25 Comments
User's avatar
Paul R's avatar

I think we live in an age of unintended consequences. Or maybe unforeseen and unforeseeable consequences. We adjust something over there and the whole ecosystem tilts out of equilibrium.

“We cut down all the trees and put them in a tree museum.

And charge the people a dollar and a half just to see ‘em! “

Expand full comment
Jimmy Doom's avatar

We used to think about that putting fake tree props on stage.

Expand full comment
Patris's avatar

J, this story should be bottled. I’d buy a supply every week. One beautifully created homage to how life happens and the need for the serendipitous.

Expand full comment
Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thank you. I tried to bottle the stories and be open daily for the Substack masses but they simply don't want them. They want free Mini-Twitter.

Expand full comment
Patris's avatar

Give them time to breathe post election - I think you might see a change.

Expand full comment
Layne Mercer's avatar

You definitely nail the kind of specificity that gives your stories a sense of realism.

Expand full comment
Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thank you. Authenticity is key for me.

Expand full comment
Joe's avatar

Crazy how negative publicity can be just as good or better than positive publicity.

Bert's ode to a dead hawk certainly has brought benefits - and they keep on coming!

Fun story!

Expand full comment
Jimmy Doom's avatar

He certainly meant well

Expand full comment
Zelmo of Troy's avatar

From a literary critic sort of standpoint:

Excellent, again. One more and you’re on a heater.

Expand full comment
Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thanks. I'd be really good if I could devote more time to it, but I gotta make money to pay the rent. Some of these will go in the book and then maybe...

Expand full comment
Luke's avatar

Love it.

Expand full comment
Jimmy Doom's avatar

I really like this one too

Expand full comment
Germaine Gebhard's avatar

This was wonderful!

In the mundane is the universe.

No smoked whitefish?

Pure Michigan!

Expand full comment
Jimmy Doom's avatar

There are so many great stories in the every day. I saw the fictional town as downstate center Michigan and not far enough north or to the coasts for smoked whitefish.

Expand full comment
Johan L. Rocha's avatar

from Cristiano Ronaldo to the most recent, Dwyane Wade, I'm beginning to think busts aren't as easy to sculpt as Michelangelo made it seem

Expand full comment
Jimmy Doom's avatar

I'm a Messi fan anyway :)

Expand full comment
Michael Gilbert's avatar

I really enjoy this one and the last line is perfect!

Expand full comment
Jimmy Doom's avatar

Super happy you’re digging these. I put a ton of effort into this.

Expand full comment
Mary's avatar

I liked the story. I enjoyed that something so simple as trying to create a monument became a whole lore for a town. It's funny how that happens. I see it a lot in smaller eco systems like families. That weird thing happens and then all of a sudden it's the joke everyone talks about every holiday. Once many years ago before the internet told us everything, my mom who had to get up very early in the morning to go to work stayed up to watch the eleven o''clock news because they were going to tell who had died on her favorite tv show "Northern Exposure." They waited through almost half the broadcast before announcing it was the moose that had died. For the next ten plus years we bought my mom mooses for every holiday, birthday or event. She took it in stride and even decorated our family room in with mooses.

Expand full comment
Jimmy Doom's avatar

I love moose. And I love goofy traditions like that

Expand full comment
George P Farrell's avatar

Short and sweet with a twist.

Expand full comment
RK Delka's avatar

Great little story. Again, the characters are so real and well done. Youre VERY good.

Expand full comment
Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thanks

Expand full comment
lou J's avatar

I loved that and my occasion when someone shows concern for other species. And sure love to carve rocks. You might be interested in this note I posted back when I first joined substack:

https://substack.com/@louj1/note/c-88771588?r=270xom&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action

Expand full comment