Visiting New Orleans was one of the most profound events of my life. Flying home into NYC, directly over Lower Manhattan, on the eve of the fifth anniversary of 9/11, made the emotions brought about by our trip all the more intense.
Given the day, I thought I would share a story I wrote. It’s about the nature of tragedy and it’s both funny, absurd and very sad.
“The BBC,” Fourteen Hills, Spring/Summer 2002, pgs. 36-40.
© 2002 by Cara Davis
(I couldn’t get it all in one pdf document. The Fabulous Bookish Girl merged the documents together for me! Thanks Wendy! I hope you don’t have any trouble reading it. You will need Adobe Reader to view it. Thank you.)
That is a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing it with us. I have a friend who would be a great memeber of the BBC, as her birthday is today.
I’ll look forward to reading your story later on today. Thanks for making it available, hon!
That’s a wonderful story. Great concept and I love the ending.
Wonderful story – thanks for sharing!
I loved the short story, Cara, and I would love to hear your impressions of New Orleans……..I’ve been there 5 times since Katrina, and every time, I am just overwhelmed with the destruction and the lack of progress rebuilding.
This is one of the most interesting and incredible stories I have ever read. You laugh until you realize the weight of it all and then it’s hard to even think you could laugh. What a talent you have for writing. Thank you for sharing it.
I was at both JFK and LaGuardia last night – we could have run into each other!
That’s a fabulous story, too. I’m actually mentioned in the BBC – otherwise known as Princess Di (my 21st birthday, actually).
Great story (sniffle). And thanks to you I now know that I share a birthday with Handel. That wouldn’t get me in, would it? but I love his music.
i can’t wait to read it later. much to reflect about on a day like today.
thank you. That is beautiful.
Lovely story, Cara.
Great Story
In being courious, I looked up on this day for my birthday, Sept 4 – Nothing bad happened, but I share a birthday with Beyonce, Mike Piazza and Mitzi Gaynor and Kelly Clarkson was voted the first American Idol
jeezus, Cara. … well done.
I was thinking about this story today, actually, and here you’ve posted it! I’m glad you shared it. Fitting.
Cara–
Did you go to SFSU? I worked in the English Dept. Office until 2001–MA Lit.
Oh great. I read the thing in pieces! Fabulous. Scared to look up my birthday now. Maybe it I’m Sacking of Rome or something. I won’t get elected dog catcher. xoxo Kay
Thanks for sharing your story Cara.
As I drove into my driveway this evening, I saw, over the hills, the beam of light from lower Manhattan, honoring the victims. Five years ago, over the same hills I watched in horror, the plume of smoke.
I’ve read that short stories are one of the most difficult things to write well: I think yours is a resounding success. I particularly like the way you’ve shown that people are driven to compete for the strangest things. Thank you; I hope you’ll excuse me as I go to see if anything ‘Bad’ has happened on my birthday. Although it is certain that terrible things happen somewhere, to someone, every day.
I’m Owen Meany. Do awful fictional deaths count? Thanks for the story, Cara.
GREAT story Cara! Thanks for making it available to download. You’re a very talented writer. 🙂
Great story, Cara. One of my sons is JFK.
What a wonderful short story. It’s clever and creative and says so much. I think it’s not fair that you have so so much creativity — photography, knitting, spinning, writing. Whew. What can’t you do? This just impressed the hell out of me, Cara.