Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Radio’ Category

Hergé–Tintin: Cigars of the Pharoah (1934) [translated 1971]

Posted in Adventure, Africa, Ben Folds, Children's Books, Culture Shock, Egyptology, Funny (ha ha), Funny (strange), Gangsters, Hergé, Kids Corner, Leslie Lonsdale-Cooper, Michael Turner, Ralph's World, Star Wars, The Board of Education, Travel, WXPN 88.5 FM--Philadelphia, PA on January 24, 2013| Leave a Comment »

cigarsSOUNDTRACK: THE BOARD OF EDUCATION-“Why is Dad So Mad?” (2012).

dadI heard this song on Kids Corner and I am frankly shocked that it didn’t make the top ten songs of the year (kids have no taste).  Why is dad so mad?  Because of what George Lucas has done to the Star Wars movies!   “Why does dad get so mad about Star Wars.  Mr Lucas what have you done?”

 The lyrics are so good I didn’t even really notice the music at first (check out: “and I wonder why it’s so bad that Greedo shoots first at Han.”  “He’s always excited when those yellow words come on, but by the end he’s mad about that new Ewok song.”

But the music is great too.  It has a kind of Ben Folds vibe (in the slow piano section) mixed with a little Ralph’s World, but the whole package is a wee bit heavier–the guitars are a  little distorted (but not very) and the pace is brisk and fun.

The song is also full of cool spacey sound effects (and a nice nod to the soundtrack).  The chorus is catchy and poppy.   A wonderful song.  I’m going to investigate The Board of Education a bit more.  In the meantime, check out Why is Dad So Mad?.

[READ: January 19, 2013] Cigars of the Pharoah

This second (technically fourth) Tintin book was a lot more focused than In America, which, although excellent, tended to ramble all over the country.

This book sees Tintin in the Mediterranean Sea on a cruise.  The action starts right away when a bumbling man named Dr Sarcophagus, an Egyptologist, crashes into Tintin saying that he lost his valuable papyrus.  The papyrus blows out to sea, but the Dr says, that indeed it wasn’t the valuable papyrus at all, which is safely in his coat.  It’s a weird moment, but we slowly learn that the Dr is more than a little absent minded.  Nevertheless, the papyrus has a map on it that he believes will lead to the undiscovered tomb of the Pharaoh Kih-Oskh (nice joke there).

I said that the last Tintin book wasn’t quite for kids and the same is true here.  Two men, Thompson and Thompson (more on them) accuse Tintin of smuggling opium and cocaine (again, did kids read this in the 30s?).  Thompson and Thompson are funny in that they look alike and when one says something the other twists the words slightly to radically alter their meaning while using most of the same words.  Anyhow, they “arrest” Tintin, but as in America, he escapes in an unlikely way and meets up with Dr Sarcophagus.

Tintin, Snowy and Sr Sarcophagus escape some violent deaths in a number of funny ways (like when the sheik who hates Westerners recognizes Tintin from his adventures (he even has a book–although in this later edition it is actually a book that came out after this one.

In another scene, Tintin rescues a woman who is being beaten, only to find out that he is actually on a film set.  Later, he winds up on a ship of smugglers, is forced to enlist in the Arabian army and is eventually made to face a firing squad. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Hergé–Tintin in America (1932) [translated 1962]

Posted in Adventure, Africa, Children's Books, Culture Shock, Funny (ha ha), Funny (strange), Gangsters, Hergé, Kids Corner, Leslie Lonsdale-Cooper, Michael Turner, The Diggity Dudes, Travel, WXPN 88.5 FM--Philadelphia, PA on January 13, 2013| 2 Comments »

tintin americaSOUNDTRACK: THE DIGGITY DUDES-“My Science Project” (2012).

diggityThe Diggity Dudes are getting a lot of airplay on Kids’ Corner on WXPN.  I like them in theory but I don’t really like the style of music they play–it’s a little too generic.  That being said, I do rather like the lyrics of this song.

It’s all about doing, yes, a science project.  “Measure twice or you’ll have a disaster.”  The problem is that the verses are done in a  rap style that’s not very good.  And the rhymes are awful.

I give them credit for writing about cool subjects for kids (like “To the Library” which I would have reviewed but they didn’t have it playing on their site).  But if they weren’t a kid’s band, I wouldn’t like them at all.  Despite that, I imagine they put on a great live show–they seem like they’d be a lot of fun.

[READ: Jauary 10, 2013] Tintin in America

I have known of Tintin for years (Sarah and I even have an inside joke about the boy journalist).  When we went to Brussels, we went to the art museum and saw the history of Hergé’s works (Hergé’s real name is Georges Prosper Remi) and the tons of souvenir Tintin things that are for sale. And yet I’d never read any of his stories.

I saw some in the library and decided to check out volume one.  Interestingly, this volume starts with Tintin in America. While reading it I quickly determined that this was not the first book in the series.  Indeed, America is the third book after Tintin in the Land of the Soviets and Tintin in the Congo (neither of these two are readily available in the US–the first because Hergé later felt it was too crude to redo for collections and the second because the depiction of Africans was deemed offensive).  So, most collections begin with this book (which is only a little odd because he is already well-known and the story seems to start in the middle because he dealt with some of these thugs in book 2).

But on to America. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Grantland Quarterly, Number 4 (2012)

Posted in Alex Pappademas, Amos Barshad, Anachronisms, Andy Greenwald, Aziz Ansari, Baseball, Basketball, Beastie Boys, Biking, Bill Barnwell, Bill Simmons, Books about music, Books about writers, Boxing, Brian Phillips, Bryan Curtis, Carles, Charles P. Pierce, Charlie Pierce, Chris Connelly, Chris Ryan, Chuck Klosterman, Contests, Creed, Cycling, Daniel Kellison, Dave McKenna, David Hill, David Jacoby, David Shoemaker, Drugs, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Essays, Football, Girls, Grantland, Harris Wittels, Hockey, Hua Hsu, James Brown, Jamie Allen, Jason Oberg, Jay Caspian Kang, Jay-Z, Jeff Chang, Jonathan Abrams, Katie Baker, Ken Dryden, Louisa Thomas, Mad Men, Mark Lisanti, Mark Titus, McSweeney's, Molly Lambert, Nickelback, Olympics, Peter Orner, Prince, Public Image Ltd, Racism, Rafe Bartholomew, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Religion, Rembert Browne, Sexism, Shane Ryan, Short Story, Sixto Rodriguez, Smarty Pants, Soccer, Table Tennis, Tara Ariano, Tennis, Tess Lynch, The Sopranos, Van Halen, Violence, Wesley Morris, Wright Thompson, WXPN 88.5 FM--Philadelphia, PA, Zombies on December 27, 2012| 1 Comment »

grantladn4SOUNDTRACK: PUBLIC IMAGE LTD-“Poptones” and “Careering” on American Bandstand (1980).

abThe Dick Clark article below alerted me to this bizarre gem–PiL “playing” on American Bandstand.   The article talks about John Lydon ignoring the lip synch, climbing into the audience and generally disregarding the show’s script. The video suggests something sightly less sinister (although maybe for 1980 it was outrageous–do you really cross Dick Clark?).

Dick Clark himself announces the band nicely, and then the crazy off-kilter bass and simple guitar of “Poptones” kick in.   Lydon runs into the bleachers with the kids (most of whom are dressed in New Wave finery not unlike Lydon).  They shriek with glee when he comes nearby (do any of them know who he is?  I have no idea).  When Lydon’s spoken rambling come in a little later you can’t help but wonder what the hell they are doing on AB.

Then, Lydon starts grabbing people from the audience and pushing them towards the stage–something I believe was unheard of on AB.  The fans dance around to the impossible-to-dance-to “Poptones.”  The song ends and Dick asks John if he wants the kids out there for song two.  Yes, song Two!  He does and John faux lip synchs through “Careering,” avoiding cameras at all costs and dancing with the kids–one of the most egalitarian performances I can think of from Lydon.

And listen for Dick asking Jah Wobble his name (reply THE Jah Wobble) and him saying, nice to meet you Wobble.  What a surreal moment–wonder what Dick thought of it.

Enjoy it here:

 

[READ: December 28, 2012] Grantland 4

Grantland continues to impress me with these books (and no, I have not yet visited the website).  My subscription ran out with this issue and I have resubscribed–although I take major issue with the $20 shipping and handling fee.  I even wrote to them to complain and they wrote back saying that the books are heavy.  Which is true, but not $5/bk heavy.  The good news is that they sent me a $10 off coupon so the shipping is only half as painful now.

This issue’s endpages were “hypothetical baseball wheel-guides created by JASON OBERG–they were pretty cool and a fun idea.  They look very retro, but use contemporary batters, pitchers and catchers.  I’d like to see them for real.

Each issue makes me like sports a little bit more, but not enough to actually watch  them.

(more…)

Read Full Post »

Marisa Silver–“Creatures” (New Yorker, December 17, 2012)

Posted in Antlers, Death, KEXP 90.3 FM--Seattle, WA, Marisa Silver, New Yorker, Short Story, Threats, Unreliable narrator, Violence on December 17, 2012| Leave a Comment »

CV1_TNY_12_17_12Sorel.inddSOUNDTRACK: ANTLERS-Live at MusicFestNorthWest, September 10, 2011 (2011).

antlermfnwIt took me a few listens to really appreciate this band.  The initial problem is that I thought they were someone else when I downloaded the show.  I was expecting something a bit more chaotic.  But Antlers play rather pretty alt rock–mildly orchestral with soaring vocals (especially on “Hounds,” which really showcases the singer’s range).  But their music is also kind of somber, not my favorite style.

This concert was recorded during MusicfestNorthWest and comes from The Doug Fir.  All of the songs are from their 2011 disc Burst Apart.  Their previous album Hospice was critically acclaimed, but I didn’t want t listen to a concept album about a person with bone cancer.  Anyhow, this set has a retro 90s pop alt rock feel, and any one of these songs could have a been a slow dance hit at goth clubs.

The set is 28 minutes and I have grown to like it quite a bit.  You can check it out here.  I also have a full length concert that I downloaded from them.  I’ll have to see if their music holds up for an hour as well.

[READ: December 15, 2012] “Creatures”

This story was really well done.  When the reveal is finally given at the end I was genuinely shocked.  And not because the author didn’t earn the shock but because of the wonderful way the story was foreshadowed as well as obfuscated.  There were several possible outcomes, but  I didn’t expect the one we received.

This story is about guns and children (I know, the timing is terrible).  As the story opens we learn that a couple’s little boy is being violent in school.  He’s three and he is in preschool, but he is running around “shooting” at people with a stick.  He in particular seems to pick on one boy (who he ultimately winds up biting).  The parents feel that the school is overreacting, because they don’t allow their child to play with toy guns and they have never see anything but sweetness out of him. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Roberto Bolaño–Woes of the True Policeman (2011) [translated 2012]

Posted in Aterciopelados, Big Books, bolanobolano.com, Boredom, Death, Foreign Books, Harper's, KEXP 90.3 FM--Seattle, WA, LGBTQ, Natasha Wimmer, Roberto Bolaño, Set at School, Short Books, Translation, Violence on December 8, 2012| Leave a Comment »

woesSOUNDTRACK: ATERCIOPELADOS-Live at Bumbershoot, September 5, 2010 (2010).

atercioA rock en Español band who have returned after a brief hiatus, Aterciopelados have changed a bit since their early more punk days.  Their last album Rio came out in 2008, I knew them back in the mid nineties.  This brief set (7 songs) at Bumbershoot showcases their more mellow tracks (there’s pan pipes) on “El Estuche.”  The Colombian band has always been political, but it seems like they are much more explicit about it on this record.  As singer Andrea Echeverri introduces a number of song, she talks about how they are “important” and are meant to bring attention to the troubles of Colombia.

“Ataque de Risa” has a wonderfully catchy melody (and I believe she says her daughter is singing with them on it).  The song “Bandera” (which means “Flag”) is pointedly directed at Arizona’s anti-immigrant law.  She introduces it as saying that all peoples are together under a rainbow flag.   It’s a more angry sound for Echeverri’s voice, but she does a great job.  Her voice is really impressive.  “Rompe Cabezas” has a rollicking chorus that’s a lot of fun and “Bolero Falaz” ends the set with a very cool and catchy song.

Here’s a video of El Estcuhe

[READ: December 2, 2012] Woes of the True Policeman 

This is yet another unfinished novel from Roberto Bolaño.  Bolaño knew that he was dying and he created a lot of work in anticipation of his legacy.  The afterword of the novel says that they found all of the various parts of this novel in various locations among his work–hand written and computer drafted.  And they all mention this titles, so they are pretty certain about the order and that it is as finished as it could be.

Unlike some of his other posthumous releases, this one must be deemed pretty significant since it was published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux instead of New Directions (publisher of most of Roberto Bolaño’s other smaller works).

And really what it reads like is a kind of prelude to 2666.  For this is the same Amalfitano as in 2666.  But it is his story from before he moves to Sonora, Mexico–before all of the murders started.  Indeed, there are parts of 2666 which make Amalfitano’s past seem like it is unknown but this story fills in the gaps quite well.  One of the details in 2666 is that Amalfitano’s teaching contract had expired at the University of Barcelona, although this book gives the behind the scenes reason why it expired.

Bolaño has many many stories in which he explores the past of a character from a different story.  Typically, it is a novella in which a minor character from a bigger novel gets his or her own story told.  And that seems to be the case with this as well.

The story is set up in five sections (just like 2666).  Section I of this story (part of which was as excerpted in Harper’s recently) is called The Fall of the Berlin Wall and tells how Amalfitano, a professor, fell for a young poet named Padilla.  He wound up having an affair with him, which ended his career (I’m unclear whether it is because he is a student or because the affair was homosexual that the University wanted him out).  Amalfitano had never had homosexual desires before, and he was a proud husband and father, but he found that Padilla really affected him.

And so Amalfitano and Rosa, his daughter, moved to Sonora and the only school that would have him. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Chang-Rae Lee–“Manhattan” (New Yorker, December 3, 2012)

Posted in Beer, Chang-Rae Lee, Deerhoof, Essays, Food, KEXP 90.3 FM--Seattle, WA, New Yorker on December 6, 2012| Leave a Comment »

CV1_TNY_12_03_12Thiebaud.inddSOUNDTRACK: DEERHOOF-Live on KEXP, February 1, 2007 (2007).

deer2Deerhoof is noisy and chaotic, indeed much more noisy and chaotic here than on their 2008 set.  The introduction has the band posing a very funny question in which they asks the DJ about how the show will be streaming in various formats.  He imagines easy listening–a good joke for this uneasy listening band.

There are five songs in this set, although “The Eyebright Bugler,” “+81” and “Wrong Time Capsule” are played as a medley.  This is an interesting set because they play songs from various albums, not just their newest release.  The set opens with “Milkman” (from Milkman) with a quick jump to “Twin Killers” (From The Runners Four).  Then there’s an interview which is, as always, very funny, they’re a very enjoyable band.    It also reveals that a middle school has taken Milkman (I assume the whole album) and made a ballet out of it.

“Eyebright Bugler” (from Reveille) merges easily in “+81” (from Friend Opportunity).  “+81” is one of the most catchy oddball songs I know–a simple riff that seems to project excitement and yet not a full rocking sound.   The DJ even says that people have called up and asked not to play that song because it is such an earworm they can’t get it out of their head (the band takes this as a compliment .  Finally “Wrong Time Capsule” also comes from The Runners Four.    It merges all of the sounds-noisy guitars , conventional bass and the always enchanting vocals.

 Check out the strangeness here

[READ: December 6, 2012] “Manhattan”

The final “Gut Course” in this issue isn’t about food at all but about a drink.

Chang-Rae Lee remembers the summer when he lived with his girlfriend Nina in her parents Fifth Avenue apartment.  He lived in a maid’s quarters while Nina and her friend Carol shared Nina’s room.

This was just before his senior year of college, when the opportunity of living with your girlfriend must have been mindblowing.  But what he remembers most is her father’s request for a nightly Manhattan.

He explains that his family (indeed I have to assume most families in 1986) did not have a cocktail hour.  Chang says that his own father had an occasional Genesee Cream Ale, and hardly finished it.  But Nina’s father (who was a New York sophisticate) taught him how to prepare the perfect Manhattan. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Tony Earley–“Nighthawk” (New Yorker, December 3, 2012)

Posted in Essays, Food, KEXP 90.3 FM--Seattle, WA, Marriage (Happy), New Yorker, Peter, Bjorn & John, Tony Earley, Universities on December 5, 2012| Leave a Comment »

CV1_TNY_12_03_12Thiebaud.inddSOUNDTRACK:  PETER BJORN AND JOHN-Live at KEXP May 10, 2011 (2011).

pbjkexpPeter Bjorn and John play KEXP every couple of years.  This set is promoting their most recent album Gimme Some.  I haven’t heard much of Gimme Some.  I found the last album to be kind of dark, but this one seems to have upped the poppy quotient a bit.  I was surprised when they opened the set with “Second Chance” which is the theme from 2 Broke Girls (and is the best thing about the show, I hope they get a ton of cash from that!).  If you ‘ve seen the show, you may be surprised that there are lyrics, but there are, and it works as a full length song, too.

“Dig a Little Deeper” has a kind of reggae feel and an amusingly long drum opening because “Peter dropped his guitar”.  It’s a poppy catchy singalong with lots.  “May Seem Macabre” is a funny title for a song that is as poppy and danceable as this one.  “Eyes” continues that upbeat poppy flavor.   This is a very fun set and I’m going to have to check out the album as well.  Peter Bjorn and John have proven to be a consistently great band where every album sounds different. You can listen to this show here.

[READ: December 5, 2012] “Nighthawk”

Tony Earley’s essay in the food issue differs from the others because it is not about a specific food, but about cooking.  Or, lack of cooking.  It’s a pretty funny essay about a boy of a certain age and time who was, if not spoiled exactly, simply waited on–by his mother and his grandmother.

His mother would make on demand fried bologna and onion sandwiches (wow, that sounds gross but I’ll bet it’s pretty good), and his grandmother would have waiting for him anything he desired when they visited.  Even when he went to college, he lived close by so he just went home for meals.

It wasn’t until he moved to Tuscaloosa that he realized he had no idea what to do in the kitchen (the description of the muffin tin and his inability to even conceive of its use is very funny).  And then, like other students, he subsisted on frozen meals and whatever else he could whip together with his meager skills.  His point though, is that eating alone is okay, but it really takes a toll on the taste of food–no matter how much cheap wine you drink with it to appear sophisticated.   (more…)

Read Full Post »

Judith Thurman–“Trout” (New Yorker, December 3, 2012)

Posted in Culture Shock, Essays, Fishing, Food, Judith Thurman, KEXP 90.3 FM--Seattle, WA, Nada Surf, New Yorker, Philip Gourevitch on December 4, 2012| Leave a Comment »

CV1_TNY_12_03_12Thiebaud.inddSOUNDTRACK:  NADA SURF-Live at Bumbershoot, October 2, 2008 (2008).

KEnadakexpXP presents this concert from the Bumbershoot Festival.  I have listened to a number of Nada Surf shows and they never disappoint.  They always sound great and their harmonies are spot on. This show is no exception. Although there appears to be a glitch at first because Daniel is in Spain for a couple of weeks (recovering from a leg injury) so they have a sub for him on bass (you’d never notice).   The band plays very well without him and Jose Galvez fills in perfectly.

Most of the set is taken from their then new album Lucky, a really great album.  There is also one song from Proximity Effect and two from The Weight is a Gift.

The set was performed in the Bumbershoot Music Lounge in a stripped down format. Ira plays the drum box rather than the kit and Matthew only plays acoustic guitar.  And it still sounds amazing. I especially enjoyed in “Weightless,” when they asked the audience to sing the backing vocals (ahhh ahhh) which sounds very nice.

There are nine Nada Surf concerts available on the KEXP site for your enjoyment, although this one is not one of them.  To see a video of the show (and Ira’s drum box), watch here.

[READ: December 3, 2012] “Trout”

As Philip Gourevitch talked about his unfamiliarity with a bear, Judith Thruman talks about her unfamiliarity with a trout.

It’s another article about volunteering to do something and being a little unprepared (although Thurman is a bit more successful in the end).  Thirty years ago Thurman went on a two-week wilderness course in Wyoming (the same location as Gourevitch, Wyoming must be pretty bad-ass).  There were fifteen adventurers in total.

She explains that they all brought supplies (like three camp stoves) and enough grains and staples so that no one would starve in even the most dire circumstances but they were a three-day hike from the nearest phone (it’s hard to imagine such a place exists in the U.S.).  Aside from the grains, they had to forage for greens and berries and for any protein they wanted to eat. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Philip Gourevitch–“Bear” (New Yorker, December 3, 2012)

Posted in Beirut, Death, Essays, Food, KEXP 90.3 FM--Seattle, WA, New Yorker, Philip Gourevitch on December 3, 2012| Leave a Comment »

CV1_TNY_12_03_12Thiebaud.inddSOUNDTRACK: BEIRUT-Live at KEXP, October 3, 2007 (2007).  

beirutBeirut plays a fuller set here for KEXP than in the Tiny Desk concert.  They open with “Cherbourg” an accordion-based song that lurches along happily before the full band kicks in and begins rocking the song.   “Sunday Smile” feels very cinematic although when the martial beats begin the song takes quite a different sound.  “Cocek” opens with horns and accordion.  This is clearly not a typical rock set up at all, and it quickly turns into an awesomely shambolic dance instrumental.  My favorite track is “Forks and Knives (La Fete),” with it’s wonderful violin melody and falsetto’d lyrics.

NPR has given me a really great appreciation for this band.  They sound wonderful live.  I wonder if it translates well to studio albums?  You can hear this set here.

[READ: December 3, 2012] “Bear”

The December 3 issue of the New Yorker is The Food Issue.  Generally I don’t get that excited by this special issue, and this was no real exception.  But I wound up with some extra time so I delved into the four “Gut Course” articles in the magazine.

Gourevitch’s article is indeed about a bear.

He describes the “Summer of his twentieth year” (weird style there) in which he was in the mountains of Wyoming and got a job as an animal skinner.  He had no experience of skinning animals but he “moved through life with a dauntlessness born of cluelessness” (I like that) and he needed a job.

The place where he worked was a game-processing plant.  It was used primarily by tourists who killed for sport, so there was a lot of extra meat in the freezer. He and the other kid working there often liberated some frozen meat understanding that it would just get freezer-burned if they didn’t.  And then there came the bear. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Mo Yan–“Bull” (New Yorker, November 26, 2012)

Posted in Band of Horses, Carissa's Wierd, Howard Goldblatt, KEXP 90.3 FM--Seattle, WA, Mo Yan, New Yorker, Short Story, Translation, Yuck! on December 1, 2012| 1 Comment »

CV1_TNY_11_26_12Blitt.inddSOUNDTRACK: BAND OF HORSES-Live on KEXP, October 19, 2007 (2007).

bohgibsonBand of Horses plays in New York at Gibson Showroom for the CMJ Festival and KEXP was there for the broadcast.  The band plays six songs and they sound really great here–I’m always amazed by their harmonies.  They had just recently released Cease to Begin, and so they play “Is There a Ghost” which sounds perfect live (I’m not sure if it has been a hit by then).

I’m confused that in “Marry Song,” they state that he switches to the double neck guitar.  Not that I doubt that he does, but there’s so little guitar in the song, it seems an odd choice.  Regardless it sounds pretty, as does “Ode to LRC”–one of my favorite BoH songs.

The chat with the DJ is great, as she reminds the singer about 6 or 7 years ago when he was pushing his new label and the band Carissa’s Weird and how all of a sudden he was playing with them behind the drumkit and now he’s fronting Band of Horses.  There’s a  comment about the band relocating back to North Carolina (and no longer being a “Seattle” band).  And they joke about the song “Detlef Schrempf” and how they have had a sports guy on both of their albums so far.

The play “Par One” which he says he hopes he doesn’t screw up because he forgot the words the other day.  The final track “Am I A Good Man,” is a cover of a Them Two song.  I’m always mixed about bands dong covers.  It’s fun to hear their take on things but I’d much rather hear an actual BoH song than one by someone I’ve ever heard of.  Having said that, this song is really good, very retro-sounding with a cool 70s style keyboard solo.

It’s odd that the band hasn’t been back on KEXP since 2007.  You can hear this one here.

[READ: December 1, 2012] “Bull”

Mo Yan’s story (translated by Howard Goldblatt) opens with a technical detail about forcing water through the arteries of slaughtered animals.  Lao Lan perfected the method for doing this that required far less water.  It was also suggested that he used a bit of formaldehyde to keep his animals looking fresher than the other butchers’ wares.  The person who suggested the formaldehyde was Luo Tong, the narrator;s father.  [I know that it’s the reader’s responsibility to keep characters straight, but is it really that hard to not have your two main characters have these three names: Lao Lan Luo?].

The narrator’s father was an expert at judging animals–he could look at any beast and guess the weight and overall meat content.  He would put his hands on the beasts just for show.  But he was always right within a kg and at the market, his word was bond.

There’s a brief interlude in which we see the narrator’s homelife.  We learn that Luo Tong is cheating with “Auntie Wild Mule.”  There’s a funny sequence in which the narrator reveals that he knows his mother’s name (a no-no apparently) because Luo Tong told it to Wild Mule.

The story seems like it might just be a story about the village and Luo Tong’s proficiency at his skill (he never accepted any gifts from anyone so as to not seem unjust, everyone agreed he was fair–crazy, but fair).  But then as the day’s trading is ending, Lao Lan walks over to where Luo Tong is sitting and pisses on the ground right in front of him (from the amount and the smell, the narrator surmises he has been holding it a long time).  Luo Tong does nothing.  Literally he just sits there.  The narrator is mortified at his father’s cowardice and it is clear that Luo Tong must have lost some respect here.

When the day finally ends and the merchants give Luo Tong his cut, Lao Lan deliberate drops the money in the puddle of urine.  The narrator calls his father all manner of names and says he can no longer respect him.  Lao Lan states that the narrator should consider being his (Lao Lan’s) son instead.  The narrator is offended by this as well and charges at him (but misses).  And the narrator sulks. (more…)

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »