Email me: lylewisdom@gmail.com

Friday, July 6, 2007

Chapter 4






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This is the fourth chapter of my never ending short story "Index Out Front". See the list at top right to read the previous chapters. I'll post additional chapters every couple of weeks. - Lyle
.................“What would interest you?” I called after her. “Sculpture.” she said and continued to walk away.

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“Describe two sculptures - one that you like and one that you don’t. Contrast the two and use their differences to explain your preference. Include photographs of each.” Holy smokes, I thought, this is going to be a tough one for the rest of the class.


She chose Rodin – the well known “The Thinker” and the less familiar “Gates of Hell.” Her interpretation was far from conventional of course, especially since a miniature “Thinker” sits over the “Gates” as if contemplating the gory entrance.

”The Thinker has become synonymous with man’s greatest ability – intellectual contemplation – while “The Gates” depict man’s vilest construct.” “The Thinker is art at its finest – “The Gates” is not art, only mere perverted social comment.” Ouch. Sorry I asked. This was not prose; it was a treatise. I didn’t like it and told her so after class. “People are generally upset not so much by what happens but by not getting what they expected. You were probably expecting ‘art’ and you didn’t get it. It was intended to inform and educate - not make you feel good. Could it be you need “light? ’

Of course she didn’t wait for me to answer, which was fortunate because I was speechless until she was at the door. “What next?” I blurted out stupidly. To my amazement she stopped abruptly and turned towards me slowly. I could tell she was thinking. “How about fiction? Sewers and Roses ought to do nicely.”

She smiled.

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