Jordan Moffat and Talita Valle bring back to life well known figures Confucius, as an ordinary man’s beloved dog who goes on a talk show in “My Dog is Confucius (Yes, that Confucius), and Dorothy Parker stuck in the body of an unappreciative teenager in Brazil who spends her time lamenting life and love in shopping malls in “My Life as the Reincarnation of Dorothy Parker.”
Talita who arrived at the party with a bulletproof helmet, soon took it off as there didn’t appear to be any danger after all. Name calling and back biting have been left to a minimum. Jordan has noted the commenters can BYOB&G (bring your own blood & gore) ‘cause he ain’t playin’ dirty. However, Talita is promising us pictures of cats with lasers if we vote for her and she wins which may tip the scales in her favour? I mean cats *and* lasers!?!
Commentor John Seanston noted Jordan’s story reminds him of Jerrold Mundi “The Luger Is a 9mm Automatic Handgun with a Parabellum Action” by Jerrold Mundi, a short story about a dog who talks philosophy while in the park. While some may argue this story very closely resembles Mundi’s, Jordan notes his inspiration stems from The Analects, Home Improvement and Homeward Bound. However,Jordan clearly states that the name of the dog in his story, Tim the Tool Dog Taylor has no real overarching significance.
Talita’s story inspiration comes from her fear some psychic will tell her she’s the reincarnation of Dorothy Parker. Commentor Lala notes “the Dorothy Parker thing is interesting because it’s kind of like a mask for the writer. She falls back on this clever Dorothy Parker angle in a way that mirrors the way in which the character’s affectations or performances hide her insecurities.” Lala also notes the story could potentially use some self-awareness early on so the reader doesn’t have to work so hard to get the Dorothy Parker allusions.
Both stories rely on specific cultural short-cuts, Vine, MSN Messanger and the Marilyn Dennis show and work as a specific anchor to time and place. Talita notes that it is the juxtaposition of modern social mores and social media that create most of the comic tension in both stories.
Since the beginning, votes have been neck and neck and resulted in numerous ties or palindromes as Talita and commenter Eduardo pointed out with glee and smiley faces.
If it is truly BYOB&G, who will bring it in the days to come? Who has the guts for the glory? And when will those smiley faces turn into a skull and cross bones?
/ Martha Tuff