Drabblecast 246 – The Kidney

[StalinSays]

Feature: Kidney by Amir Ahmed
Drabble: The Return by Chris Munroe



Tuesday, June 12th, 2012
The shop bell rang at the front of the St. George Tim Hortons. I didn’t see who came in, but when Shel looked up, his eyes widened.

“Crap.” He whispered. “It’s my kidney.”

“Your kidney?” I asked. I turned in my seat, but Shel jerked me back by the shoulder. He held up his free hand to shield his face.

“Shhh,” he murmured. “Don’t look at it…”

The Dribblecast
Art by David Flett

Twabble: "Rogers had to admit, above the screaming, that the scientist’s little finger did in fact know more than he did after all." by Never-Mind

[strawman]

The address given for the DC forums in the drabble is wrong.
drabblecast.freeforums.org doesn't work.

[Ignoranus]

For some reason, I found this story really unsettling. I quite thoroughly enjoyed it, but the awkwardness of the whole situation and the damn thing following them everywhere had me practically shifting in my seat with the urge to get away. It was a very odd feeling to have the story evoke.

[alhilton]

Oy, wrong hepatitis! You can get Hep A from practically anything - poorly washed dishes at a restaurant, putting your hands in your mouth after touching dirty stuff (like money or a railing or a doorknob...). You don't usually know where you got it. It's mostly a 3rd world disease, and it's not an STD. You *will* feel like you're dying if you get it, but once you've recovered, you will not be infectious to others. You make a full recovery if you don't perish.

The author clearly meant Hep C or perhaps Hep B. Or, you know, herpes.

Anyway, creepy story, otherwise well-executed.

[Unblinking]

I really didn't care about this one. A walking kidney moping around and being depressed after a breakup is, on the face of it, prime Drabblecast material. And I often like a story that takes a normal real-life situation and explores it in some ridiculous way. But in this case, I didn't feel like the breakup being a kidney really added anything whatsoever to the story. It could've just been a person and then it would've been just an unremarkable, depressing and awkward breakup story. The kidney element just seemed tacked-on to me.

[strawman]

This and the last episode have that in common: A pretty regular life story, but with golems for characters. Starts as an interesting concept, but goes 'off' as it goes 'on'. Plus, the kidney, instead of the heart? Why? Instead of evoking love lost, you want to evoke backed-up toilets lost?

That might just work!

[Tesseract]

This and the last episode have that in common: A pretty regular life story, but with golems for characters. Starts as an interesting concept, but goes 'off' as it goes 'on'. Plus, the kidney, instead of the heart? Why? Instead of evoking love lost, you want to evoke backed-up toilets lost?

That might just work!

"Crap, I dropped my heart in the can again. No, NO, NOOOOO! FLUFFY! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE! THE FLUSH HANDLE IS NOT A MOUSE! Ohgodohgodohgod, where's the number for the plumber."

[Lone Mopper]

After hearing this one, I think it needs to be donated, anywhere but here.

[tbaker2500]

I liked this one a lot. After looking up Hep A and realizing that the author got the wrong one, I was able to let that go. I really enjoyed the oddity of the pretense. I have to admit I didn't get the full realization of the story until it was summarized in the last two lines; some breakups are like removing a part of yourself.
Good work!

Remember, you can add your voice to the Dribblecast at anytime. Learn how at: http://www.dribblecast.org/we-are-dribblecast/

[Beth Peters]

I really enjoyed this one! It harkens back to the classically strange Drabblecast days of yester-yore. I think the kidney being tacked-on is the entire joke, so can see how someone wouldn't really be into it if they didn't get the joke. It's just such ridiculous imagery, and the dialogue really supported the feeling of it being an ex girlfriend/stalker. The last line was golden, tying it back to how we carry our past relationships with us always as once part of us.

[Unblinking]

I really enjoyed this one! It harkens back to the classically strange Drabblecast days of yester-yore. I think the kidney being tacked-on is the entire joke, so can see how someone wouldn't really be into it if they didn't get the joke. It's just such ridiculous imagery, and the dialogue really supported the feeling of it being an ex girlfriend/stalker. The last line was golden, tying it back to how we carry our past relationships with us always as once part of us.

It's not that I didn't get it, I just didn't find the joke funny. Potato Potahto maybe...

[Varda]

Organ rejection hurts, don't it?

I loved this story, and can't really place my renal artery on why. Probably because anatomical science is currently my favorite science, and disembodied anthropomorphic organs make me happy. This story made me bring the poor kidney home, wrap it in a warm meninx or two, and remind it that even if no one wants it, there's always dialysis.

Loved the Drabble too! What is this "Dribblecast", and should I be listening to it too?

[tbaker2500]

Why just listen? Contribute also! (Or just listen)
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4235

[Varda]

I dunno. Podcasting sounds suspiciously like public speaking to me, which in turn is utterly terrifying, unless I've had just the right amount of stout.

I found Dribblecast on iTunes--subscribed! Will listen to some episodes and see if the sheer force of peer pressure persuades me to down some stout and take to the airwaves!

[tbaker2500]

Eh, nobody's listening. It's practically private speaking!

[Varda]

Eh, nobody's listening.

Huzzah! Does this make me your first subscriber? I promise to be as nonjudgmental as a proud parent at an elementary school play.

On a random note about this episode, it's a shame that these guys and those guys didn't co-sponsor the episode so that, filled with guilt and pity, all of us would adopt an adorable diseased kidney of our very own.