Drabblecast 225 - Trifecta XIX

[steven.saus]

Regarding the ending of "Broken":

I don't know. I really, really don't know.

Glad you liked it, though!

[tbaker2500]

I liked the ambiguous ending.

Thanks for the definitive answer about ambiguity. Saved a lot of arguing.

[Unblinking]

I'm not sure if the author meant me to wonder this, but I wonder what
the fairy did with the baby she took.

Do we know that the exchange did happen? I recall it being left in at indecision, then a view years later. If I recall, the child still had issues. This could be the original kid, who grew better than the original prognosis.

I guess it didn't say it explicitly, but to me there was no doubt in my mind--the exchange happened. If the change in the kid weren't enough, there was also the ending comment of the story that he was a strange kid. Sure, lots of parents say that about their kids, but placed as it was as the closing comment lent it extra weight to me.

What's ambiguous to me is what happened to the kid he gave away.

[normsherman]

I was totally sold on the ambiguity at the end whether it was his kid or the fairy kid. His kid may have been 'excelling' but he was also in both physical therapy and 'the other kind' (which I thought was a cool way of presenting that). David 'isn't quite normal' could describe the child who has overcome lots of developmental delays, or the swapped fairy kid.
To me it was a beautifully expressed and perfectly enigmatic ending.

[shagin]

What a wonderful listen!

All three stories were fantastic, the middle Pied Piper tale being the weakest only because of the ending, and the reads were all splendid.

"Broken" was the hardest to listen to. As the mother of two children with special needs, it hurt in a way many people cannot understand. We received similar news with the diagnosis of our youngest son. I wonder if the trade was made (I believe it was), wonder if I would have done the same...

[steven.saus]

"Broken" was the hardest to listen to. As the mother of two children with special needs, it hurt in a way many people cannot understand. We received similar news with the diagnosis of our youngest son. I wonder if the trade was made (I believe it was), wonder if I would have done the same...

Let's just say that there's some parts of that story that are true, and there's parts that are complete lies.

I'm not telling which is which.

But I will say that I understand. ::big virtual wombat hug::

[Rhio2k]

I sense a sho jo mallet in my direction in the near future BTW.

*Strokes mallet* Shanto shina...kudasai.

[El Barto]

That Trifecta was lip-smacking good. I can only imagine how much trauma would result from allowing a real six-year-old to listen to "David is Six." The narration on that one was gorgeous as well and I thought it was the best of the three.

"Broken" didn't do as much for me because I didn't sense much tension in the father. He didn't seem to want the kid in the first place and I assumed he made the switch, despite the oddly pressured timing of having to make the decision. But I did like wondering whether he told his wife, and whether the child knows or will ever know his true roots.

"The Best Boy, the Brightest Boy..." wow now that was a dark story. I liked it but wasn't too keen on the gimmicky ending.

Overall, another excellent episode. I hope the Drabblecast endures for decades.

[ROU Killing Time]

Overall, another excellent episode. I hope the Drabblecast endures for decades.

Decades? Hmpf. I hope they plop Norm's brain in a jar so we can enjoy DC for the next several millennium.
Maybe there should be a Kickstarter dedicated to this end.

[strawman]

Overall, another excellent episode. I hope the Drabblecast endures for decades.

Decades? Hmpf. I hope they plop Norm's brain in a jar so we can enjoy DC for the next several millennium.
Maybe there should be a Kickstarter dedicated to this end.

Nice of you to be so considerate of your great grandchildren. Or are you counting on your own brain-jar?

[ROU Killing Time]

Overall, another excellent episode. I hope the Drabblecast endures for decades.

Decades? Hmpf. I hope they plop Norm's brain in a jar so we can enjoy DC for the next several millennium.
Maybe there should be a Kickstarter dedicated to this end.

Nice of you to be so considerate of your great grandchildren. Or are you counting on your own brain-jar?

Anyone with at least 3000 forum posts should get a jar. imo

[SteveQuest]

I like the fact that Mr. Saus doesn't really know the true ending to "Broken". That's a great touch to an excellent story.
After a couple of listens, I think the exchange did take place and the father never told his wife. A miracle had happened, she would think.

He will take that secret to his grave me thinks.

[themorg]

Anyone with at least 3000 forum posts should get a jar. imo

Speak the speech oh Cogitor

[Travelin Corpse Feet]

I liked "Best Boy, Brightest Boy" the best out of all of these (how fitting!) although I did feel like the end was a little, I dunno, eye-rolly. It was an awesome extension of an old story and felt like it stood well enough on its own withing having to be an origin story for anything.