Hi John,
I was enjoying this (pre-twentieth century America /post-Apocalypse) tale until here
Then Bessie stood up and said, “Please take mine! O' Lordy Lordy, take mine.”
That 'Lordy Lordy' sent me straight to the housekeeper in Tom & Jerry (and after that to wondering if the search for the right wood is a pigment issue.) Is she looking for a black wood rather than a white whale? (I don't think she is, but ... once the thought arose it became difficult to ignore.)
What Emperor did with Bessie's leg nobody knows. Some say he ate it, but you won't hear me say that.
I think you can cut this, it feels stronger without the (empty-ish) speculation.
Bessie was proud as a rooster for a few days. Emperor had her a shiny wooden leg made and called her his girl. She even smiled once or twice.
Is this 'smiled' suggesting she was crazy before the leg?
Then she went to study what she'd done and got quieter than a gator. Soon she turned to moaning, moaning day and night, wanting her leg back.
Like 'quieter than a gator', just wondered about the chances of surviving an amputation of that order in ... whenever this is set. Feels like you gloss over that element. The 'moaning' suggests some sort of fever/infection.
Then,” he smiled his private little smile, “bring it to me and I'll make you two.”
The implication seems to be that if she finds the right wood he'll cut of her other leg (so two wooden legs, or three if you count the one she currently has.)
Now we're chopping on our third mountain and there's no end to mountains around here. We're never going to find a perfect tree.
I don't understand what 'perfect tree' means in this context. What is she looking for? And is this supposed to explain 'crazy', because I'm not sure it does. Has she just been objecting to the aesthetics of the prosthetic all along?
Bessie Bighead is no fool, just crazy. She ain't got no choice but to keep looking for the perfect tree, and I ain't got no choice but to keep chopping.
But why? What stops them simply walking away?
RG.
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