Drabblecast 209 - Babyhead

[StalinSays]

Feature: Babyhead by Aliya Whiteley
Drabble: Pork wood by Danger Slater



Sunday, June 26, 2011
Cynthia couldn’t explain what she’d just seen in the vegetable patch.

She didn’t want to look again. She considered going back into the house, crawling back into bed with Mikey, and putting it down as a beer-inspired dream.

But that pinkish dome with the fuzzy down had felt soft under her fingers, and there had been the smell of manufactured newness, like a dusting of talcum powder wafting up to her nostrils, as she had pulled the coarse outer leaves of the cabbage apart...

In Search of the Mongolian Deathworm
Danger Slater
Aliya Whiteley
Voices by Veronica
Art by Johan Lindroos

[ROU Killing Time]

I'm already creeped out. Should I get my teddy bear to cuddle while I listen to this?

[Unblinking]

I had a Cabbage Patch Kid when I was young. I don't remember it singing haunting melodies though. I wonder if mine was defective.

Seriously, I don't think I'd ever really thought about how CREEPY the Cabbage Patch Kid logo is, with the baby head in the cabbage. And now that this story points it out to me, I don't know how I missed it. This makes me wonder about a society that can show images of baby heads growing in produce, and have it be considered "cute" by most, and even marketed to children. Sort of like when I realized that Glinda must be evil, and the Wicked Witch of the West's acts were entirely justifiable, and wondered how they convinced most of the populace otherwise.

So, yeah, good story. I was expecting an earworm (this is Aliyah Whitely after all), but was quite creeped out by this little tale.

[strawman]

Aliya has a fixation on veggies; and she is the mother of a child. Maybe this is a first attempt to formulate an explanation of the facts of life... which the cabbage patch dolls obviously were.

But the creepy boyfriend, the bloody unwanted baby, and the violent throwing it way are certainly evocative allegory. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. But usually it's a penis, right?

[normsherman]

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. But usually it's a penis, right?

QOTD

[ROU Killing Time]

Aliya has a fixation on veggies; and she is the mother of a child. Maybe this is a first attempt to formulate an explanation of the facts of life... which the cabbage patch dolls obviously were.

But the creepy boyfriend, the bloody unwanted baby, and the violent throwing it way are certainly evocative allegory. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. But usually it's a penis, right?

I think the writings of Freud tell us a whole lot about Freud...
Methinks he doth protest too much?

[gelgur]

This reminds me in a way of those bottled water adverts, you know the ones with dancing babies.

Of course the dancing is unnatural but when you look at the eyes they seem very dark like they are, well, baby corpses.

It creeps me out big time, I'm too scared to ask if they used stop frame animation.

[cinnamon]

I don't know what this says about me, but I wasn't creeped out by this story except for the skeezy boyfriend. In fact, I thought the idea of the babyheads was pretty cool.

But then I've used "puppyhead" as a nickname for my dogs for years.

[Unblinking]

[moonowl]

I'm happy I grow swiss chard and don't have to worry about the cabbages trying to fertilize me. Gah!

Boobies. hehehehhe.

[tbaker2500]

First off - Friggin cool to have Connor back.

This story definitely evoked a "What the...?" reaction from me. Now, reading strawman's post, I suddenly see all the metaphor. Darn you, strawman!

[alhilton]

Conner vs the airline staff - *win* Although I'm still hoping for Conner vs the TSA.

The story - creepy as hell. Veronica, you got maximum millage out of it. Nice job!

[Blu_Tulip]

Another creepy and arresting story I can't forget from Drabblecast. This one really freaked me out. Shouldn't have listened to it before bed.

[munsi]

I did enjoy this story, honestly I did. But is there something wrong with me that the most relatable character in this was the creepy boyfriend? He was pretty clearly a douche, but really? If you have horriffic babyheads growing in your garden, f#cking MOVE!

[Polecat]

I´m not usually moved to employ such epithets, but...

GOR BLIMEY!!

Unlike the Man of Straw or Mr. Baker, I cannot see an allegory, metaphor or other device in the story (perhaps someone could explain...). I agree with Mr. Sherman, there is something innately fear-inspiring in the delicacy of babies, and I´m not keen on handling them myself. Cynthias recovery of the maggot-ridden Babyhead was particularly disturbing - I´m just glad Ms. Whitely didn´t care to describe the smell as well. Like Munsi, I think Mikeys advice to move was pretty sound, but "dealing" with the "problem" by ripping it out of the ground and hurling it away does strike me as... well... a little insensitive.

[tbaker2500]

Like Munsi, I think Mikeys advice to move was pretty sound, but "dealing" with the "problem" by ripping it out of the ground and hurling it away does strike me as... well... a little insensitive.

It seemed to me that was a metaphor for an abortion.

[Polecat]

I hadn´t thought of that - makes the whole tale a great deal darker, thanks for the insight, Mr. Baker.

[tbaker2500]

I hadn´t thought of that - makes the whole tale a great deal darker, thanks for the insight, Mr. Baker.

Yea, that's why I was saying "Darn you Strawman!!". Much darker story now.

[cinnamon]

I did enjoy this story, honestly I did. But is there something wrong with me that the most relatable character in this was the creepy boyfriend? He was pretty clearly a douche, but really? If you have horriffic babyheads growing in your garden, f#cking MOVE!

I might move INTO a house with babyheads in the garden.

[Blu_Tulip]

It seemed to me that was a metaphor for an abortion.

Yes, I think so too, which I think adds a layer of meaning to the level of guilt she feels.