths of journalistic hackery.
  Mr Gutts’ slacker nephew Jared Gutts has bumbled into the news again with his half-witted buffoonery, and the Media again push untenable connections with family black sheep to foist attacks on the character of Johnny Gutts.

  Yes, Jared Gutts probably effed up. Running a half-arsed heroin operation under the aegis of “Mr. H‘s Piano Bar & Aquarium Supply” probably wasn’t the wisest front. The location itself might have been a giveaway — the Baxter District. (All his ill-fated endeavours are generally located in this area, giving rise to the term “Baxteritis.”)
  True — he and his tosser mates are getting arse-over-tit sauced and racking up ASBOs, but they are bringing a fair amount of commerce to the Baxter District, if illegally. “Mr. H’s” does offer “Experimental Piano Duet Nite,” “The LGBT Ragtime Rag-Off,” and “Sign Language Slam Poetry Nite,” as well as curated local art and vegan nibbles.
  “He is trying for an honest make at things. It’s just society’s fault,” sniffed Roddie Gutts, proud father of Jared and brother of Johnny Gutts, reclining in his Barcalounger in Heritagethorpe. “They still don’t recognise his genius.”

  Johnny Gutts could not be reached for comment.

Classic City Arcade 0814

The Men’s Lodge is back in effect... Mr Rogers sighted after 25 years: “I’m heartbroken.” [Some things never change]... Mr Arthur seen home pickling... Mr Louis preps for cashless comedy... Mr Dutch avoiding children and traffic... Mr Martin lamenting, “The kids are alright... but the faculty is BS”...

Neckbrace for a Princess

Passer domesticus: It’s Feeding Time

Path of the Righteous Train: A to B