Barry Lee Thompson

The seventh story in Broken Rules and Other Stories (Transit Lounge) is one of my personal favourites in terms of mood and atmosphere. An early version appeared in the Spring/Summer 2015 issue of Roomers magazine, where the theme was Music. I just had a cursory read of the opening and ending of both versions, and I couldn’t spot any obvious difference, but I’m sure I must have revised a sentence here and there, maybe in the middle of the story.

This story would have come about in response to a creative writing prompt in a weekly Roomers workshop. If I rooted out my notebooks from that time, I’d be able to find more detail on the source. But right now they’re in a filing cabinet, waiting to be put into boxes for an upcoming move. And I know that delving into journals from the past can sometimes plunge me deeply into that past – a nice play to be, if distracting, though right now I’d rather stay anchored in the present.

The story has only three characters, apart from the ‘bored cats and curious dogs’ on the streets. There’s the protagonist. Then a neighbour, who we don’t see, but hear as they yell for the music to be turned down. Twice, the second time ‘with an edge’. And finally, a stranger on the street, whose attitude and stare signal a possible malevolence.

And there’s the music that prompted the neighbourly intervention, a song whose melody and rhythm stay with the main character during his walk. Until he encounters the strange stranger.

You can read ‘Playful Arrangements’ in Roomers magazine by clicking here. It’s on page 4, right after the editorial. I also posted the story on my website a few years ago – click here to see it. Or you’ll find it in Broken Rules and Other Stories – visit the Transit Lounge website for more info.