16 Comments
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Neural Foundry's avatar

Love how this piece turns the countdown itself into theprotective ritual. The way Bachelard's intimate immensity plays out here is fascinating becuase the bookstore becomes less a setting than a valve redirecting all that explosive tension somewhere else. I've held onto something too long in a similar way once, watching consequences unfold in slow motion but unable to release it. The mundane mathematical trivia about casting out nines becomes genuinely unnerving when embedded ina story about deferred detonation.

Jon T's avatar

thank you, i love that you got into the meat of it.

Alexander Ipfelkofer's avatar

Banger, I mean, Firecracker of a story, Jon! Also... LOVE the footnote galore!

Jon T's avatar

thank you Alexander!!

Keith Long's avatar

You're one of a kind

Jon T's avatar

as far as i know, yes.

thank you

Keith Long's avatar

I'd this story connected to your story about the office spy crawling to the elevator? It feels like it could be

Jon T's avatar

yes, there are a number of ‘zipper’ stories. Laundry Day is another

Keith Long's avatar

Well, time for a Jon T deep dive. You should message me a reading list

connection thing. I'd love to fall into that hole

Rosie B's avatar

Love this. "My instincts tell me to ding dong in the other direction, but the curiosity magnets are firing strong today so I big-stride after them." This in particular tickled my brain.

Jon T's avatar

I am all for tickling. Especially the velvety, voluptuous folds of the brain. Thank you and please consider your comment a gesture of reciprocity.

Camila Hamel's avatar

Love this.

Jon T's avatar

Love this. Thank you.

Camila Hamel's avatar

Ha. Sounds like you're correcting me for not saying thank you. It's a wonderful story, Jon, and your literary style is so playful. It was tremendous fun to read.

Jon T's avatar

oh no, I am only earnestly loving the love. Sometimes I print out all the comments and then cut out all the love words and make a big love collage that I hang on the back of my bicycle. So bring the love. I can make good use of it.

Camila Hamel's avatar

Good stuff. I was joking 😂 I know what you mean. I screenshot my favorite comments. It's so encouraging when people comment. I value this even more than the likes. A comment is like someone went out and with careful thought, bought you something. Likes are like they just gave you an envelope with money in it.