I am Looking for Depth

I just read the story yesterday and totally forgot the name of the cat - in the story "The Cat From Hell."

I guess this morning when I woke up, I knew what I was looking for and never found in this book... so far.

I read SK books only not because of the horror, but because of the depth of his stories. You may not believe it but I see that in those old novels like "Needful Things," "It," "Dolores Claiborne," "Misery," and also the short story, "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption."

At first, I thought it was because the stories in this book are short, therefore, not giving SK the opportunity to explore depth. But then, I just realize that "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" is also a short story from the book, "Different Seasons" which also includes the famous book-to-movie, "Stand By Me."

Well, for me, there is this emotional side of Stephen King that I found in those stories. The way he brings a situation down to where it touches me deep inside my heart. The books/stories I mentioned were those that I consider having emotions that are totally touching. I think only Stephen King could be both scary and emotional at the same time in one book.

Although two of the stories came close to my category, "Harvey's Dream" and "Graduation Afternoon" which share one common thing. They are both very short (about two pages and a half on a trade paperback) and both can do some more development, although both stories didn't really have the 'novel potential.'

I have yet to read four more stories, and I still long for the depth.

Accountant N. and Dr. B

I am still with the book, "Just After Sunset." Running a little slow these days because I have a freelance writing job to do on weekdays, which is something good for me.

I found a few interesting quotes that is worth pondering, but not when you have lots of things in mind.

I'm with the patient, N., relating what he saw when he visited Ackerman's Field. I think N. just thinks he has OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) or if Dr. B said so. But whichever, these are two of those interesting musings.

"Counting, touching and placing works for a while - it's ironic that behaviors we consider neurotic are actually holding the world in place - but sooner or later, whatever protection they offer decays."

Then, this was Dr. B's thought:

"It only exists in his mind, but that doesn't mean that it's not real."

His Two Soul Mates

"The Things They Left Behind" actually was a story before "N." But I couldn't manage to write anything about it until today.

My friend and I got to visit the tombstone of a very good friend from high school. I haven't been there yet. He passed away three years ago and I was out of the country until October last year.

I never knew how I would feel, just because I didn't think there would be anything unusual. Having gone to too many wakes, too many funerals and too many tombstones, it pretty much gets so trivial that you won't notice any difference at all.

But, the moment we were entering his mausoleum, I felt strange - I felt like seeing an old friend again. It wasn't happy, nor was it sad either. I just felt like that... "it's good to see you" was actually the first thing that popped into my mind.

If there was a thing he left behind, it was the friendship we shared, and the friendship all three of us shared. We were up to so many things during the last years of his life. Up to too many things that what he left behind was his two soul mates who still keep the friendship in spite of too many things.