Mini Sketch. Been thinking about Lydia Davis. I’ve always loved the short form and more experimental form but only recently have been reading Lydia Davis. This is one very short story, her first version and last version. I’m reading her book of essays. Recommended food for thought for writers and those interested in writer craft. (Amazon link to book)
He ordered truffle, wild mushroom and rare breed sausage sourdough pizza, but to exclude the sausage to make the pizza vegetarian. The waitress at intervals was keen for us to order more. I asked what one things would you change? This is a sustainability dinner. The answers. A global price for carbon. Investments in womens education. The food nutrition obesity challenge. What do you gain for travelling to Mars? Not the destination. All the inventions needed for the journey, we hope. We hope. We finish the glass of Italian red wine.
She arrived by bus. We meandered. Two and three quarters circuits around the city park. A steady stream of dark suited sharply dressed grey haired couples and singles pass by. We can not figure out who has died. The sun reflected off her pale make-up. We drank fizzy apple juice. She ate an ice cream. We talked. We spoke of dementia, effective altruism, writing deadlines and pronouns. When you can not understand you have repeated yourself two and three quarter times. The sadness of forgetting. Those writing deadlines. We leave by taxi.