December 10th, 2018 - Chaunt

Dear TNY,

I don’t get “Chaunt.”    I’m more than willing to admit this could be my fault.  Data from previous issues says otherwise.

I met Padgett Powell once.  A protégé of Donald Barthelme, as you may know.  Padgett is a swell guy.  He repeated the words of Barthelme once when talking shop.  He said, “What must the wacky do?  It must break their hearts.”  Well TNY, this story has the wacky.  And as I sit here, a certain number of minutes from the start of the story, I cannot remember that start.  And I did not cry by the end.  I did not feel anything, in point of fact, other than the strong desire to be finished with this.  So, as far as an abstract piece goes, it failed in its mission to break my heart.  So was it wasted wackiness?  Who fucking knows? By the time I sign this letter I’ll have forgotten the whole fucking thing.  Wait…wait.  Yep.  It’s gone.

Nick