My Friend Stephen

tribute to my friend Stephen. kinda.

I’ve known Stephen for almost thirty years. When I first met him in the eighties, he looked the picture of misery, nothing more than a bag of bones. He looked like Ichabod Crane with Glasses.

I’d gone to a bar for a quick drink and there he was, occupying a corner table, nursing a beer. To this day, I’ll never know what drew me to him. Don’t they say everything happens for a reason? I took my beer and asked if I could share his table. He just nodded and I sat there, observing him out of the corner of my eye.

Before long, he started telling me about himself. He said he was an aspiring horror writer and that he couldn’t finish his first novel ‘cos he was out of ideas. Now, being a prolific writer, blessed with a fertile imagination, I.. (What? It’s the truth, isn’t it? No, I’m not bragging.) gave him a few ideas to improve his story. He’d showed me the manuscript. I honestly didn’t think much of the plot, and the characters weren’t fleshed out enough. I vaguely remember it was about a guy falsely accused of killing his wife after he’d found her in bed with another guy. The husband was thrown in jail. And that’s where Stephen stalled. Well, at the time, I had plenty of ideas gambolling in my head, occupying space. I had no use for them so I tossed him a few. Stephen was thrilled and couldn’t stop thanking me, which was embarrassing as the bar had started to fill up.

The long and short of it is that I made his insipid story more interesting, tightened the plot and made the MC more believable. I concocted a brilliant (even if I say so myself) escape from Shawshank prison that took the unfortunate man twenty years to put in place. He ran away with the director’s savings, swimming through a mile of sewers. Later, the book was turned into a movie, if memory serves me right. I met Stephen and his wife Tabitha and their daughter Carrie at the opening. He was literally shining with pride.

That first novel launched his career. He never looked back, and to think that I practically wrote the damn thing. Cast your bread upon the water. Huh. Yeah, right.    

Author's Note

if you've read horror stories, then you must have spotted what's buried in this one.

Reviews

[barleygirl]

Your ego knows no bounds. You really are a fountain of amazing ideas, but this one stretches your credibility just a tad. Still, I'm always entertained by your fertile imagination. What makes this little ditty sing is the subtle laying down of recognizable details, rather than a big boastful blow.

[Woody]

:) I'm sure you know I'm not the boastful type. in fact I'm the opposite of my alter ego here.
I enjoyed slipping in a few of his most known writes. it was fun.
muchas gracias signorita (that's a new one)

[barleygirl]

Yes, your shy modesty is what I find most attractive . . . *smile*

[James]

So it's you we have to thank for that damn movie playing almost every day. I thought I saw some Woody'isms in that book.

[Woody]

hahaha yes I was afraid people might not believe me. but you know me. I never lie. straight as an arrow :)
thank you for stopping to read, James.
btw, there are other titles there :)

[forgotten_ghosts]

Glad your practically responsible for such a masterpiece.. I mean.. if you would have been in another bar at a different time you also could have changed Twilight or fifty shades of grey..
Steven King could have at least sent you a check or something..
Well done,Woody!

[Woody]

hahaha yes fate placed me in that bar at that very moment. and you know what, he never even sends Xmas greetings. :)

[Bacchus]

On of my favorite movies of all time. Thanks, Ste.. I mean, Woody.

[Woody]

haha thanks a lot Dear. yes great movie. Morgan Freeman's a stunning actor. Tim Robbins, too. (is that his name?)
there are a few other titles in here, you know.

[Cathy Wattam]

Love this shortie. Some of my favourite films. And they do say that "A fool flatters himself, a wise man flatters the fool." (ok, Edward Bulwer Lytton said it). You may well be a King of the shorts.....

[Woody]

haha king of the shorts. denim?
thanks a bunch, Cathy. you made my evening. I'm overjoyed you liked this one as well.
I read many of King's books and saw the movies as well. it's kind of a tribute.

[Zyle Christian William ..]

Haha if this is a true story I am appalled, inspired, and awaiting your own success!!!!!! In whatever form it may take!! Haha

[Woody]

haha true story? I wish! you know Zyle, I've read many of Kings books and I'm always flabbergasted at his phenomenal imagination and extraordinary storytelling. and this little story sprouted.
thank you so much for taking the time Zyle.

[Zyle Christian William Cook]

Of course, I enjoyed the read!!!!

[Woody]

and I'm elated. was reading "I hate you" and thinking of something to say.

[WillGrant]

Well you accomplished what you set out to do. I'm smiling. Loved the story. I'm also a fan of kings. Enjoyed the read

[Woody]

thanks a lot Will. glad you liked it. Isuppose that you have to like King and to have read his books to appreciate this silly write.

[Solar]

Now then, I seem to have missed what's buried, other than the allusions [sleepy hollow, stephen king]...throw me some clues please that I might delve deeper.

[Woody]

ok Solar. first, you need to understand something. there's nothingserious or deep about the stories I write. so don't worry your head trying to find a hidden message. my sole objective is to try to bring a smile to the reader and hopefully brighten his day.
what sometimes the reader misses is my weird sense of humour or puns, namely in the character's name.
that said, in this story, I "claim" to be the one who launched Stephen King's phenomenal career.
haha wishful thinking :)
p.s. there are titles of 5 of his books.

[Solar]

thanks - I got 4 [Sh x2, Mi, Ca,]- one seems to have gotten away!

[Woody]

let's see. misery, Shawshank, bag of bones, carrie. did I say 5? sorry.
I threw in Ichabod Crane from the cartoon of Sleepy Hollow but I don't think that' King's.

[Solar]

ah - missed bag of bones - it was Shining u missed in the 5 above

[Woody]

oh shoooot!!! how could I miss that one. of course.
been a while so blame it on Alzheimer's :)

[Taylor]

Well, once again, Woody, you've started my day with a smile. This piece like most of yours is filled with a gentle sardonic humor that simply delights. Glad I stopped by to see you this morning.

[Woody]

thank you Dear. always a pleasure to make you laugh. sorry 'bout the late reply.

[Bec]

Love, Love, Love Stephen King, he is such a brilliant writer who inspires a lot of people into writing. I have read many of his novels and short stories. I honestly don't know how he does it he makes stories so quirky and twisted and keeps you on your toes.

[Woody]

and now you know who's behind all that brilliance :)
joking apart, he's phenominal. incredible imagination.
thanks for dropping in Bec.