Author Topic: EP199: Elvis in the Attic  (Read 18753 times)

Russell Nash

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on: May 14, 2009, 12:44:33 PM
EP199: Elvis in the Attic

By Catherine M. Morrison.
Read by Ben Phillips (of Pseudopod).
First appeared in SCIFICTION.

We had an Elvis in the attic.  Again.

Echoing in the ducts, his voice woke me around 2 A.M.  I hopped from bed and headed for the attic–they always it up there.  A Vegas Elvis stood by a rack of old clothes singing “Blue Christmas” to them.

As I edged in the door, he segued to “Jingle Bell Rock.”  He waved me down to the front of his meager audience, conferring a special favor.  I settled cross-legged on the floor and enjoyed his tunes.

For months there has been an Elvis infestation all over town, but this was the first Vegas Elvis we’d got.  He worked the room hard, sweat dripping down the side of his forehead.  He was dressed in his trademark white jumpsuit with the spangles and beads and the big white cape he flourished dramatically.  The acoustics up here sucked, but even a big fat Elvis could rock the house.


Rated PG. Contains Elvii.



Listen to this week’s Escape Pod!
« Last Edit: September 10, 2009, 05:35:58 PM by Russell Nash »



Listener

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Reply #1 on: May 15, 2009, 12:23:16 PM
A cute story, pretty well-told. The narration seemed a little quick at times.

I get the feeling the author wanted to go in the direction where the mother was somehow involved with the whole Elvis thing, but she didn't, and left those threads somewhat unravelled. Yeah, maybe she was just a work-two-jobs-perpetually-put-upon mom character, but I felt there was something more to be had there.

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deflective

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Reply #2 on: May 15, 2009, 09:47:25 PM
"They like to perform—it makes them happy. I only did what was best for him."
"They're people. PEOPLE... maybe not people, but they are just like people."

sounds like a pretty solid analogy for podcasters.


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Darwinist

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Reply #3 on: May 17, 2009, 02:08:20 AM
Hmmm......I just never got in to this one.  Probably my least favorite of 2009 so far.

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Reply #4 on: May 17, 2009, 04:03:34 AM
"Not no fool Billy Idol lip either..."

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Reply #5 on: May 17, 2009, 01:24:40 PM
Fantastic- well told, a lot of fun! I liked the sweetness of this story. I Also felt like the mom in here should have had a bigger part- or that the writer wanted to do something more with her, but didn't.

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CGFxColONeill

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Reply #6 on: May 17, 2009, 10:03:51 PM
did not like this one very well... just could not quite bring myself to care about the story

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Yargling

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Reply #7 on: May 17, 2009, 11:01:31 PM
I found it a fun if simple little story and enjoyed it quite abit. Not an epic great, but not poo-poo either :)



Windup

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Reply #8 on: May 18, 2009, 04:14:11 AM
Hey, that was fun!!  Not epic-great fiction, just fun.

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Talia

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Reply #9 on: May 19, 2009, 01:01:56 PM
Lots of fun. I can just imagine a swarm of Elvii taking over Memphis. Hehehehe.



thomasowenm

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Reply #10 on: May 19, 2009, 01:44:56 PM
I did enjoy the story, but I would have liked a little more info about the spores.

What was the connection with them, that made the Elvii turn to dust? 
Even with that little detail missing I was still able to lay aside rational thought and enjoy a fun story.

With a major plague of Elvises shouldn't this story have been PP though. ;D



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Reply #11 on: May 19, 2009, 04:09:47 PM
Not really a fan of Elvis but i thought it was a cute story anyway. I was a little confused about the whole Memphis/Vegas Elvis thing...

It was really nice having Steve back on the podcast, it's not the same without him :)



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Reply #12 on: May 19, 2009, 05:40:13 PM
Meh.

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Russell Nash

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Reply #13 on: May 21, 2009, 07:08:09 PM
I didn't like Vegas Elvis either.



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Reply #14 on: May 22, 2009, 03:07:42 PM
I didn't like Vegas Elvis either.

I always thought David Lee Roth would be the next "Vegas Elvis".  Minus any actual singing ability, of course.  I pictured "Diamond Dave's" off the strip on Flamingo or whatever, maybe next to Debbie Reynolds' place.

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eytanz

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Reply #15 on: May 22, 2009, 03:14:59 PM
So, this was the second story in two weeks about clones who face hatred, scorn and discrimination from a population that denies their basic humanity. Except that this story, while certainly not as well-crafted from a technical point of view (it seemed to end very suddenly, as if the author or narrator got tired of wrapping up the final thought), didn't pander, and placed storytelling above moral self-rightousness. And it had a pretty clever idea at its base. And, as Steve said, it allowed us the use of the word "Elvii". So, I much prefer this one.



Cerebrilith

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Reply #16 on: May 24, 2009, 04:41:03 AM
This seemed like a fun play on the "boy and his dog" theme.  I enjoyed it.



Zathras

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Reply #17 on: May 27, 2009, 06:01:45 PM
I normally love Ben's reading, but he seemed to be the wrong choice here.  Fun, but forgettable.



Loz

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Reply #18 on: May 28, 2009, 07:29:53 PM
I just hope this doesn't mean that Steve's about to inflict an Elvis Month on us.

I found the premise a little awkward, most people see the Elvis's as pests to be exterminated like insects, some don't, they seem mostly sentient, wackiness fails to fully ensue. It was too serious for comedy, too silly to be straight. Maybe it would have worked as a flash piece.



LadyIndigo

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Reply #19 on: June 10, 2009, 12:00:07 AM
This idea was a lot of fun, and I liked the story start to finish - the image of Graceland was like a tripped out Disney World.  But I agree there was a lot more you could do with it - the mom kept blushing even as she was throwing the Vegas Elvis out, and I stopped and had a wonder about whether she saw him as human or not, especially since he's cloned from a former sex symbol.  You don't get embarrassed if a dog or even a rodent is in the bathroom with you, much less sees you naked.  Elvii are more like the mentally ill or disabled than pets, as Steve pointed out, so how do we move on to so many people saying they're rats?  Especially when all of them are wearing a famous face.  The metaphor needed tweaking, but then, I wouldn't have wanted a second "N-words."



birdless

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Reply #20 on: June 10, 2009, 04:39:37 PM
My only comment... or question, i suppose, is regarding the diner. I'm assuming it was spelled T-U-P-E-L-O? If so, the pronunciation was way off, but it made me chuckle. Elvis was born in Tupelo, my hometown and where i've recently moved back to (sigh). It's pronounced TUE-pell-oh (or TOO-pell-oh, depending on if you grew up there or moved there :) ), and not too-PEE-lo... that is, if anyone, in fact, actually cares, which is probably doubtful... i did like the word Elvii...



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Reply #21 on: June 10, 2009, 05:32:04 PM
This seemed like a fun play on the "boy and his dog" theme.  I enjoyed it.

After hearing this story, I kind of wish it had been called "A Boy and His Elvis." Ah, well. Fun little story, anyway.


JoeFitz

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Reply #22 on: June 22, 2009, 03:37:29 AM
Elvii. Egads. A fun little story, if only for its oddity. The whole "spore" thing did not seem to go anywhere and that was confusing.



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Reply #23 on: June 23, 2009, 08:57:05 PM
It's pronounced TUE-pell-oh (or TOO-pell-oh, depending on if you grew up there or moved there :) )

Which is which?

... that is, if anyone, in fact, actually cares, which is probably doubtful...

I had the same reaction at the time.  However, by the end of the story, I'd forgotten about it.

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Reply #24 on: June 26, 2009, 09:38:39 AM
My only comment... or question, i suppose, is regarding the diner. I'm assuming it was spelled T-U-P-E-L-O? If so, the pronunciation was way off, but it made me chuckle.

Whups.  Mea culpa.