Drabblecast 132 - Doubleheader IV

[Kevin Anderson]

A Baker’s Dozen
and
The Wrong Cart
by Bruce Holland Rogers

People don't like to admit mistakes. You know how it is. Sometimes it's just easier to act like you didn't make a mistake at all, like you're doing exactly what you meant to do all along...



Music by
Lyle Mays, Dave Grisman, Norm Sherman and U2 (Parody)

[strawman]

I like Roger's concept about the lengths people go to avoid admitting mistakes. But the story relies for its effect on the listener's reaction to homophobic (what an inapt word!) implications. And while tastefully executed, I wonder if it would work as gay fantasy. Does it, Luke?

The Baker's Dozen also messes with role reversal, but in a straight and playful way, less weird because I can actually imagine it really happening in Serendipity. I really enjoyed the redemptive powers of the change in identity, and how the customer's character really changes as he settles into his inner baker.

I need to add that Norm's intro's really are competing with the stories. I don't want the Mongolian Death Worm installments, or Norm's new character, Connor Chillsworth, to end with Part Two. I would subscribe to and support a Drabblecast Intro/Outro podcast if Connor Chillsworth was the host of an "In Search of..." series.

ARE YOU HEARING ME, NORM?

[StalinSays]

I need to add that Norm's intro's really are competing with the stories. I don't want the Mongolian Death Worm installments, or Norm's new character, Connor Chillsworth, to end with Part Two.

I don't want to sound like some tireless sycophant but mega-dittoes to Strawman's comments on the Connor segments. Look, if he's done with worms, there are far more cryptids to be tracked. We have illegal chupacabra immigrants in Texas, baby alien arsons in Mexico, and all sorts of ancient sharks with naughty bits on their foreheads. I will personally trawl cyptomundo to see this through.

[strawman]

Wow, the possibilities for swag abound! I'm thinking annual DrabbleIllustrated swimsuit edition, with Megabeast Centerfolds of the Month (in bikinis).
I also would love to start a Megabeast trading card collection, with descriptions and battlestats on the back, and a piece of flat bubblegum with each pack of 5, in flavors like ClownHatchlingNose.
What a great way to promo the site and introduce the world to the strange artists and authors of our universe!
Second Life, Drabbleverse Edition.

[ROU Killing Time]

Wow, the possibilities for swag abound! I'm thinking annual DrabbleIllustrated swimsuit edition, with Megabeast Centerfolds of the Month (in bikinis).
I also would love to start a Megabeast trading card collection, with descriptions and battlestats on the back, and a piece of flat bubblegum with each pack of 5, in flavors like ClownHatchlingNose.
What a great way to promo the site and introduce the world to the strange artists and authors of our universe!
Second Life, Drabbleverse Edition.

You stolz my idea for "Mega-Beasts: The TCG"

Ima gunna sue joo...

[normsherman]

I don't want the Mongolian Death Worm installments, or Norm's new character, Connor Chillsworth, to end with Part Two.

Oh it'll end when we find a worm, ya hear? WHEN WE FIND A WORM!
Also, it's Connor Choadsworth.

[Phenopath]

I enjoyed The Wrong Cart, it was simple, stupid and effective. It made me smirk.

Connor Choadsworth has the most ludicrous accent - Norm are you not tempted to adopt it permanently? It is just a shame that there is not a Mongolian Death worm competing in MBDM III.

[Praxis]

Loved both of these.
Baker's dozen was an honest, heartwarming tale of two people appreciating what they have (and I laughed and laughed at the improv-ideas for the different breads and cakes: "it.....has restorative powers", "oh, really?"
Sweet and charming.

The Wrong Cart was just barmy and from such a simple premise. And made me laugh a lot, especially when I realised what was going to happen when they went to the hotel.

....But the story relies for its effect on the listener's reaction to homophobic (what an inapt
word!) implications.

Uhhh, maybe I can shed some light on this : no it is not homophobic.

The story relies for its effect on, on the one hand, the reasonableness with which each of the shoppers act - 'we have different shopping, oh well, at least we don't have to admit we have different shopping' and on the other with the ridiculousness of the resulting situation.
I wonder if the other husband and wife are even supposed to notice the switch.....

[strawman]

Yeah, I'd like to rephrase. There are two levels of primary effect in The Wrong Cart. The first level is just fun, going along with the switch. It goes to the next level with The Spouse Swap and morning after. Then there's the split level of traded spouse seemingly unaware that there has been a change. Someone is in serious denial here, but who?

But get right down to it, sometimes the whole point of absurdity is that it doesn't add up. Try to make Kafka accountable to reason... Try to get a geneticist to comment on the plausibility of MBDM lll contestants. Try Joe Biden.

[tbaker2500]

Awesome stuff. The hunt for the worm is also a great addition... Not one of those "field pieces" have let me down. But my favorite was the kick-ass donor of the week. "Where do _I_ find the time!!!???"

[Foxfyre Recluse]

I really liked the Bakery story. If someone were to tell me to try swapping places, I would totally do it. It's interesting how doing something different can make a day uplifting.

The worm story was great. Norm must really hate Bono. Bono does after all catch grass carp.

[Caid]

Epic work, Norman. The Wrong Cart was probably my fave of the two feature stories, but they were both good. The U2-parody... immortal.

[Richmazzer]

Wonderful work by Bruce Holland Rogers. I liked how connected the two stories were with the "walk a mile in my shoes" theme Norm pointed out. Baker's Dozen just verged on cheesy, but didn't. And the result of that experience is teary eyed start of a happy day .
Wrong Cart was wonderful. Such a fun concept and so well played out. One could speculate all day.

Love the Connor Choadsworth bits. This is the kinda stuff those EP prudes are missin out on.

At the same time, I'm envious of Caid and other new friends who might eventually start exploring the backlogs to realize that this Drabblenews is not so "immortal" as "typical." When I found DC I had about 40 episodes of "OMG HOLY CRAP" wonder to explore on top of weekly wonder. Even all the way back to the hissy origins thereis good stuff. I'll never forget the story about robbing the old lady going up the hill, and Kevin Anderson's story about the carnie mutant cannibal.

[alhilton]

More praise here (I know you claim to want variety in feedback, Norm, but when you really need to hear lukewarm praise and criticism, there's always EP forums!)

Both Baker's Dozen and Wrong Cart were hilarious for the casual, off-hand way in which the characters responded to the weirdness around them. I didn't think Wrong Cart sounded homophobic. The characters seemed pretty sexually fluid, and there _is_ something kind of funny about a straight man shacking up with somebody else's husband just because of inertia. Then he has an affair with the guy's wife _as_ the guy's wife. I still think it would have been funny as a straight spouse swap (or a both-couples-gay spouse swap), but the gender flip added an extra twist.

The Death Worm saga is epic and MUST go on!

[Mr. Tweedy]

Hmm... Too much positive feedback here. This situation requires a wet blanket be thrown:

I merely liked both stories. They were only chuckle-inducing, and just a little insightful. And the intro wasn't as funny as some others I've heard. (There: The gloom-master strikes!)

I especially liked "Wrong Cart," because, although it was totally ridiculous, it did illustrate a principle that I discovered almost immediately upon getting my first "real" job. The principle is this: People are more interested in avoiding blame than achieving goals. People are strongly inclined to let a problem persist if if they fear they might be blamed for any consequences associated with correcting it. Similarly, the person responsible for a problem is inclined to let it persist forever rather than correct and, in so doing, confess to their own responsibility. People will suppress their own good ideas for fear upsetting others where the status quo is disrupted. If something is perceived as "nobody's fault" or "just the way things are", people will just let it be, no matter how bad it is. "Wrong Cart" was a just a fun over-the-top way to illustrate that.

The Connor Choadsworth skits are... Duty Calls!

[tbaker2500]

I especially liked "Wrong Cart," because, although it was totally ridiculous, it did illustrate a principle that I discovered almost immediately upon getting my first "real" job. The principle is this: People are more interested in avoiding blame than achieving goals. People are strongly inclined to let a problem persist if if they fear they might be blamed for any consequences associated with correcting it. Similarly, the person responsible for a problem is inclined to let it persist forever rather than correct and, in so doing, confess to their own responsibility. People will suppress their own good ideas for fear upsetting others where the status quo is disrupted. If something is perceived as "nobody's fault" or "just the way things are", people will just let it be, no matter how bad it is. "Wrong Cart" was a just a fun over-the-top way to illustrate that.

Well put, Tweedster. It makes me think about my role as a boss of a company. I often get irritated as employees trying to push new concepts and change things, mainly because I've already tried/thought of/analyzed/rejected the concept, and I'm tired of having to walk the employee through the several hours of thought process of why that won't work. However, I strongly reward them when they are right. So as a result, they keep on trying to improve things, and I make my life harder by encouraging it.

It certainly is easier to use inertia, and these stories were a great example of it.

[normsherman]

That is a really good point Tweedy. That's an angle to the story that I hadn't recognized. In my business, both non-profit and guitar teaching, I've found that at least acting like new ideas and feedback matter is generally good. In the process of acting, about 10% of the time it makes me realize that a stupid idea is actually a really good idea, whereas before I would have never considered it. The other 90% I try to appreciate and recognize the proactive nature of at least, because I'm totally familiar with the status quo thing Tweedy was talking about, and am guilty of it myself.
Boy, you can apply that to relationships too can't you? That's a different can of deathworms...

[internalogic]

Love this podcast! Another great job.

Good to hear that Lyle Mays at the beginning. Thought it was Pat Metheny.

[ROU Killing Time]

In my business, both non-profit and guitar teaching, ...

Is there a difference between those two?

[G. E. Lee]

It is just a shame that there is not a Mongolian Death worm competing in MBDM III.

I think it's a shame there isn't an actual Mongolian Death Worm with a belly full of Bono. I'm looking forward to hearing about more of Connor's adventures in the Gobi.
Great stories, both. I could actually see the guy watching his "husband" head up stairs, grimace, look out the patio door at the pool, shrug, and and head up to bed. I actually listened to this in the grocery store, though I am wise enough to leave my spouse at the hizzy when I make the weekly Kroger run. She always wants to buy house plants. Who buys house plants at the grocery story?