John of Book Mine Set reviewed this story back in June. He was looking for stories set in Egypt and ran across this one. His review intrigued me enough to want to read this story for myself.
Niko’s fiancee, Carly had just left him to study for her “Master’s Degree in Skeletons..” He was in his Cairo apartment when the khamaseen started up. Khamaseen is “fifty days of cyclonic wind which whirled up from the Saharan desert into Egypt”, which his neighbor, Margarete warned him of when he moved in.
All of a sudden debris and a bird were whirled into his apartment. Then somehow, a bunch of feral cats came in too. He called his selfish friend, Javier to ask for help however, he was on his way to pick up his new TV and wouldn’t come over to help.
It became clearly apparent that Niko didn’t have any friends. His crisis was an over the top symbolism for that. However, the story was an interesting character study of Niko and while I didn’t love the story, I did like it. You can read the story on Gretchen McCullough’s website, here.
I must have missed this when John posted on it (not many stories for me in June), but I’ll take a look at it now. Thanks!
I keep trying short stories, but I just don’t like them. 🙁
How did I miss this one? It sounds like one of those funny/sad stories. I’ll have to go and see for myself.
This one doesn’t grab my attention, although it sounds like Niko has a major mess on his hands.
Yeah, I wasn’t too clear on the feral cats either. Pretty nasty storm though!
JoAnn, hope you like it.
Kelli, you just haven’t found the right one yet. Short story is a different art than novel writing and not all writers have the art mastered enough to be able to develop a good plot and bring it to a conclusion within a short story.
I reviewed Foster. I think it is a good example of a excellent short story. I have a link to the story in my review. I dare you to go read it. If you do, let me know what you think of it.
Margot, I actually found it a bit depressing.
Carol, he does.
John, yes it was.