Author Topic: PseudoPod 548: Lord Randy, My Son  (Read 3967 times)

Bdoomed

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on: June 24, 2017, 03:39:59 AM
PseudoPod 548: Lord Randy, My Son

by Joe L. Hensley.

“Lord Randy, My Son” was first printed in DANGEROUS VISIONS (1967) and appears here with the kind permission of the Hensley estate and the Virginia Kidd Agency. This is the second of Ellison’s Dangerous Visions to appear here on PseudoPod. Make sure to check out Go, Go, Go, Said the Bird by Sonya Dorman.

JOE L. HENSLEY was a lawyer, prosecuting attorney, member of the Indiana General Assembly, circuit court judge, science fiction fan, and writer of science fiction and mysteries. While working as a law student, lawyer, legislator and judge, Hensley wrote science fiction and crime fiction (and at least one auto-racing story for a pulp magazine) as Joe L. Hensley and Louis J. A. Adams.

His first fiction sale was the short story “And Not Quite Human,” published in the September 1953 issue of Beyond Fantasy Fiction [also reprinted in Pseudopod in April of 2016]. His first published novel was The Color of Hate in 1960. He had 20 more novels and collections published (over half of them in the series featuring Indiana circuit judge Donald Robak, which began with 1971’s Deliver Us to Evil) and around 100 short stories. His collaborators in science fiction included Alexei Panshin and Harlan Ellison; he co-wrote one mystery novel (Loose Coins) with fellow Indiana prosecuting attorney Guy M. Townsend. His last novel, Snowbird’s Blood, was published in February 2008. Many of his mystery novels were set in the fictitious Bington, a place which combined aspects of Madison and Bloomington.

Hensley remained active in science fiction fandom throughout his life; the Hensleys were familiar faces at science fiction conventions such as Rivercon and Midwestcon. Hensley was a First Fandom “Dinosaur” (which meant he had been active in fandom prior to July 4, 1939), and received the First Fandom Hall of Fame Award in 2006.

This week’s reader – Ben Phillips – is a programmer and musician living in New Orleans. He was a chief editor of Pseudopod from 2006-2010.



Info on Anders Manga’s album (they do our theme music!) can be found here.



He rebelled on the night the call came to leave the warm and liquid place; but in that way he was weak and nature was strong. Outside, the rains came; a storm so formidable that forecasters referred to it for all of the time that was left. He fought to remain with the mother thing, but the mother thing expelled him and in fear and rage he hurt the mother thing subtly. Black clouds hid the stars and the trees bent only to the wind.



Listen to this week's Pseudopod.
« Last Edit: October 01, 2017, 11:31:22 AM by Sgarre1 »

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


Ichneumon

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Reply #1 on: July 11, 2017, 08:23:46 PM
This one was a little difficult to follow in audio format.
The fate of the world could have been much different if Sam had loved his son... Was it Randall's fault for damaging his mother, which damaged his father, which left him to grow unloved and unguided?



Scuba Man

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Reply #2 on: July 13, 2017, 12:55:19 AM
Weeeeeeeeeeeiiird. Randall made me think about The Who musical, Tommy, the mesiah. Indeed, he's going to be a heavy-metal Christ. Sam had better man up & start looking after his son (for the sake of the world)...
« Last Edit: July 13, 2017, 01:17:15 AM by Scuba Man »

I'm a stand-up philosopher until 2024. Then, I move onto my next gig. I'm a gentleman forester and farmer. I also enjoy jumping into Lake Huron and panicking the fish.


Fenrix

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Reply #3 on: August 10, 2017, 08:06:56 PM

The fate of the world could have been much different if Sam had loved his son...


I'm not sure that's the only factor, but unconditional love from his father would have helped. Other things that impacted his worldview were the mean kids in the neighborhood. And the babysitter who slept rather than act as warden. The horrible things on television, real and fictional.

I took this story as an exploration of nature vs. nurture as to whether the result would be a Christ or an Antichrist.

All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”


Ihavenoeyes

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Reply #4 on: September 26, 2017, 06:06:08 AM
 ::)



Scuba Man

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Reply #5 on: September 30, 2017, 08:11:39 PM
::)
Oh! Now, now. Are you throwing shade our way? Getting salty & spicy? Bravo.

I'm a stand-up philosopher until 2024. Then, I move onto my next gig. I'm a gentleman forester and farmer. I also enjoy jumping into Lake Huron and panicking the fish.


canoehead

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Reply #6 on: October 01, 2017, 08:41:05 AM
I started this one four times, couldn't follow it and gave up.