19 Comments
User's avatar
appleton king's avatar

beginning to see how one cud get addicted to this daily shit

kudos

r.e.s..blahblah

Expand full comment
Teri Nine's avatar

Elliott is a turd.

Expand full comment
Jim Graham's avatar

I think you lost me on this. I can’t figure out where you were going. Is this about Ivan and his tragic story or about the asshole who just doesn’t care and wants to make his job a little easier by moving another file to his out box?

Expand full comment
Jimmy Doom's avatar

It's about two people's very different perceptions of the same things, and their ability to deal with those things.

Good to see that after all these years you still find a way to accentuate the negative.

Once upon a time, that was nearly fatal to me.

300 + paid subscribers, 899 stories, 5 negative comments and two of them are from you.

I'm not the least bit shocked.

Expand full comment
Jim Graham's avatar

Talk about two people with two different perceptions of the same thing. I was confused and sought clarification. You saw that in the most negative light possible. I’ve read every one of those 899 stories and expressed my admiration for your creativity and discipline. Write on.

Expand full comment
V Moire's avatar

This seems to be all about an asshole who doesn't care.

Expand full comment
Joe's avatar

Wow.

Did not expect that ending.

That is a story I would read to any group of agents - be they inspectors, underwriters, or IRS.

Really points out what makes some people tick.

And neither see reality properly.

Congrats on 899!

I'm not embarrassed to say it again - another one of your best.

Back in the days of rolodexes, I used to get a monthly publication called "Bits and Pieces". The purpose was to muse one-liner or one-paragraph ideas for speeches which needed "something" -- either an opener, a closer, or something in the middle.

This story reminded me of that, except it was the entire opener, or closer, or something in the middle.

Expand full comment
Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thanks Joe. Introducing Elliot into the story was kind of " lightning strike" inspiration.

Thanks for being part of this escapade.

Expand full comment
Eve Doster's avatar

Isn’t it funny how perception is skewed by our own surpluses and deficits sometimes? I’m in awe of your dedication to writing. Jimmy, no matter how hard I tried, I know I could not accomplish what you’ve accomplished here. It’s a big deal.

Expand full comment
Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thanks Eve. I'm certainly glad I made the commitment.

It helps when people seem to truly love the stories.

Expand full comment
david martin's avatar

this goes down as a new favorite jimmy.

the empathy you have for others in the life you live shines through here.

Expand full comment
Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thanks David. Sometimes my experiences during the day heavily shape the story I write at night. Sometimes I can escape into a completely different forest. However they come out, I'm always thrilled to write new favorites for people.

Expand full comment
Carol Angel's avatar

Enjoyed this story.

Expand full comment
Tony LeHoven's avatar

Yes, little Ivan is indeed screwed.

Expand full comment
V Moire's avatar

When I first started reading this, I thought it might have been influenced by the neighborhood you came upon recently. It almost doesn't matter. It's so much more. The humanity and hope you offer in most of your work did not allow me to see Elliot as an adversary till it was too late. That suspension may have been what made this so powerful. I loved the two very different perspectives and how they worked in the story. So very well done. I'm not a writer, so you'll have to hear me say those same words again, till I can some up with new superlatives.

Expand full comment
John Tenbusch's avatar

This is why I always want to meet with a person first when I do an assessment then read the files. What is in the file and who is in front of me can come across very differently

Expand full comment
Jimmy Doom's avatar

Elliot ain't nothin like you

Expand full comment
John Tenbusch's avatar

It is a reason I left my old job where I grew tired of arguing with a psychiatrist who would read the chart before talking to the person

Expand full comment
Luke's avatar

Jimmy, this is great. I have to say as I read it I saw Elliot as a form of evil making decisions while not paying attention to who was in the files.

Expand full comment