Escape Artists

PseudoPod => Episode Comments => Topic started by: Bdoomed on September 18, 2009, 02:49:59 PM

Title: Pseudopod 006: What Dead People Are Supposed to Do
Post by: Bdoomed on September 18, 2009, 02:49:59 PM
Pseudopod 006: What Dead People Are Supposed to Do (http://pseudopod.org/2006/10/06/pseudopod-006-what-dead-people-are-supposed-to-do/)

By Paul E. Martens (http://www.sfwa.org/members/Martens)
Read by Ben Phillips (http://gtf.org/pynk)

Iris said it was wrong of me to have Dad brought back from the dead to work off his debts. But I didn’t ask him to run up the balances on all those credit cards. I think a son should be entitled to inherit something from his parents. Am I wrong?

Also, we are proud to be sponsored this week by the custom book binder Dreaming Mind (http://www.dreamingmind.com/). Beautiful custom made books, portfolios and other products.
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Listen to this week's Pseudopod. (http://media.rawvoice.com/pseudopod/media.libsyn.com/media/pseudopod/Pseudo006_WhatDeadPeopleAreSupposedToDo.mp3)
Title: Re: Pseudopod 006: What Dead People Are Supposed to Do
Post by: Swamp on September 18, 2009, 03:00:10 PM
I loved this story.  To this day, I chuckle when I think of it.  Zombified due to debt, hilarious.  ANd the POV character was good as well.
Title: Re: Pseudopod 006: What Dead People Are Supposed to Do
Post by: DKT on September 18, 2009, 06:38:06 PM
This really is one of my absolute favorites on PP. Whenever I think of it, it makes me smile, and then chuckle. I think I've listened to it more than any other story. It's just absolutely perfect.
Title: Re: Pseudopod 006: What Dead People Are Supposed to Do
Post by: kibitzer on September 19, 2009, 01:14:11 PM
OK, what you guys already said :-)

I only heard this one last week and it had me guffawing loudly and keeping my wife awake.

[SPOILERS]

I tell ya, the image of the zombie sitting dumb in the go-cart, and the image of the zombie sky-diving, still make me laugh out loud. And the protagonist was such a loser! "One of you needs to get a life" -- oh, must be dead dad!

Ben's narration was great.
Title: Re: Pseudopod 006: What Dead People Are Supposed to Do
Post by: Unblinking on September 19, 2009, 06:00:06 PM
This is one of my Pseudopod favorites.  SO funny!  Zombie bowling, zombies at strip clubs, how could it get any better.  And best of all, the fact that all the zombies both solicit credit cards and act as debt collectors is priceless.

And I love that the moral is totally lost on the protagonist in the end.   ;D
Title: Re: Pseudopod 006: What Dead People Are Supposed to Do
Post by: c210344 on July 28, 2010, 08:56:00 AM
Hmmm, I thought at one point that his dad was only pretending to be a zombie (although I'm not sure how he would make himself rot) e.g. when he said "shit" when he was pushed out of the plane. That would have been an unpleasant twist!
Title: Re: Pseudopod 006: What Dead People Are Supposed to Do
Post by: CryptoMe on August 12, 2011, 04:41:38 PM
I was pointed to this story by this thread (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=5295.0).

Very entertaining. What I found most interesting was the concept that becoming a zombie to payoff your bills after you die scared people into paying their bills. I would have figured it would have the opposite effect. Why worry about paying your bills now, when you can do it as a zombie after you die. It's not like you're going to feel it, right?
Title: Re: Pseudopod 006: What Dead People Are Supposed to Do
Post by: Scattercat on August 12, 2011, 09:38:02 PM
I was pointed to this story by this thread (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=5295.0).

Very entertaining. What I found most interesting was the concept that becoming a zombie to payoff your bills after you die scared people into paying their bills. I would have figured it would have the opposite effect. Why worry about paying your bills now, when you can do it as a zombie after you die. It's not like you're going to feel it, right?

Who knows if you would or not?  Do you really want to take the chance?  (Also, bear in mind religious beliefs about appropriate body disposal and what zombification might mean to them.)
Title: Re: Pseudopod 006: What Dead People Are Supposed to Do
Post by: CryptoMe on August 13, 2011, 02:37:14 AM
I was pointed to this story by this thread (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=5295.0).

Very entertaining. What I found most interesting was the concept that becoming a zombie to payoff your bills after you die scared people into paying their bills. I would have figured it would have the opposite effect. Why worry about paying your bills now, when you can do it as a zombie after you die. It's not like you're going to feel it, right?

Who knows if you would or not?  Do you really want to take the chance?  (Also, bear in mind religious beliefs about appropriate body disposal and what zombification might mean to them.)

True on an individual basis. But, considering how much our society embraces the "buy now, pay later" philosophy even in the face of deep ramifications (crushing dept, repossession, eviction, etc.), I can see society embracing zombification quite happily.
Title: Re: Pseudopod 006: What Dead People Are Supposed to Do
Post by: Fenrix on August 17, 2011, 11:08:37 AM
But, considering how much our society embraces the "buy now, pay later" philosophy even in the face of deep ramifications (crushing dept, repossession, eviction, etc.), I can see society embracing zombification quite happily.

Or embracing it quite apathetically.
Title: Re: Pseudopod 006: What Dead People Are Supposed to Do
Post by: Hilary Moon Murphy on November 26, 2013, 05:01:43 PM
Fenrix made me listen to it.  And man, this was awesome!  I agree that this could have happily lived on Podcastle.  What a charming tale!

Hmm
Title: Re: Pseudopod 006: What Dead People Are Supposed to Do
Post by: Fenrix on November 26, 2013, 05:25:09 PM
Fenrix made me listen to it.  And man, this was awesome!  I agree that this could have happily lived on Podcastle.  What a charming tale!

Hmm

gooble gobble one of us
Title: Re: Pseudopod 006: What Dead People Are Supposed to Do
Post by: Hilary Moon Murphy on November 26, 2013, 08:57:53 PM

gooble gobble one of us

Aaack!  No... I am not a horror fan.  I will NOT succomb...

Say, what's behind that door?  The one with the gobbling noises and the eerie light streaming from under it?  It wouldn't hurt to peek, would it?

Hmm
Title: Re: Pseudopod 006: What Dead People Are Supposed to Do
Post by: Emeraldkat on June 27, 2016, 04:03:35 AM
So far this is absolutely my favorite pseudopod! It was well written, witty, and of course, has a zombie dad! How could you ever go wrong with a zombie dad? Its very reminiscent of Evil Dead 2 to me. Silly with a touch of scary, and all around good fun!