THE BOOKSMITH READER

Three prose pieces


By Matt Leahy
Copyright 1999 by Matt Leahy


Dear Mr. Baptiste,

you look good to me. In a decade and no less you have been fixated upon the so-called Jaunty Country Geese phenomenon. You have been living in your very own regular sized. You are, as they say, _______. For some time now. You are currently surrounded. In you very own regular sized.

Let me explain. For some time now you have been a man donning his shirt. In your very own regular sized. You are currently surrounded.

Perhaps you did not understand. In a decade and no less, you have been, as they say, _______. In your very own regular sized. You are currently surrounded, at the moment. As they say.

Is this clear? For some time now, you are currently surrounded. In a decade and no less. In your very own regular sized. You are, as they say, _______.

Sincerely,


Dear Mr. Baptiste,

You have been selected as one of the Participants. We know something about you. You are unafraid to use the word 'bosom' although at times there is a telling hesitation, almost as if _____. You know the rules cold, and are affable enough, but some consider you a bit _______. You are not completely, although at times. It has been whispered. Just imagine what it would be like, in your very own regular-sized. I wonder if you can.

Let me put it to you this way: it is Urgent that you respond, although to respond 'incorrectly' would be, to say the least, _______. We know something about you. Almost as if. There is no reason to panic. it is hard to read, I understand, because of the glare of the light. Things are fine, although at times. It is hard to read because of the great whooshing smear. Almost as if.

You are being _____ed right at this very moment, Mr. Baptiste, by something that you might not thought had existed, although at times. It is Urgent. Perhaps you are beginning to remember. Perhaps, even, _______.

This is no hoax, Mr. Baptiste. You have earned this, in all its _____. You will be seeing something very soon. To disregard it would be _____. If you know what I mean.

Urgently,


Dear Mr. Baptiste,

It's a little bit funny. Wouldn't you say? What you now hold in your hands is only the latest _____ in a series of events dating back to _____. In your very own regular-sized. Perhaps you had suspected, at some time. Then forgotten. Do you remember the owl, Mr. Baptiste? What about the small piece of _____ in your ear? Or even _____? It's a little bit funny.

There once was a time, Mr. Baptiste. Coincedence? There are such things. It exists. Even in your very own regular-sized. There are certain things in the world. It is essential that you understand this. For example, _____. But this is only the beginning.

Yes, Mr. Baptiste, there are certain things - - and certain other things. There once was a time. In which. In which. Certain things. By God, eh, Mr. Baptiste?

But why not verify it for yourself, right now? Just take a look around you. You might just . . . notice something. It's a little bit funny, isn't it, Mr. Baptiste? By God, eh!?

Yes, there are certain things - - things that do not, in fact, _____. But these are exactly the kinds of things!! These are the kinds of things, exactly!! Right down to the last _____!! By God, eh, Mr. Baptiste?!

I'm sure you know in your heart that there has been no mistake, Mr. Baptiste. With these kinds of things there never is. And this is only the latest _____, dating back to _____. It kind of makes you _____, doesn't it, Mr. Baptiste?

Sincerely,



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