Abandoned Grocery Shopping Trips (ePub)

A third volume of short fiction by unacclaimed reclusive author E.N. Larsen, who lives in an underground bunker (not really). The five stories depict the lives of misfits and the deeply flawed as they deal with their daily reality, as they struggle to define what it means to be a person, as they struggle with urges and wants that are best subsumed.

The stories show that the author cares deeply about his characters, who bear the burden of shame for who they are, what they desire, or just what they want out of life--women and men who have trouble dealing with day-to-day life even though they have all of the advantages of modern society. The question is whether society has ultimately failed them or they have failed society—one of many distressing and troubling aspects of this work.

Surprisingly funny at times, always poignant, the darker, deeper currents of these stories will touch the reader.

Stories include:

"Big Brother"
Like most of us, the narrator of this story tries to fix problems on the inside by doing something on the outside. Viz: If you become a lawyer, you'll be happy. If you make a million dollars, you'll be happy. Etc.

"Evergreen Pointe Apartments West"
A grim, satirical look at postmodern America and the corruption of the elites. Portions of the story have been redacted by the author in the spirit of the era.

"Stuff"
Most people regard hoarding as a bad thing, something to be avoided. Not here. "Stuff" is an exuberant, yet misguided, ode (but without all the rhyming and/or singing) to hoarding.

"Binky"
A disturbing juxtaposition of things that just shouldn't be juxtaposed--a husband's immaturity against his sexual appetites--a story that makes you say, "Please stop juxtaposing. Enough with the juxtaposing already. This juxtaposing needs to stop." And so on.

"Grocery Shopping"
A voyeur finds a new target. Instead of her usual voyeurism toward sordid crime stories, she tries something new—supermarket voyeurism—and finds out something about her subjects that makes even her, voyeur de rigueur, uncomfortable.