introducing readers to writers since 1995
May 21, 2004
Loser Freaks Girl Out, Joins Unemployed Masses
by Ron HoganAs he tells it, he'd first made his move at the office Christmas party. (The woman, whom the Press is not naming, declined comment.) They flirted, she laughed, and they made plans to go to the Holocaust Museum together -- or so he thought. The next Monday when he e-mailed her, she disavowed the plan and, indeed, any subsequent plans.
And I thought Blue Velvet was the lousiest first date idea in the world... The Elegant Variation dug up a Houston Press article about a guy who managed to get himself fired over a female coworker and a short story. Technology worker Will Carpenter asked a woman from the office out on a date; she said no, he wrote a short story about a woman who didn't date her coworker and ended up hacked into pieces, and when an online magazine accepted it, he sent the URL around to his officemates--including the woman who rejected him, who was understandably not impressed by his literary prowess. Now, he tells reporter Sarah Fenske, he's even more hurt and confused that people don't realize he's really a nice guy who just wanted to work his feelings out. It's pretty amazing--for a guy who's nearly approaching 30, he seems to have all the emotional maturity of an undergrad creative writing student...and, if the excerpts are anything to go by, the talent to match. And he should probably consider himself lucky; if he had been a creative writing student, and turned that story in, he'd probably be having mandatory meetings with a therapist at the least, possibly even facing expulsion.
If you have a few minutes, you might read the story:
http://www.cherrybleeds.com/words/guest/will-april.html
It's just as dull as the excerpts make it appear, and I think you're right regarding the writer's maturity--and lack of judgment in choosing to whom to send the link.
Posted by: Michael Dietsch at May 24, 2004 01:14 PMfunny.
i dont mind comments on my "talent". in fact, i encourage them. but you judging me on a newspaper article that didnt tell the ENTIRE story is, well, something. youve certainly earned your place among the Gods, i am sure.
but, whatever. call me what you want. i guess actually being emotionally mature allows you to call people names? obviously, i wouldnt know.
there is no reason for anyone to have sympathy for
me. and there arent reasons for anyone to think i am
insane, creepy, deranged, psychotic...whatever. god
bless a lexicon.
i know i made a mistake. whatever. i am moving on. ok.
you have never worked there, at least i dont think you
have. you dont know the environment or the people
involved. i have and do. for a long, long time now.
these people knew me. went to my wedding, helped me in
ways that i will not explain. everything. they know
the type of person i am. i am not, and have never been
hostile to ANYONE, inlcuding this single mother (who
has real life experience that would make me look like
a boy scout).
the museum was her choice.
i told her i got published and asked if she wanted to
read it.
i warned her several times, its not her, its just a
story. she said ok.
i didnt write it because i was 'jilted' or ashamed or
rejected. though, this did help with the direction i
wanted to go. it was supposed to be about someone who
cannot form real life relationships and lives on the
internet. thats it. the killing was thrown in at the
last moment because i was tired of the story.
this story, or any others i have written, are in NO
way indicative of the kind of person i am. its a
STORY. thats it.
yes, i was shocked. yes, i am happy nothing more has
happened. no, i havent talked her since april 2. i
dont know where she lives, any of her emails or
phones. these are not stalking tendencies, are they?
me being shocked is from the family you build working
there. you wouldnt know anything about if you havent.
its not like any other place. i worked out there for,
off and on, seven years. these people went to my
wedding and kept in touch when i left for school.
thats what i am shocked at.
and you thinking i am psychotic, insane, etc., is just
as bad as them thinking the same thing - which got me
fired. its more telling about society to jump to
conclusions. i appreciate that.
if i am guilty of anything, its for giving people much
more credit then they deserve. but, please, for the
love of anything, do not sympathize for me and my
actions. i dont want that and i dont need it.
For the record, Mr. Carpenter, I don't think you're psychotic or insane, or even a stalker--the only person to whom I think you're a danger is yourself. My impression--and I freely admit that I don't know you personally, and am going strictly by what I read in the papers, and from your comment above--is that emotional immaturity led you to make some dumb personal choices and lazy creative decisions. That's all.
Posted by: editor at May 25, 2004 01:08 PMyour PayPal donation
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