tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125214612971306615.post8964932454771139330..comments2023-11-06T12:28:13.575-05:00Comments on A Million Monkeys: The Collector, E. FlaniganJon VanZilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14026643422328853037noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125214612971306615.post-82387013246182416632009-10-16T09:22:45.671-04:002009-10-16T09:22:45.671-04:00OMG, this gave me chills. Well-done!!!!
EOMG, this gave me chills. Well-done!!!!<br /><br />EErica Orloffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16415925758466527671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125214612971306615.post-34634260838050690812009-10-15T20:08:41.100-04:002009-10-15T20:08:41.100-04:00I do agree it's super creepy that the adult ne...I do agree it's super creepy that the adult neighbor is focusing on her though.Melanie Hooyengahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08781235493983907234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125214612971306615.post-55773707898619129022009-10-15T16:46:55.152-04:002009-10-15T16:46:55.152-04:00Jude,
That's tragic. I wonder how many of th...Jude, <br /><br />That's tragic. I wonder how many of those girls have an Allan in their backgrounds ...Jon VanZilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14026643422328853037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125214612971306615.post-92156407335288351872009-10-15T16:25:07.271-04:002009-10-15T16:25:07.271-04:00I guess I tend to forget that girls that age do th...I guess I tend to forget that girls that age do think about sex and do have crushes on older guys.<br /><br />We even see girls that age come in pregnant from their boyfriends sometimes at the hospital where I work, Jon, so I'm afraid there's a little more than minor smooching going on.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125214612971306615.post-69013375939957993672009-10-15T16:07:17.702-04:002009-10-15T16:07:17.702-04:00E—
By the (the "9 to 5 turning into a 7 to 7&...E—<br />By the (the "9 to 5 turning into a 7 to 7" thing) I did realize he was older and that's what made the story disturbing. It made me stop, though, cause when I read it the first time, I had to go back to when she first sees him (and spends time petting his dog) to see if I missed something. Maybe a simple Allan got home from work kinda thing. One line, very easy fix if you're so inclined.<br />PMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125214612971306615.post-80158057350674864492009-10-15T16:06:29.750-04:002009-10-15T16:06:29.750-04:00Melanie,
lol. Well, me too ... and I don't w...Melanie, <br /><br />lol. Well, me too ... and I don't want to get into it, but I have a young son and I know a lot of girls around that age. It's true that they're exposed to a lot of sexual content, and they're familiar with it, but I still think there's a big leap from thinking about it as a 12-year-old—or even some minor smooching—to what an experienced, adult male has in mind.Jon VanZilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14026643422328853037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125214612971306615.post-65721734467833213902009-10-15T15:34:35.258-04:002009-10-15T15:34:35.258-04:00Um... Lurker? I thought about sex non-stop in seve...Um... Lurker? I thought about sex non-stop in seventh grade. That didn't mean I acted on it, but it was definitely on my mind. And I had crushes on my adult neighbors. Just saying. <br /><br />Carry on... :)Melanie Hooyengahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08781235493983907234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125214612971306615.post-54950911389862850792009-10-15T13:57:11.289-04:002009-10-15T13:57:11.289-04:00E,
Nice job ... When I first read this, I was a ...E, <br /><br />Nice job ... When I first read this, I was a little surprised by the ... what's the word I'm looking for ... the "normality" of the subject matter. I think the creepiest thing about the story is the banality of it, the sense of commonplace. We all know this scene is replayed a hundred times a day, with often tragic endings. So it's a little like watching a traffic accident in progress.<br /><br />I actually thought it was appropriate that she would feel some kind of sexual attraction for this guy--except for a girl that age, she's not thinking of it as a "sexual attraction." At that age, she's imagining her wedding day, her dress, getting married, romance, yadda yadda yadda. What happens afterward is hazy, exciting and terrifying all at once. The thing that gets me—and the thing that especially gets me as a man—is when that sort of starry-eyed, adolescent romanticism is used by older men who prey on girls. <br /><br />Girls like Megan are never prepared for the plans of men like Allan.Jon VanZilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14026643422328853037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125214612971306615.post-17074249991568714942009-10-15T13:04:39.693-04:002009-10-15T13:04:39.693-04:00I think it was the word "excited" that t...I think it was the word "excited" that threw me most, implying some sort of sexual attraction.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125214612971306615.post-49531594504025938072009-10-15T12:56:34.613-04:002009-10-15T12:56:34.613-04:00PM and Jude, thanks for the input about Allan'...PM and Jude, thanks for the input about Allan's age. I tried to address that with Allan's comment about work (the "9 to 5 turning into a 7 to 7" thing) .... I had hoped that would let the reader know he's an adult. But with several of you having the same question, I can see I need to do more to clarify the age difference.<br /><br />Jude, as far as whether Megan would feel the way she does in the story, I can only say that being an adolescent or pre-adolescent can be confusing — especially when it comes to who is safe to be attracted to and to trust. <br /><br />Melanie, yes it was my intention that you see Megan as both "the collector" and as the one being collected. <br /><br />Thanks for the comments!E. Flanigannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125214612971306615.post-23464092559884213862009-10-15T12:30:51.873-04:002009-10-15T12:30:51.873-04:00I don't know if it was your intention, but I k...I don't know if it was your intention, but I kept waiting for him to do something to her. His comment about the grasshopper not knowing it was captured totally freaked me out -- like he has her trapped and she doesn't know it yet.<br /><br />This is chilling. Well done.Melanie Hooyengahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08781235493983907234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125214612971306615.post-80528090061223128782009-10-15T11:07:28.162-04:002009-10-15T11:07:28.162-04:00Creepy indeed. Nice job!
I too would have liked t...Creepy indeed. Nice job!<br /><br />I too would have liked to know how old Allan is, though, and if much older--as he seems--why she is attracted to him. I didn't really buy her being excited about being close to him and smelling his aftershave and all.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125214612971306615.post-6126400250406514222009-10-15T10:18:52.037-04:002009-10-15T10:18:52.037-04:00This is all kinds of creepy. Nicely done. The only...This is all kinds of creepy. Nicely done. The only thing I wondered was how old Allan was. When you intro him, all you mentions is he's her neighbor. Only later, due to the situation, did I assume he was older. Otherwise, I really liked it. Hits you on multiple levels.<br /><br />PMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com