1 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:03,240 Speaker 1: Call Zone Media. 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 2: Book Club Club book Club. I wonder if that'll ever 3 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 2: get old or the listener the fact that you can't 4 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 2: coordinate I chant over zoom. Yeah, but you can introduce 5 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 2: Coolson Media book Club, which comes out every Sunday and 6 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 2: is a piece of fiction read by me Margaret Kilchroy. 7 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 2: And today my guest is the only award winning guest 8 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 2: we've ever had, Sophie Lichterman. Hi, maybe other people have 9 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 2: won awards. I'm not sure. 10 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: They only give them to me legally. 11 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 2: Oh okay, yeah, all awards in the world go to Sophie. 12 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 2: That seems fair. Sophie does all of the work in 13 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 2: the world, including running all of the great cool Zone 14 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 2: Media podcasts that you listen to, whether on micro behind 15 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 2: the scenes. But I was like, I want Sophie to 16 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 2: be the guest of this story. 17 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: Well, I've been requesting this specific kind of story since 18 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: we first started talking about doing this book club series. 19 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 2: I know, and I'm going to still find you another 20 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:21,039 Speaker 2: Sophie has asked for a love story. Yeah, and this 21 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 2: is not a This is not a happy ending love story, 22 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 2: but it is a story about the complications of love 23 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 2: and it is a one of the best uses of 24 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 2: genre fiction to describe relationship dynamics that I've ever read, 25 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 2: and so I was excited to have you on for 26 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 2: it because this week's story is by an author named 27 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 2: Catherine Sparrow. 28 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 3: Oh. 29 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 1: Catherine Sparrow. 30 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 2: Cool, Oh, awesome, cool, Oh, I'm so excited. Catherine Sparrow 31 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 2: is a writer who is deeply interested in creating stories 32 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 2: about transformation, struggle, and solidarity. You can check out her 33 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 2: debut fantasy book, Little Apocalypse, which is about deadly monsters 34 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 2: and a kid who loves them. And this particular story 35 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 2: was originally published in Fantasy Magazine under the title Chemical Magic, 36 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 2: but it comes to us under the title Transmutation. 37 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 1: I'm so excited. This is going to be so nice 38 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 1: and just some context for the listeners. I have had 39 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: back to back to back to back to back stuff 40 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: this entire day, and I was like, Magpie, can I 41 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,799 Speaker 1: get ten minutes to eat? And her suggestion was, why 42 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: don't you mute yourself while I read you this story? 43 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,799 Speaker 1: And I was like, lunch hower story time, I highly 44 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:40,080 Speaker 1: recommend soothing eating while listening to Magpie. Tell me a 45 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:48,399 Speaker 1: love story that of sorts doesn't actually end with Hollywood 46 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: ending with a Hollywood ending that doesn't actually end with 47 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: a Hollywood ending. 48 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I want to at some point, I'm going 49 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 2: to get you another love story to read, because there 50 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 2: are really good stories that do end with a little 51 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 2: bit more happiness. But I just I really like this story. 52 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:11,519 Speaker 2: Transmutation by Catherine sparrom One. The magician pulled a rabbit, 53 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 2: a sock, monkey, a rainbow, and a flowering plum tree 54 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 2: out of his hat. He reached in deeper for everything 55 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 2: that was missing. He searched for something, anything, that would 56 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:23,519 Speaker 2: make it right and bring her back from the far 57 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 2: off land seventeen subway stops away. His gap toothed audience, 58 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 2: smiling and applauding, yelled for him to do more. While 59 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 2: the birthday boy sucked on a large purple lollipop. The 60 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 2: magician began pulling kerchiefs from his sleeve, a huge pile 61 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 2: of bright colored silks, never ending as they fell onto 62 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 2: the floor around his shiny leather boots. He stared down 63 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 2: at them and knew, no matter how long he kept pulling, 64 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 2: that there could never be enough to cover his grief. 65 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 2: When his performance was done, the children clapped, the parents smiled, 66 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 2: He bowed, and scurried home to his lonely apartment, empty 67 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 2: except for the box that was his best trick, if 68 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 2: only a girl allowed him to do it. The Alchemist 69 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 2: scratched her nose with a gnawed fingernail and watched the 70 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 2: flow of information that turned pithy phrases into charitable donations. 71 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 2: She clicked over to the Alchemist's for Peace project's financial 72 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 2: page and made a complicated exchange that turned euros into 73 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:25,800 Speaker 2: gold sterling. She felt a small contentment and held on 74 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 2: to that feeling until it faded away. Maybe I'll go 75 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 2: see a movie, she said out loud, as though she 76 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 2: had roommates. She scratched her belly along the red lined 77 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 2: scar and missed him for a moment. There were still 78 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 2: good memories. 79 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 3: That made her ache. 80 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:43,599 Speaker 2: She looked out the window and saw one of the 81 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 2: Magician's doves pecking at his foot, where a message had 82 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 2: been tied to his leg. The Alchemist opened the window, 83 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:54,920 Speaker 2: took the trembling bird into her hands, and untied the message. 84 00:04:55,000 --> 00:05:02,160 Speaker 2: She turned the paper into fire. Two two months earlier, 85 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 2: the magician stood on the dance floor wondering how to 86 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 2: magic his feet into graceful motion rather than the choppy 87 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 2: glitched movement of a thirteen year old boy. He hated 88 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:14,280 Speaker 2: his dancing, but hated more those men who stood in 89 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 2: the club's shadows and watched without ever moving their bodies. 90 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 2: So he bounced and swayed while his elbows jerked backwards 91 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:25,159 Speaker 2: in a hopeless gesture. He hit something soft that squished 92 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 2: and said out. He spun around to see a woman 93 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,479 Speaker 2: holding her breast and glaring at him. She had the 94 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 2: kind of breasts he loved, round and droopy. Sorry, he 95 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 2: mouthed over the bass boom. She rolled her eyes. He 96 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,160 Speaker 2: tried to elbow himself in the chest. It only seemed fair, 97 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 2: but the laws of physics only allowed him a blow 98 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 2: to the belly. At least it made her smile a little. 99 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 2: Her hard edged face turned lovely for a moment. She 100 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 2: flinched a little when he reached forward and pulled a 101 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 2: lollipop from behind her ear. She shook her head and 102 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:01,159 Speaker 2: patted her lips with two fingers, so he reached behind 103 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 2: her other ear and pulled out a cigarette. He followed 104 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 2: her outside, out past the butchy ladies, comparing pecks to 105 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 2: the alley full of rain and soggy cardboard. I'm the 106 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 2: magician he said, alchemist, she replied. She took a mode 107 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:18,599 Speaker 2: of dust from her pocket and placed it on the 108 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 2: edge of her cigarette. She turned the dust into flame. 109 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,479 Speaker 2: Those things will kill you, he said, Cancer turned cells 110 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 2: into monsters, she said, with professional admiration. The alchemist offered 111 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 2: him a drag, and he took it, shivering a little 112 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 2: when he placed the wet tip on his lips. So, magician, 113 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 2: what kind of magic are you into? He shrugged? Anything? Really, 114 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 2: magic is all one thing underneath. I keep most of 115 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 2: my tricks small so I don't scare people, so they 116 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 2: don't ask too many questions. You know I do, she smiled. 117 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:56,719 Speaker 2: At least people understand what a magician is. Everyone thinks 118 00:06:56,760 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 2: an alchemist makes perfume. One time I turned per fumano urine, 119 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 2: but that's not really my thing. Why'd you do it? Oh, 120 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 2: A lover cheated on me. The magician nodded. He thought 121 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 2: about the women he'd been with, how they'd all turned 122 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 2: from something magical into something awful. Maybe an alchemist could 123 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 2: keep that from happening. I bet your current lover doesn't cheat, 124 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 2: he said, trying not to sound too obvious. She raised 125 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 2: one eyebrow. I hope he won't. She stared until the 126 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 2: magician felt himself turning into something hot and bothered. She 127 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 2: walked away, and he followed, listening as she turned words 128 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 2: into a smoldering flirtation. He pulled flower after flower from 129 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 2: his breast pocket until he found her favorite, a collar lily, 130 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 2: and tucked it behind her ear. She turned his apartment 131 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 2: key into an invitation. He led her through his doorway 132 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 2: and into the world of his magical carpet, his magical bed, 133 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 2: and his magical bathtub, all of which are's for sale 134 00:07:56,520 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 2: from our sponsors. Get your own magical carpet, bed, and 135 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 2: bathtub from Magical Bed, bathtub, carpet, and beyond. 136 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 1: I was hoping you were going to do the beyond part. 137 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 3: It was like it was right there. 138 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 2: Yes, it's pretty much necessary. 139 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, and we're back. 140 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 2: Three. Some days they made elaborate plans and then never 141 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 2: ended up leaving the bed. Other days they would go 142 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 2: to the movies like teenagers in search of a dark space. 143 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 2: They would come out dazed, not having any idea what 144 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 2: it was about. I want to know everything about you, 145 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:49,960 Speaker 2: the magician said. The alchemist reminded herself to stay safe. 146 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 2: She pulled herself out of his arms. Insighed, you know 147 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 2: what happens when you get too close to an alchemist. 148 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 2: I'd like to find out, the magician teased, he understood nothing. 149 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,040 Speaker 2: He grinned, took a pair of lovebirds out of his 150 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 2: vest pocket and let them fly into the air. They 151 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 2: swooped and swirled around each other, fainting and surging in 152 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:13,600 Speaker 2: a secret bird dance, before settling down on the magician's shoulder. 153 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 2: One thing becomes another, she lectured him, objects lose integrity. 154 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 2: Transmutation is a true danger of my profession. She talked 155 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 2: on about how it worked, but wasn't sure why she bothered. 156 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:31,119 Speaker 2: He played with his birds and didn't listen. He didn't understand. 157 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 2: Maybe he didn't want to. The alchemist took one of 158 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 2: the birds into her hands and licked her fingers. When 159 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:41,240 Speaker 2: she stroked its green feathered head, its feathers grew black 160 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 2: and crow like. She whispered in its ear to be 161 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 2: free and let the bird fly. Four. I want to 162 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:53,200 Speaker 2: see what you can really do, he said to her. 163 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:56,079 Speaker 2: One day at the park, all the squirrels watched her, 164 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 2: and all the boats in the sailboat pond blew towards her. 165 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 2: The magician couldn't tear his attention away from her, and 166 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:06,280 Speaker 2: his magic leaked out all over the park. It filled 167 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:09,600 Speaker 2: him up and spilled all over. He'd never been happier. 168 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:13,439 Speaker 2: What I can really do, she smiled, with equal parts 169 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 2: condescension and affection. She liked him, he knew that, but 170 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 2: not as much as he liked her. She kept her distance. 171 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 2: He hated that most things can become most other things, 172 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 2: She said. The key is to figuring out how it changes, 173 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 2: like water into wine. You wonder how Jesus did it, Sure, 174 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:36,559 Speaker 2: the magician said. He glanced around, hoping no one religious 175 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 2: stood nearby. The only people nearby were little kids trying 176 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 2: to push their boats away from her and back out 177 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 2: to the middle of the pool. So there are both liquids. 178 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 2: That helps, but it doesn't go very far. Water quenches 179 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:53,720 Speaker 2: one kind of thirst, and wine another physiological and psychological, 180 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 2: so that moves them closer together. Then consider how water 181 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 2: to the thirsty is a relief, and how alkyl to 182 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 2: the wary is a relief. She gazed out across the 183 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 2: oval pond. When I hold all of that in my mind, 184 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 2: then it is only a small step into knowing what 185 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 2: chemical compounds are needed. To bridge the difference between them. 186 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 2: She opened her clunky purse and took out what looked 187 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 2: like a moldy bread crumb. She flicked it into the water, 188 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:24,200 Speaker 2: and it sank down between the bobbing miniature sailboats. The 189 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:26,680 Speaker 2: magician blinked, and in the time it took for his 190 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:30,040 Speaker 2: eyes to flutter back open, the water became a dark 191 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:34,760 Speaker 2: red stain stretching the length of the pool. The alchemist 192 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 2: cupped her hand and dipped it into the liquid. She 193 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:42,199 Speaker 2: sipped it delicately, A fine sancho vesse, you are amazing. 194 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:45,440 Speaker 2: I love you. The words slipped out, and he wondered 195 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:48,320 Speaker 2: if she had given him something to turn his infatuation 196 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:52,840 Speaker 2: into something deeper. Her wary smile told him she had not. 197 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 2: The magician lowered his mouth to the red liquid of 198 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:59,120 Speaker 2: the pond and drank as much as he could without choking. 199 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 2: Your face is a mess, she said. When he sat 200 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:06,160 Speaker 2: back up again, A cold breeze blew across the pond, 201 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:10,120 Speaker 2: capsizing some of the sailboats. They left as kids started 202 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 2: crying and parents began swearing and making phone calls to 203 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:14,320 Speaker 2: the city water department. 204 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:16,200 Speaker 3: Five. 205 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 2: They spent Monday through Friday playing phone tag, always missing 206 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 2: each other. The alchemist was busy with guild meetings, dinner 207 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 2: with friends, and deadlines. She watched the magician's anger when 208 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:33,080 Speaker 2: he couldn't spend time with her. She worried over his brooding. 209 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:37,079 Speaker 2: She tried to educate him about balance and object integrity. 210 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 2: The magician left flowers that bloomed into other flowers on 211 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:44,439 Speaker 2: her doorstep. He made her a box of endless chocolates. 212 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 2: The treffles made me a little sick, she admitted later. 213 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:52,240 Speaker 2: I turned them into toffees less intense, I guess with 214 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 2: little gestures and words. She tried to keep both of 215 00:12:54,600 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 2: them safe, even though he was such a pretty magician. Six, 216 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 2: show me a trick, the alchemist said to the magician. 217 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 2: They sat at a booth in a restaurant where the 218 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 2: food was much too greasy. But she had sprinkled her 219 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 2: own salt on top of the fried blintzes to turn 220 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:17,199 Speaker 2: them nourishing and healthy without losing any taste. She turned 221 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:19,679 Speaker 2: their sprites into gin and tonics, and both of them 222 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 2: were tipsy. The magician put on a smile and held 223 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 2: up his fork. It drooped in the middle. She laughed 224 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 2: and brushed her fingers across his forearm. He felt a 225 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:31,959 Speaker 2: chasm between them, even though she sat two feet away. 226 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 2: More please, she sucked on her straw. He liked the 227 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 2: way alcohol softened her. Magic is fussy, it comes and goes, 228 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:44,440 Speaker 2: he said. It's an art, not a science. He said 229 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 2: the words that all magicians are taught to say in 230 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 2: order to hide their inadequacy. And if you want to 231 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:53,520 Speaker 2: hide your inadequacy, you can buy a brand new car 232 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:59,319 Speaker 2: from cars Are Bus. I hope that's not a real. 233 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: Thing, but I feel like there are brands that are 234 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 1: very similar to that. 235 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 2: I was gonna be like cart Calm, but that's probably real. 236 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 1: There's ones that are like, get your car from a 237 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:14,719 Speaker 1: vending machine type shit, and I'm like, sure. 238 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, why not. You can get anything from any of 239 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 2: our sponsors. You call them. They will sell you anything 240 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 2: that you ask for, as long as it's legal to sell. 241 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 2: And not a crime for me to say that you 242 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 2: should call them to ask for But here are those ads, 243 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 2: and we're back. She nodded and yawned into the palm 244 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 2: of her hand. He was losing her. The magician ran 245 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 2: his hand through her hair as much remind himself that 246 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:03,680 Speaker 2: he could. As for the feel of her tangled curls 247 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 2: that came undone beneath his touch. Magic can be dangerous, 248 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:09,960 Speaker 2: he said. He sipped the perfectly balanced gin and tonic 249 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:14,080 Speaker 2: for small things. It will act predictably, but it's like electricity, 250 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 2: always taking the most direct path home, and the bigger 251 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 2: the magic. The mor can spark and spike. His hands 252 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:23,480 Speaker 2: shook and he looked away, explaining any of it made 253 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 2: him feel naked in a new way. But you're a 254 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:28,760 Speaker 2: really good magician, right, the alchemist asked. 255 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 3: He nodded. 256 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:32,680 Speaker 2: He wanted it to be true, and besides, she looked 257 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 2: so interested. There is one trick, my best trick, he said. 258 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 2: Maybe she would finally be the girl who liked it. 259 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:43,640 Speaker 2: Drink all of that, he ordered her, and then took 260 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 2: a big gulp of his own drink. Let's go to 261 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 2: my place. The magician pulled five dollar bills out of 262 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 2: his nose until he had enough to cover the bill. 263 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 2: He clutched her hand as they walked through the dusky 264 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 2: city and up the stairs to his apartment. A month ago. 265 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,000 Speaker 2: She turned and his dryer lint into lavender seeds, and 266 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 2: the whole place smelt hopeful. The magician took off his 267 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 2: vest and hat, and gestured for the alchemist to sit 268 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 2: at his kitchen table for tonight and one night only. 269 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 2: He began come see the magician's most daring and death, 270 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 2: the fine trick. He paused and studied the curl of 271 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:19,840 Speaker 2: her smile. Her fingers twitched and a pack of cards 272 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 2: appeared in one hand. She raised an unimpressed eyebrow. Good 273 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 2: start with low stakes, as though nothing interesting would happen. 274 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 2: He threw the cards up into the air and they 275 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 2: burst into tiny fireworks before disappearing. He coughed and then 276 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 2: pulled a three foot long rapier out of his mouth. 277 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 2: The razor sharp edge cut the top of his palate 278 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 2: and his mouth filled with blood. The alchemist applauded it 279 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:48,040 Speaker 2: was time. We are ready for this, He decided. For 280 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:50,520 Speaker 2: my next trick, I will need an assistant. Is there 281 00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 2: anyone in the audience, any brave girl willing to help? 282 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:55,600 Speaker 2: The alchemist raised her hand, and the magician spent a 283 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 2: long moment scanning his lazy boy his fish tank in 284 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:02,680 Speaker 2: the stereo before finally noticing her. Ah, yes, you fine lady. 285 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:07,439 Speaker 2: What is your name? The alchemist? She said primly, Ah, 286 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 2: a perfumest in the house. How lovely. She stuck her 287 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 2: tongue out and took his outstretched hand. You sure about this, 288 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:17,640 Speaker 2: he whispered, You trust me. You wanted that more than anything. 289 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:21,560 Speaker 2: She hesitated, and then nodded. He led her into the 290 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:23,959 Speaker 2: bedroom and over to the box that sat near his window. 291 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 2: It stood on sixteen legs, and every inch of it 292 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:30,240 Speaker 2: was carved and painted with a faded carnival cobalt and umber. 293 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 2: The magician opened the lid and gestured for the alchemist 294 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 2: to lay down within it. The length of her body 295 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 2: went inside the box, while her head and feet stuck 296 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 2: out the ends. One thing, she said, looking a bit frozen. 297 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:46,679 Speaker 2: If I say stop, you have to Her boundary hit 298 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,440 Speaker 2: the magician like a slap. He smiled, shut the lid 299 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 2: to the box, and slid four different bolts shut. The 300 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:55,280 Speaker 2: magician opened a slim drawer in the side of the 301 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:58,440 Speaker 2: box and took out two panes of glass, knife sharpened 302 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 2: along one edge. His hands trembled as he showed them 303 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 2: to her. Peering through them and smiling, The colors of 304 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:09,680 Speaker 2: her face bleached out to white. Magic and need bubbled 305 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:12,240 Speaker 2: through him, seeking release. He took the sheets and held 306 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:14,639 Speaker 2: them above the perfectly fitted slots of the box that 307 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:18,120 Speaker 2: lay just above her belly. She cleared her throat, about 308 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:21,679 Speaker 2: to say something, maybe about leaving him. We both need this, 309 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:25,159 Speaker 2: he thought. It will bring us closer. He plunged the 310 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:28,680 Speaker 2: panes of glass into her through her magic flushed through him, 311 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 2: hard and down. It caught on her spinal cord before 312 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:36,399 Speaker 2: slicing through. She screamed, quiet, it doesn't hurt. He said, 313 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:38,680 Speaker 2: that was part of the trick. The magician didn't look 314 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:41,280 Speaker 2: at her face, but knelt down and rolled away the 315 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:44,000 Speaker 2: two separate pieces of the box. Through the glass, he 316 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:47,680 Speaker 2: could see her internal landscape. She can't hide from me anymore, 317 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:51,119 Speaker 2: he thought. Her scream turned into a short, panting breath. 318 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:55,879 Speaker 2: Look away, she whispered. Please. He had already split her 319 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,720 Speaker 2: in two, so how could he resist. He turned torso 320 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 2: side and watched a lovely redcarp flit about, moving in 321 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:04,920 Speaker 2: and out of her undulating organs. Its mouth gaped in 322 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:08,879 Speaker 2: open o shape around her stomach. He saw Grandma curled 323 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 2: up and sleeping with her grandchild. The magician smiled and 324 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 2: peered closer. Something tar like oozed around her liver, taking 325 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:20,560 Speaker 2: on shadowy menacing forms. Please stop, put me back together, Please, 326 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:24,399 Speaker 2: she begged. It doesn't hurt, the magician repeated. Everyone is 327 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 2: so sure it will hurt, but it doesn't. I'm a 328 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 2: good magician, so it doesn't. The magician turned to look 329 00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 2: into her lower half. At the center lay a coiled 330 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,199 Speaker 2: pit viper, who pulled back its head and struck at 331 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:39,159 Speaker 2: the glass. He studied the marrow of her slit bones 332 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:42,720 Speaker 2: and watched rainbow swirling through her left side. A whispering 333 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:45,479 Speaker 2: came from her right. He leaned close, but he couldn't 334 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 2: make out any of the words. You're way more amazing 335 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 2: than any other woman I've looked into, not that there's 336 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 2: been many, he added, hurriedly, not wanting her to think 337 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 2: this meant nothing to him. When he was done, he 338 00:19:57,080 --> 00:19:59,240 Speaker 2: pushed the two sides of the box back together and 339 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:02,359 Speaker 2: looked at her face. Her eyes looked cartoonish and huge. 340 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 2: It doesn't hurt, he whispered. It may be shocking, but 341 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:06,400 Speaker 2: there's no pain. 342 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:06,880 Speaker 1: Right. 343 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:10,159 Speaker 2: He took out four more panes of glass to separate 344 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 2: her legs from each other, and to sever a section 345 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 2: of her torso off. There was still so much more 346 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 2: to see. He saw everything, and she made sense to him. 347 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 2: Now He saw that she loved him in the curl 348 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 2: of bright green leaves growing through her steadfast heart. Feeling 349 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 2: sated and a little faint, he pushed the box back 350 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:29,040 Speaker 2: together and pulled out the panes of glass streaked with 351 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:32,399 Speaker 2: red and a faint sheen of viscerah. He held his 352 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 2: hand over the box, let magic flow out and through him, 353 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:39,360 Speaker 2: putting her back together until he became empty. He unlocked 354 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:41,639 Speaker 2: the box and pulled her limp form out, pulling her 355 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:45,120 Speaker 2: into his arms. She wouldn't look at him and kept 356 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:48,960 Speaker 2: her face turned away like a stubborn child. He went 357 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:51,119 Speaker 2: to go get two glasses of water from the kitchen. 358 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:55,639 Speaker 2: She had lost fluids and was probably thirsty. He couldn't 359 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 2: wait to tell her what he'd seen, what he knew now. 360 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:02,439 Speaker 2: When he came back, she was gone. She turned the 361 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 2: front door into a massive wasp nest and written a 362 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 2: note she left on the box. I warned you. He 363 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:12,240 Speaker 2: started crying. He thought she'd be the one who would 364 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,920 Speaker 2: be a good box girl. He had hoped an alchemist 365 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:18,280 Speaker 2: would understand him, and she loved him. He knew that 366 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:22,199 Speaker 2: he'd seen it. Maybe she needed a little time. He 367 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:24,440 Speaker 2: turned back to the box and ran a finger along 368 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:27,560 Speaker 2: one of the glass panes. He touched his reddened finger 369 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:31,560 Speaker 2: to his tongue, tasting her It held nuances of smoke, rain, 370 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,439 Speaker 2: and fresh bread. He took each of the glass panes 371 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 2: and licked them clean. The magician slept an uneasy sleep 372 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:41,200 Speaker 2: and woke with the feeling that his half remembered dreams 373 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 2: had all been violent. He got up to make his 374 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:46,720 Speaker 2: coffee and felt a weight and shift of gravity within 375 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:49,719 Speaker 2: his body. Something fluttered in his belly, and he ran 376 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:51,879 Speaker 2: to the bathroom. Just getting to the toilet, as he 377 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:55,440 Speaker 2: started throwing up, red carp slipped out of his throat 378 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 2: and into the toilet bowl. They swam in circles in 379 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 2: the water. He ran a hand through his hair and 380 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 2: it felt thick and curly like the alchemist's. When he peed, 381 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:07,880 Speaker 2: he felt the sting of snake venom, burning as urethra 382 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:11,600 Speaker 2: from the inside. He called the Alchemist and left her 383 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 2: a long message, saying that he missed her and loved her, 384 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:17,160 Speaker 2: and that yesterday had been the best moment of his life. 385 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 2: His voice squawked and brayed like a teenager's. Not knowing 386 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 2: what to do, he made eggs and toast, but they 387 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:27,520 Speaker 2: tasted wrong in his mouth. He drank black coffee instead, 388 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:31,440 Speaker 2: just like she liked it. Wasps swarmed around his food, 389 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 2: stealing tiny chunks with their front legs and buzzing around him. 390 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 2: He left her another message, saying some weird things were happening, 391 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 2: what should he do to change back? Then he left 392 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:45,160 Speaker 2: another telling her how beautiful she was inside and out, 393 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 2: but mostly inside. Two days later, he started to shake. 394 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:53,159 Speaker 2: At first, it was a physical sensation, but it invaded everything, 395 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:55,879 Speaker 2: and he panicked, unable to calm down, to sit still, 396 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 2: to do anything but freak out. Someone had cut him 397 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:02,400 Speaker 2: up into pieces. He loved, had done that and liked it, 398 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 2: and he couldn't catch his breath. And also that someone 399 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:07,120 Speaker 2: was him, and he had loved it, and he had 400 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:11,239 Speaker 2: cried and cried loud and ugly. He went to his 401 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:13,720 Speaker 2: box and came close to destroying him, but parts of 402 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:17,399 Speaker 2: him were still him, so he did not. The panic 403 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:20,159 Speaker 2: turned a grayness to a nothingness, like he sat in 404 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:22,679 Speaker 2: a shroud of clouds and could touch nothing, feel nothing. 405 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:26,159 Speaker 2: He needed her, he thought, numbly. She had done this 406 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:29,639 Speaker 2: to him, she had destroyed him. He didn't want to 407 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 2: know what it felt like to have a magician cut 408 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:33,600 Speaker 2: you in half and love it, even as you begged 409 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:36,920 Speaker 2: him to stop. But she had invaded him with herself. 410 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:42,679 Speaker 2: He sickened himself, and he was himself. He wrote on 411 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:45,720 Speaker 2: a piece of paper, I get it. I know what 412 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:48,719 Speaker 2: I did, and tied it to his pigeon's foot, sending 413 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:51,360 Speaker 2: it out to find her. When the pigeon came back, 414 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:54,520 Speaker 2: he wrote another note. You warned me. I get it now, 415 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:58,400 Speaker 2: and you should have told me how dangerous you are. 416 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:01,840 Speaker 2: Even as he wrote the words, he knew that she 417 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 2: had told him and he hadn't listened. He called more 418 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:07,679 Speaker 2: magic into him than ever before and tried to make 419 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 2: a spell that would turn back time. He tried to 420 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:13,320 Speaker 2: change fact into fiction, to erase his own memory, to 421 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:16,159 Speaker 2: become wise and not care about any of this. He 422 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:20,399 Speaker 2: failed over and over again. He had never been a 423 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:27,920 Speaker 2: very good magician. The end, yay, I. 424 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 1: Took a lot of notes. 425 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 2: Cool. 426 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:31,320 Speaker 1: That was really good. 427 00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:34,199 Speaker 2: It gets kind of intense. I have to admit I 428 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 2: liked it. 429 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 1: It was like I was like slowburn, slowburn, sloburn fire. Yeah. 430 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 1: My favorite line I wrote it down was I keep 431 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:46,679 Speaker 1: all of my tricks small so I don't scare people. 432 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:54,480 Speaker 1: That is an incredible line. Yeah. Wow, Yeah, Another part 433 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:57,880 Speaker 1: that I thought was interesting was the flower choice because 434 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:01,480 Speaker 1: the evolution of the cowl and like the meaning behind it, 435 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 1: Like originally I think it was back in Egypt, it meant, 436 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:07,919 Speaker 1: you know, the meaning behind it, the symbolism behind it 437 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:11,800 Speaker 1: was more of like sexuality, and it's matured throughout the 438 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: years to mean more of like And I'm thinking, just 439 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:21,240 Speaker 1: broadly speaking, is more of you know, union and purity 440 00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: and marriage and things like that. So it's interesting, it's interesting. Interesting, 441 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:27,160 Speaker 1: that choice of flowers interesting to me. And I don't 442 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:29,919 Speaker 1: know if that's what the author had in mind, but 443 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:33,280 Speaker 1: that's what came to my weird plant loving brain. 444 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:39,440 Speaker 2: Yeah. No, I wouldn't be surprised if that was a 445 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:44,040 Speaker 2: conscious choice. But I love all of the symbols throughout it, 446 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:48,840 Speaker 2: all the car the lavender seeds, the like. This is 447 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:53,840 Speaker 2: such a beautiful story and yet I mean it's so brutal. Yeah, 448 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:57,240 Speaker 2: but it, like I understand why fiction has to engage 449 00:25:57,240 --> 00:26:00,280 Speaker 2: with like really hard and complex and dark subjects, right, 450 00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:02,760 Speaker 2: in order to say a lot of true and meaningful things, 451 00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 2: you have to sometimes go a little dark. And I 452 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:10,520 Speaker 2: feel like the average author doesn't really earn that, you know, 453 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:13,359 Speaker 2: like the average author is just like and now for 454 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:17,960 Speaker 2: some shock value, and then like, this story is about 455 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:23,120 Speaker 2: a consent violation and it is framed non sexually on purpose, 456 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:29,280 Speaker 2: and it is like really clear. Like it's like, oh, 457 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 2: let's talk about what the story is. But to me, 458 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:34,120 Speaker 2: it's just it's so clear. It's like the story says 459 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:35,800 Speaker 2: it better than what I could think of to say 460 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 2: about it. In most ways. 461 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 1: It started off where I was like, this is giving 462 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:43,479 Speaker 1: very much five hundred days of Summer vibes, where it's like, 463 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:44,960 Speaker 1: I don't know if you've ever seen. 464 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:46,439 Speaker 2: That movie, I don't think so. Is that is that one? 465 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:47,960 Speaker 2: Is like a manic Pixie dream girl. 466 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:52,440 Speaker 1: It's it's a story where you're seeing two versions of 467 00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:55,120 Speaker 1: a love story that isn't actually a love story. 468 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 3: Oh and uh. 469 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:04,680 Speaker 1: The male protagonist is protagonist in quotes, is definitely more 470 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:06,840 Speaker 1: into her than she's into him. But he has this 471 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 1: version of what's happening within their relationship that is his 472 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 1: made up version, and it's actually not the love story 473 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:20,639 Speaker 1: that the audience thinks is unfolding, and you get the 474 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:24,480 Speaker 1: real versions of what's actually happening. And it's very much 475 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:27,000 Speaker 1: that he's so much into more into her, which I 476 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:30,480 Speaker 1: think is something that happens in this episode. And there's 477 00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:33,200 Speaker 1: you know, different boundaries that are that are not respected, 478 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:35,840 Speaker 1: and it starts off I feel like the story starts 479 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:39,719 Speaker 1: off with a lot of that, the same metaphors, and 480 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:43,119 Speaker 1: then it gets lit on fire, which is and like 481 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:45,080 Speaker 1: they could have done that in five and Day Summer 482 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:47,960 Speaker 1: and it would have been really cool. Yeah, but I 483 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 1: think there's just so many ways that this magician. First 484 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:53,920 Speaker 1: of all, don't match with a witchy woman, don't don't 485 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:57,119 Speaker 1: mess with a witchy woman. She has magical powers. 486 00:27:57,480 --> 00:28:01,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, goodness in your apartment, it's not going to be good. Yeah. 487 00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:06,720 Speaker 1: Yeah. I think this is just a really interesting story 488 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:10,320 Speaker 1: about why boundaries are so important and why you should 489 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:13,359 Speaker 1: listen to people when they say things too. Yeah. 490 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:15,560 Speaker 2: And one of the things I like about it is 491 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:21,959 Speaker 2: that it's like she likes him. Most of the stories, 492 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:26,040 Speaker 2: most of the like stories about even like male violence 493 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:28,920 Speaker 2: for example, are always framed in this sort of black 494 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:32,239 Speaker 2: and white like, oh, well, just this man is a 495 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:36,000 Speaker 2: monster and everyone knows he's a monster, or even he's 496 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:37,160 Speaker 2: a secret monster. 497 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 1: But not. 498 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 2: But like in a not realistic way, this feels like 499 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:47,280 Speaker 2: such a realistic Yeah, like it's just so funny because 500 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:49,680 Speaker 2: it's about an alchemist and a magician. We're both literally 501 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:53,120 Speaker 2: alchemists and magicians. But it at the same time, it's 502 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:58,680 Speaker 2: like more realistic of a relationship dynamic than like almost 503 00:28:58,720 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 2: anything I read. 504 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 1: I will say he does start showing his red flags early. 505 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:06,760 Speaker 1: It's true, like different different lines, like telling her to 506 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:10,440 Speaker 1: show him what she can really do, worrying about religious 507 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:14,320 Speaker 1: folks seeing, and worrying about what people think. Yeah, I 508 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:16,360 Speaker 1: think he said something like I liked the way the 509 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 1: alcohol softened her. 510 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:21,720 Speaker 2: Yes, gross, that's like the creepiest line. And no, there's 511 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:23,160 Speaker 2: creepier lines, but that's one of them. 512 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:25,080 Speaker 1: That's one of the top creepy lines. And then I 513 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:26,200 Speaker 1: wrote I think. 514 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:27,560 Speaker 3: I hate him a question mark. 515 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, that's where it is. 516 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:33,560 Speaker 1: And then he like directly disrespects her in public and 517 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:37,920 Speaker 1: belittles that it calls her a perfumist instead of an alchemist. 518 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 2: And oh see, I thought that was a I think 519 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:42,840 Speaker 2: that was like him being clever, like doing a joke 520 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 2: between that. I think that was like an inside joke 521 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 2: between the two of them. 522 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 1: I think it was I read it read I read 523 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 1: it as negative, read it as like he does fake magic, 524 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:55,760 Speaker 1: she does real magic. So he's going to belitteral her title. 525 00:29:56,480 --> 00:30:00,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, no, I wouldn't put it past him, and like, yeah, 526 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:02,360 Speaker 2: I dislike him as soon as he's like even though 527 00:30:02,360 --> 00:30:05,080 Speaker 2: this is such a real line and it's like a 528 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 2: pretty good male written by a non male author, moment 529 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:12,320 Speaker 2: is like, oh, I accidentally hit her in the boob. 530 00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:15,640 Speaker 2: It's the kind of boob I like, yeah, you know, 531 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:18,320 Speaker 2: like big and droopy or round and droopy or something 532 00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:18,680 Speaker 2: like that. 533 00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 1: And it's just like, I was just gonna ask, is 534 00:30:21,960 --> 00:30:27,080 Speaker 1: there a We often see this split her into split 535 00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:30,520 Speaker 1: her in half metaphor within literature and within you know, 536 00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 1: just artsy media in general. Is there a bigger meaning 537 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 1: behind that to you? Or did you take it more 538 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:40,200 Speaker 1: literally like he was doing a trick or was it 539 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 1: that he was trying to uh morph her some way? 540 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:48,400 Speaker 2: I took it kind of literally. I think it's like 541 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 2: I mean, I think it's like a metaphor for like 542 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:53,920 Speaker 2: I mean, when you do something intense with someone doesn't 543 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:56,160 Speaker 2: even have to be a metaphors for something sexual. Sometimes 544 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 2: when you do something really intense with someone, you're gonna 545 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:01,840 Speaker 2: like see inside them, You're going to see them past 546 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 2: the boundaries that they try to keep people away from, right, 547 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:08,960 Speaker 2: And so he's looking inside of her, and it's this 548 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:12,120 Speaker 2: this clever way I think to be able to like frame, 549 00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 2: he got to see what was really inside her, He 550 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 2: got to like see her completely, like more than naked. 551 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:24,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know he called her a good box girl 552 00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:25,640 Speaker 1: and that made my skin crawl. 553 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 3: Yeah. 554 00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 2: And then like it's funny because upon rereading it the 555 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:34,640 Speaker 2: first the first section is afterwards like it's and so 556 00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:38,560 Speaker 2: he's like, now he's just doing magic tricks at you know, 557 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:40,840 Speaker 2: a kid's birthday party or whatever, and he misses her 558 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:43,880 Speaker 2: and but he doesn't really He's like, when am I 559 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:45,280 Speaker 2: gonna find my good lie? 560 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:48,560 Speaker 1: Do you catch that that he got downgraded from big 561 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:53,560 Speaker 1: show to kids birthday party? Yeah, that's so interesting. 562 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:53,880 Speaker 2: Yeah. 563 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:57,360 Speaker 1: I just like this was, you know, super relatable to 564 00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:02,680 Speaker 1: a lot of people's ex experience dating and having their 565 00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 1: boundaries disrespected. Yeah, and I felt like she and you know, 566 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:08,800 Speaker 1: he says it at the end, he says something like 567 00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:10,720 Speaker 1: you should have told me how dangerous you are. And 568 00:32:10,760 --> 00:32:13,840 Speaker 1: then he was like you did, And it's like, first 569 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:17,120 Speaker 1: of all, she has magical powers, bro. Second of all, 570 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:20,920 Speaker 1: you chose not to listen, tell us your choice. You 571 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:24,760 Speaker 1: chose to disrespect your boundaries and you went too far 572 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:27,880 Speaker 1: and you'll regret that the rest of your life. But yeah, 573 00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:30,080 Speaker 1: the only person you can be mad at here is yourself. 574 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:34,720 Speaker 2: Like, it would be so such an interesting version of 575 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:39,680 Speaker 2: this story where she's like never mind and he's like okay, 576 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:43,480 Speaker 2: and they like almost do this really dangerous thing together, 577 00:32:43,560 --> 00:32:46,840 Speaker 2: but she's like nope, I'm good, I gotta stop, and 578 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:49,600 Speaker 2: then they like go back to like cause that's like 579 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:53,320 Speaker 2: a that's such a real relationship thing too, right as 580 00:32:53,360 --> 00:32:55,360 Speaker 2: you have those moments where you're like, oh, are we 581 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:57,080 Speaker 2: doing this thing? And you're like, yeah, we're doing this thing, 582 00:32:57,080 --> 00:33:01,680 Speaker 2: and then you're like wait no and both people are 583 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:03,880 Speaker 2: like oh did we'd go too far? But you actually 584 00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:07,680 Speaker 2: talk about it and you don't do what this man 585 00:33:07,720 --> 00:33:11,920 Speaker 2: did that I don't know anyway, this version of the 586 00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:15,200 Speaker 2: story is clearly the better way to do it, but 587 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:17,400 Speaker 2: it's like it would be an interesting comparison to make, 588 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:17,720 Speaker 2: you know. 589 00:33:18,920 --> 00:33:21,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it could be the type of thing 590 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:23,160 Speaker 1: like going back to five hundred Days of Summer where 591 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:27,640 Speaker 1: you see the idealized version of the story versus what 592 00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:33,280 Speaker 1: actually happened and having those two comparisons look at like 593 00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:34,160 Speaker 1: what could have been? 594 00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:37,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, Like what is the version that each of 595 00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:39,520 Speaker 2: them will tell their grandkids happened. 596 00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 1: I don't think she'll tell her grandkids anything happened. I 597 00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:43,920 Speaker 1: think she'll no. 598 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:46,400 Speaker 2: And I don't think he'll ever have kids. 599 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:50,240 Speaker 1: And I don't think he'll ever have kids. One and two. 600 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:54,480 Speaker 1: I don't think he is a strong enough person to 601 00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:58,800 Speaker 1: admit what actually happened here, and so he would tell 602 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:03,640 Speaker 1: some ridiculous story that's not actually accurate in anyway she 603 00:34:03,720 --> 00:34:06,120 Speaker 1: performed that makes him look better than he is. 604 00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:08,439 Speaker 2: I think that as the years go by, it would 605 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:11,840 Speaker 2: become further and further divorced from reality. I think he would, 606 00:34:11,960 --> 00:34:13,440 Speaker 2: you know, by the time he is by the time 607 00:34:13,480 --> 00:34:16,560 Speaker 2: those kids and grandkids, he'd be like, oh, the love 608 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:19,919 Speaker 2: that got away from me, because you know, this one 609 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:24,840 Speaker 2: thing that she was to anyway, whatever, Well, what the 610 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:27,360 Speaker 2: author had to say about it, I asked Catherine Sparrow. 611 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:31,000 Speaker 2: She wrote, when I wrote it, I was feeling feistier 612 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:33,319 Speaker 2: than usual about the ways that romance and straight love 613 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:35,960 Speaker 2: are often told in the rosy patriarchal glow of consent 614 00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:40,239 Speaker 2: violations and boundary crossings, and I hate that. God, I 615 00:34:40,280 --> 00:34:42,000 Speaker 2: love her. I know it's so good. 616 00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:48,880 Speaker 1: Oh, Catherine, what a fantastic author. You are just amazing. 617 00:34:49,520 --> 00:34:54,520 Speaker 2: I am really excited to read more by her. Yeah, 618 00:34:54,560 --> 00:34:57,279 Speaker 2: and I asked for plugs and she said, as far 619 00:34:57,320 --> 00:35:00,400 Speaker 2: as plugs. The Fay Morgan Chronicles or some ebooks available 620 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:02,680 Speaker 2: at Amazon, and they are about a modern day Morgan 621 00:35:02,760 --> 00:35:05,120 Speaker 2: le Fay who is a long lived anarchist witch fighting 622 00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:09,319 Speaker 2: the power and grumpily saving the world. So that might 623 00:35:09,400 --> 00:35:11,759 Speaker 2: be up some people's alleys who are listening to this. 624 00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:17,680 Speaker 1: That's so freaking cool. Yeah, awesome. I enjoyed this so much. 625 00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:20,759 Speaker 2: But yeah, thanks for thanks for being guessed on Cool 626 00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:23,640 Speaker 2: Zone Media book Club if people want to check out. 627 00:35:24,160 --> 00:35:25,919 Speaker 2: If you're listening on this on the It Could Happen 628 00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:28,439 Speaker 2: Here feed, I have another cool Zone Media podcast called 629 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:30,239 Speaker 2: Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff? And if you're listening 630 00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:32,040 Speaker 2: to this on the Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff Feed, 631 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:36,200 Speaker 2: there's another Cool Zone Media podcast called it Could Happen 632 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:39,400 Speaker 2: Here that is a daily look at all of the 633 00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:42,360 Speaker 2: things happening in the world that should or shouldn't be happening. 634 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:44,800 Speaker 2: That's your al's official tagline, right. 635 00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:47,280 Speaker 1: We're chronicling collapse as it happens. 636 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:52,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a better way to put it. Yeah, all right, Well, 637 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:53,520 Speaker 2: see you all next week. 638 00:35:54,360 --> 00:36:03,040 Speaker 1: Nie. It could Happen Here as a production of cool 639 00:36:03,120 --> 00:36:06,000 Speaker 1: Zone Media. For more podcasts from coal Zone Media, visit 640 00:36:06,080 --> 00:36:08,719 Speaker 1: our website coolzonemedia dot com or check us out on 641 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:12,360 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 642 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:15,040 Speaker 1: You can find sources for It could Happen Here, updated 643 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:19,160 Speaker 1: monthly at coolzonemedia dot com slash sources. Thanks for listening.