Changes of Heart

By Patricia Ryan

These five short stories tell, each in their own way, what people do when change enters their lives.
Written clearly and concisely, the stories are tragic, ironic, touching, and hopeful.
Whether it's about love, loneliness, or the yearning for recognition, in each story a decision must be made to give up, or to keep going, in the face of new situations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Patricia Ryan
• Release date: Jun 10, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301368839

Patricia Ryan

BIOGRAPHY Patricia Ryan WRITER Patricia Ryan is a published and produced playwright, poet, and author. She has written two novels, SKYLARK and WAR IN A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY. Her account of 9/11 is published by Doubleday in SEPTEMBER 11: AN ORAL HISTORY, and included in the World Trade Center Memorial archives. Patricia Ryan’s book, LIVING WITH THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE, is included in the libraries of the Museum of the City of New York, The New York Historical Society, the New York Public Library, the New York City Mayor’s Office, the New York State Senate, the Office of the President of the Borough of Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her published theater works are included in the archives of the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts, and in Poet's Theater: An Anthology of Recent Works (Ailanthus). They are also listed in Theater World (Crown) and New York's Other Theater (Avon) Ms. Ryan's poetry and plays have been performed at the Double Image Theater, American Renaissance Theater, The American Ensemble Theater Company, Theater of the Open Eye, Soho Rep, New York University's Theater on the Square, Woman's Interart, the Writers' Stage, Inc., the Golden Fleece Chamber Opera Company, and the Pulse Theatre on Theatre Row, all in New York City. Her poetry has appeared in NEW YORK QUARTERLY, ISLAND FIRE, SEAWANHAKA, THE RAGGED EDGE, FRISSON, FREE FOCUS, and THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WHIMSYand HELIOTROPE, The Joiurnal of Poetry, She is also the author four poetry chapbooks: Small Betrayals of the Mind, How Many Bears Can We Run From, Candlestick, and At Eye Level. ------------- Email: [e-mail] BIOGRAPHY Patricia Ryan POETRY Patricia Ryan is a poet, playwright and author. Her poetry has appeared in NEW YORK QUARTERLY, ISLAND FIRE, SEAWANHAKA, THE RAGGED EDGE, FRISSON, FREE FOCUS, THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WHIMSY, FREE FALL and HELIOTROPE, the Journal of Poetry. Her poetry is included in the Poet’s House Collection, one of the most comprehensive poetry libraries in the United States. She is also the author four poetry chap books: Small Betrayals of the Mind, How Many Bears Can We Run From, Candlestick, and At Eye Level. Her poems have been set to music and performed by The American Ensemble Theater and the Golden Fleece Chamber Opera Company. Her published theater works are included in the archives of the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts, and in POET’S THEATER : An Anthology of Recent Works (Ailanthus). They are also listed in Theater World (Crown) and New York's Other Theater (Avon) Ms. Ryan's poetry and plays have been performed at the Double Image Theater, American Renaissance Theater, The American Ensemble Theater Company, Theater of the Open Eye, Soho Rep, New York University's Theater on the Square, Woman's Interart, the Writers' Stage, Inc., the Golden Fleece Chamber Opera Company, and the Pulse Theatre on Theatre Row, all in New York City. Her book, Living With The Brooklyn Bridge, is included in the libraries of the Museum of the City of New York, The New York Historical Society, the New York Public Library, the New York City Mayor’s Office, the New York State Senate, the Office of the President of the Borough of Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ms. Ryan’s account of 9/11 is published by Doubleday in SEPTEMBER 11: AN ORAL HISTORY and included in the World Trade Center Memorial archives. She has written two novels: SKYLARK and WAR IN A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY. ------------- Email: [e-mail]

Book preview

CHANGES OF HEART

Five Short Stories of Change that Alter Lives for Better or Worse

By

Patricia Ryan

C. Copyright, Patricia Ryan, New York City, 2013

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed and free to you for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be sold by anyone except the author. If you would like to share this book with another person, please advise them that they can find their free copy on any major ebook retailer. The author appreciates your enjoyment of this work and any recommendation you would like to make to other readers. Thank you.

Description:

These short stories deal with what people do when change enters their lives.

Written clearly and concisely, the stories are tragic, ironic, touching and hopeful.

Whether it’s about love, loneliness, or the yearning for recognition, in each story a decision must be made to give up, or keep going, in the face of new information.

CONTENTS

GRAFFITTI

CHANGE OF HEART

THE REAL PARABLE OF THE TALENTS

ALL OUR LOVE

A FULL DAY

GRAFFITTI

When the late night TV host made the surprising announcement that they wanted to do a show with the unknown persons who were writing all over subway trains, walls, buildings, and so on, Ralphie didn’t hear it at first.

He always had this buzzing in his head as if the world were totally silent and he was making his own noise. It was as if he were part of those experiments on college kids where not a sound is heard until the sounds of their own bodies and minds became private crickets around their ears.

He always had a feeling that there was smoked Plexiglas in front of everyone he talked to, and when he listened it always seemed as if he were at a drive-in bank window where, by the time the voice came from the mouth behind the protective glass, through the wire speaker, and was amplified out into his face, this voice seemed dubbed onto pictures of the people who were supposedly talking to him. But who, in the split second between words spoken and words received, had already moved into the next action, the next words, and the dubbing was out of sync.

Because of this, he was always responding seconds too late to what was really happening. It made him feel dumb.

Ralphie had first started putting his name on subways cars one day on his way to school, when a train he didn’t want roared into his station and amplified his own buzzing to the point where he had to recognize the silver giant’s presence.

It stood there, like an overpowering bulkhead at his face, for what seemed forever. It didn’t go forward or out of the way so his train could come in. It wasn’t explained. It just sat there, provocative, defiant, seductively offering its bare silvery shell with a pugnacious air.

Ralphie wanted to respond to this provocation by pushing it, hitting it, somehow to tame it, conquer it, violate it.

Join it.

So from his backpack he took out the black marker needed for art class, the only class he cared about, then stepped to the edge of the platform, nose to shiny nose with the train, and wrote