“How to Start a War” is a short story by yours truly.
I’ve never shared fiction on this blog before, and it makes me quake in my boots, but this year will be a year of firsts. The story was originally published in NFT form to learn more about the technology and play footsie with my friend Kevin Rose.
It’s a little tale about mercenaries, modern life, and the games we all play. The prose, handwriting, and concept is by me. The graphic design, which you can see at this link, is by Lisa Quine.
And how much of this is actually fiction?
Well, that’s a damn good question…
“If you want to start a war, call me.”
He handed me his card. It was nondescript: name, number, AOL email address, stock art of an eagle. He could have passed for a plumber, handyman, or tree remover.
We were parting ways after a long weekend together, and the pieces of the puzzle had only started to coalesce in the last hour. I’d known he was former military from the outset, and I had guessed he was in his early 60s from the gray hair, weather-beaten face, and close-cropped beard. His language also dated him. But beyond that, I knew little, as he was quiet and sullen.
The gathering was roughly 15 male guests, all self-made in some industry and all pretending to be Jason Bourne. Perhaps Jason Bourne with a drinking problem. I, on the other hand, was a jack of all trades, master of some, but it had never added up to dynastic wealth. Nonetheless, here I was, invited by a back-slapping half-acquaintance who got my email years before. Once I’d signed the NDA like everyone else, folks seemed happy to forget I was there.
The stated purpose of the weekend was to learn evasive driving, hence we had some ex-Marines signed up to teach. I spent my days listening to the attendees peacock about finance, old sports injuries, and third homes. I spent my nights sipping whisky around a campfire with the instructors. Perhaps it was because I shaved my head, perhaps it was the shared silence, but one by one, they began to ask me questions. That’s how “Stan,” as we’ll call him, eventually opened up. We bonded over hunting and Hunter S. Thompson.
And now, at the very tail end of our time together, Stan was filling me in on his next gig. It turned out that he was a tree remover of sorts, or at least an obstacle remover. This all came to light because I asked him where he was headed after our make-believe excursion in nowhere Arizona. I’d been wondering how he paid the bills the rest of the year.
“I’m headed to Burma. I’m a God-fearing Christian, and there are some Christians who need protecting.”
He went on to explain that a large and pension-friendly nonprofit had reached out to him through friends of friends. The nonprofit was decidedly Christian but no longer advertised itself as such. It had pivoted to a broader donor base in the 1980s. Still, their roots remained intact, and they’d asked Stan if he’d be willing to “support” several small enclaves of Christians in northern Myanmar whose rural villages were being attacked and, in some cases, burned by one particular paramilitary group. While most of the West thinks of Buddhism as a doctrine of peace, it turns out that no faith is immune to extremism. The violence was being inflicted by self-avowed Buddhists, who were also ruthlessly effective at cutting off supply lines of food and water to these encampments. They viewed any belief system outside of Buddhism as a betrayal of the truth, and that was justification enough for forced removal of both Muslims and Christians, often to Internal Displacement Camps (IDCs). The attacks routinely included murders, and the murders were rarely investigated. The entire situation was mostly ignored by the Myanmar national army and local law enforcement, if not condoned. The whole thing was a spectacular mess.
I asked Stan what he could possibly do to protect these groups.
After all, he’d mentioned that it was just he and two other silver-haired vets who’d been hired, all well past their prime.
“Well, that’s pretty easy. These Christian villages can only be reached by helicopter. We have intel on the six or so primary pilots. They all live in one hub, a small city. So the plan is to kill two or three of the pilots in their homes in a single night, in front of their families, and leave letters as written warnings. That should slow things down. If they don’t stop, then we kill the rest at longer range. It’s important to realize that these pilots aren’t trained to deal with this type of thing.”
The conversation went on for some time, each new revelation dwarfing the one preceding it.
Flying home that evening, the encounter prompted dozens of questions I didn’t have answers for, like:
How many times per year did Stan do something like this? And who hired him?
How many mass conflicts have been started, or prevented, by similar low-tech strikes?
And… how on earth did the U.S. 501(c)(3) in question categorize this expense?
To Stan’s credit, he never mentioned their name, but I could easily imagine an annual fundraising gala in a fancy Manhattan ballroom, replete with high-price auction items (a weekend at a board member’s Lake Como estate?), celebrity guests (wouldn’t the red-carpet photos look great on Page Six?), and Fortune 500 execs sitting at $50,000 tables (their comms teams picked the perfect nonprofit for great coverage!). In my mind’s eye, there is a well-dressed society woman on stage—white teeth, white dress, white pearl necklace—announcing the auction item: “Support for local partners helping at-risk minority groups in Southeast Asia.” Starting bid: $25,000 USD.
How did Stan and his team get paid? Did the nonprofit donate to a recognized NGO on the ground, who then paid Stan in cash? Who knows.
All I knew was that he was being paid for two weeks of services. Put another way, in fewer than 14 days, a number of helicopter pilots—currently having ice cream with their daughters, maybe watching TV with their wives—would meet Stan but never see his face. Those men, no doubt believing themselves on the right side of history, would find themselves unexpectedly at the end of their own timelines and the flash of a muzzle. Perhaps that very same evening, a CEO on the Upper East Side would be bragging to dinner guests about his latest philanthropic work in Southeast Asia.
So, is Stan a valiant hero, a psychopath murderer, or simply (simply!) a guy with ends to meet and skills that don’t translate to civilian life? Is he good, bad, or neutral? Or are these all bullshit questions? After all, he can be these three things at the same time. It depends on your perspective, the stories you believe, and whether he’s on your side.
I have to imagine that we’ve all backed killers. Whether through paying taxes or chasing tax havens, whether by buying shoes of unknown origin or snorting a line of coke at a bachelor party, we’ve all been complicit in immense suffering. A Stan five steps removed is still a Stan, isn’t it?
Sitting in my aisle seat, these and other thoughts floated through my mind. The orange juice I’d been drinking tasted metallic. I pulled out Stan’s card to replay the day’s events, and as I turned it over in my hands, I noticed a quote on the back:
Vanitas vanitatum dixit Ecclesiastes omnia vanitas.
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, all is vanity.
How incredibly freeing it would be to believe it. I tried to commit the Latin to memory and failed completely, which only seemed to reinforce the point. I wondered why Stan put this on his card. As a warning to others? As a reminder to himself? A nihilistic justification?
There was a tap on my shoulder, snapping me out of my reverie, and an attractive middle-aged woman seated behind me held up my wallet. “I think you dropped this, sir.”
“Thank you very much. That’s really kind of you.”
My own voice echoed back like someone else’s, and I wondered: Was it kind to return my wallet? I’d paid for the fantasy weekend, after all, which in turn partially supported Stan. Maybe it paid for part of his plane ticket to Myanmar. But how much of me was legitimately disgusted, and how much of me was glad to be involved or even proud? I couldn’t tell.
The absurdity was dizzying, and a smile involuntarily spread across my face. It wasn’t a smile of amusement. It made me think of chimpanzees, who sometimes break into maniacal laughter in the canopy if a troupe member is torn apart by a leopard on the jungle floor. I mean, what the fuck else are you going to do?
By this time, I needed a stiffer drink. I hailed the flight attendant and ordered two gin tonics, both doubles. She paused, considered objecting, then folded and walked away.
Three minutes later, I had my drinks on my tray, and I turned back to the woman behind me:
“Thanks again for the wallet. Do you mind if I ask you one quick question?”
The Tim Ferriss Show is one of the most popular podcasts in the world with more than one billion downloads. It has been selected for "Best of Apple Podcasts" three times, it is often the #1 interview podcast across all of Apple Podcasts, and it's been ranked #1 out of 400,000+ podcasts on many occasions. To listen to any of the past episodes for free, check out this page.
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Great work! Looking forward to read the next part!!
Clearly you have some pent up creative energy to expend! Impressive writing.
This started off well and got even better at the end. Now if you’ll excuse me I’d like to never think of these questions again.
“If you want to start a war, call me. He handed me his card. It was nondescript: Name, number, AOL email address, stock art of a eagle. He could have passed for a plumber, handyman, or tree remover.” I just read a Stanford Continuing Ed writing teacher’s list of the best first lines and openings of novels. THIS is a GREAT first line and opening.
I also just listened to your podcast with Seth Godin. I really liked the part about how the best writing lets the reader jump from point A to point B with no explanation. A writer doesn’t need to fill in the blanks between moments.
I would love to read a fiction story, even a novel, which started with the opening above. It is that intriguing, and that good. How would you translate your insights into dramatic action? Where does that take you? What would happen if your keen thoughtfulness took a ride on the magic carpet of your imagination?!
Nice and intriguing, enjoyable read. Wonder what happens next, let’s see…
Upon a second reading, I appreciate the strong narrative voice and intriguing plot developments even more. The details woven throughout the story create a vivid and engaging narrative. The moral ambiguities in the narrator’s internal dialogue add depth, prompting the reader to ponder the complexities of right and wrong. Overall, it’s compelling and thought-provoking!
Honestly, this was riveting!! Well done! Loved it!
Mystery, ethical dilemmas, and flirting; I want to read more like this.
I liked it. Great use of the short story format.
What did he ask?! I really like it!
I hear your voice in this writing, and it doesn’t feel like fiction (which is the very best kind of fiction writing). Yes, I want to keep reading to find out what happens next. Keep writing.
Keep it up Tim! Proud of you for sharing your creative works. The characters and narrative felt plausible. I enjoyed how you made the reader turn the lens on themselves after they had presumably judged the mercenary for his work.
Tim. You can’t keep an open loop like that. TIM. WE NEED THE NEXT. TIIIIIMMM.
Loved it. Interesting to think how we contribute to suffering without being aware of it. Thanks. Keep it up. 🙂
Keep going!
I remember reading a version of this in NFT format!
The blurred line between reality and fiction makes this so compelling and you’ve got a gift of capturing vivid imagery in words. I also love the moral ambiguity and calling out the slippery slope we’re ALL on. Next chapter please. Movie rights, next.
P.S. reads a bit like Nelson DeMille. Check out The Charm School, an engrossing mammoth novel firmly planted in the Cold War. Great stuff.
I really enjoyed that read… can’t wait for the next !!
Hey Tim!
I really enjoyed how elements of your nonfiction voice still carried into the medium, especially with respect to the clarity of prose and hints of dark humor throughout.
As an aside, the allusion to chimps was evocative enough to make me wonder if the theme could be used for the title of a longer form of this story.
What I would hope for in future stories would be to lean into your weirdness even more, as I have a sense that you are capable of zany Vonnegut-esque stylings that would really lift these new stories off of the page.
Sincerely,
A student writer
Can’t wait to read more!
Loved this piece, from the blurred lines of fiction/non-fiction to the blurred lines of morality, not to mention the killer opener! It reads like the start of an action-adventure thriller. More please!
Very enjoyable! More please!
… next chapter asap please, you’re a gifted & engaging writer – naturally!!!
Wow nice work..Stan Nice work
Fantastic writing and set-up.
Definitely leaves me wanting more and would love to see how the story unfolds.
Well, now you’ve done it! Like a crack dealer ‘giving us a taste.’ Please Sir, may I have more?
Well done. The prose is tight and the story is compelling. Makes the reader stop and ponder. Would love to read more.
It feels very Tim Ferriss. The main character has a shaved head and ponders interviewing-podcaster style questions. Kudos for going out of your comfort zone, sorta.
Tim, I’ve been missing your long form writing so much, and just thinking the other day how awesome it would be to get more of that. I just never thought it would be fiction!!
Incredible read. Thank you and excited to see where this takes you.
My favorite line: “And… how on earth did the U.S. 501(c)(3) in question categorize this expense?” 😂
Another question in my own mind that you verbalized was, “was it kind to return my wallet?” This was a fun read and it left me curious—especially about who the narrator is.
I would definitely read the next installment. Thanks for putting yourself out there and sharing! I feel encouraged to take similar daring steps.
I REALLY want to read the question you ask her. Partly that’s because you left me in suspense. But I do think the story might (might!) be better if you end the story on the question itself. That ending means the reader would be left pondering the question. If you have a specific question you want us chewing on, then ending with that question is the way to go.
On the other hand, if you don’t have one specific question, then the ending you chose is ideal.
In either case, well done.
I would like to read this book. Tim’s extensive military contacts must include some stories one doesn’t read in the news which is fodder for gripping fiction. Keep it coming Tim.
Fiction huh? Perhaps 8 degrees off from total truth. Perhaps that much. Enjoyed the read. Thanks for sharing and I hope you keep building this muscle.
It doesn’t entirely sound like fiction
Great writing. I’m typically either all in or completely out on a piece of literature within the first couple pages. This grabbed me immediately and left me wanting more!
Very well done! Looking forward to more of this.
I really enjoyed this read. It leaves you wanting more which is probably exactly what you’re looking for. Thank you for constantly trying new things and put them out for the public to see. That is a bigger feat than most will ever know. I hope you continue the story and look forward to reading it.
Loved it!!! Well done!
Well done! I’m hooked and waiting for more.
HTSAW moved at a nice pace and I enjoyed reading it. It was easy to imagine men of means laying out thousands of dollars to learn evasive driving skills in this way. What I liked and wished you did more of is having the narrator ask questions of himself and THEN leaving them unanswered. Did I want to start a war?
nice start. ‘he went on to explain…’
imho better shorter paragraphs you can absorb at a glance. more pleas
Dang, this is awesome. I read all the way to the end. Great fiction. I’d read 3-4 novels of this stuff.
I was excited to read this from the outset, but far more impressed than I may have initially expected. Was truly disappointed when I reached the end. Great work and hoping there’s a continuation in the future!
Awesome – very gripping, and great use of vocabulary and tension thruout.
Love it, but now I need to know – what is the one quick question?!?!
Hey Tim,
Beautifully structured.
Bookending it with a strong hook “statement” from Stan to begin and a “question” from you, or perhaps rather your first person narrator, to finish, leaves the reader wanting more.
A cinematic tone over all as well. I know you are leaning towards some screenwriting. So it would dovetail seamlessly into that if you so choose.
Within the body of it, some gems of sensorial and psychological specificity. I particularly appreciate the “dizzying smile” “maniacal laughter” chimpanzee metaphor. Taps unflinchingly into our nature, and the very thin facade of civility that we tenuously tread daily.
I could nitpick here and there with a sentence or two, but this is hardly the forum for it.
You have crafted a lean, tight and enthralling narrative.
Hat tip for the diligence to do so and the courage to share it brother.
Best,
Todd Cattell
What’s next?!
Worked for me, Tim.
Pretty good, I would rate it as 3/4. The premise made it worthwhile. I read paper menagerie last month and that was 2/4, but then I am an Expat here, so journey before matters
Great stuff! Yes, you got the short story ending just right so that the narrator’s next question is left to my imagination… I thoroughly enjoyed the internal dilemma.
I love it; the writing is lean like Hemingway, but more human than Hemingway lol. I’m excited to see where fiction Tim goes. This was good.
It’s a good start. Not great. It feels like you’re trying too hard and it fails to flow naturally. Some observations:
* too much structure built in pairs of 3 (plumber, handyman, or tree remover/ early 60’s from the gray hair, weather-beaten face, and close-cropped beard/ high-price auction items (…), celebrity guests (…), and Fortune 500 execs/white teeth, white dress, white pearl necklace/ good, bad, or neutral/ Three minutes later – you see the pattern
* a bit too many entities and numbers for a short text, it doesn’t add to the alertness and subtracts from the story
* it’s first person narrative, but I don’t know who you are (don’t think details, but rather contour)
* you’ve just met the guy, yet Stan this and that; the point of the story seems to be the mystery surrounding him (is he a good guy, bad, all in life is in the gray zone, etc.), so at least initially, the sense of unknown would be amplified by not naming him directly all the time.
Keep it up!
Since around 5 a.m., when the missile from one fellow country hit the ground near my house two years ago, the existential crisis hit me with new force. And so, “It wasn’t a smile of amusement. It made me think of chimpanzees, who sometimes break into maniacal laughter in the canopy if a troupe member is torn apart by a leopard on the jungle floor. I mean, what the fuck else are you going to do?” perfectly describes the emotions when thinking about mankind. This story gently touches on those questions people usually do not want to see in one line, to preserve the brain.
Seeing reality without the filters that we were brainwashed to see through, is a very challenging exercise and can sometimes drive us near insanity. Thanks for putting such a deep hard topic in little but very meaningful entertaining words. Impressive writing!
I can’t write a highfalutin erudite critique. What I can write is that after reading thousands of books, short stories and the like, when the first line doesn’t grab my attention, I don’t bother finishing it. Your first line caught me, and the rest left me wanting more. Please, write this to its end!
Yes, nicely written, I like it. The moral ponderings are very true and all around us when fully considered, a bit of a rabbit hole when you start to think it through.
I’m definitely intrigued, I want to read more …
Amazing work, makes makes me want to experiment with creative writing.
Liked it. Very entertained. Would definitely read more.
The intended vibe of that last line did not penetrate my gray matter. It purrs in comparison to the opening roar, and I genuinely can’t tell if two people are about to catch a buzz, or one person is about to black out and get weird (preferred).
Tim, this is great. My only feedback would be that… “We bonded over hunting and Hunter S. Thompson.”…could perhaps be expanded upon. The rhetoric in the mind of the main character is intoxicating. Questioning who Stan is, what he does and what he will do leaves me wanting to know more. Additionally the close and where your main character will go from here is enticing. But the question I’m left with is what was the bond he felt with Stan. Was it shared experience, ideology, aspirations. Could Stans older years position him as a type of paternal figure reminiscent of the lead characters own father perhaps (leading to questions of a separate character relationship)? It is this bond which I feel is important in understanding why the stories of Stan have stayed with the character rather than being dismissed as the bullshit tales of a recent acquaintance.
Loved reading it, thank you for sharing and for the pod and previous books.
Paddy
Ok…I’m hooked!
I liked it until the ending.
Thought provoking. Really good! 🙌
As a silver haired SOF veteran, I think you’re asking all the right questions.
Tim, I read fiction as a kid, but otherwise I’ve been pretty die-hard non-fiction until somewhat recently. You included a quote in 5-bullet Friday from “The Paper Menagerie” and it piqued my interest. That book has now inspired a journey to further explore fictional short stories of that kind, and for that, I thank you!
Nice work on this piece and stepping out of your comfort zone. I’m really looking forward to reading more from you.
Looking forward to what comes next!
You’ve captured my attention. Keep going.
P.S. I can’t help wondering: are you going to offer the lady the other drink? Or ask where she bought her neck pillow?
Light rain falling around 10 am in Redwood City, sat back on the couch with a mug of black tea to settle into this read…great stuff Tim…please finish it!
Good story – but do you think Stan would be so forthcoming with his intent “So, the plan is to kill two or three of the pilots in their homes in a single night, in front of their families, and leave letters as written warnings” Maybe that was you paraphrasing what Stan said, but I think with his of guardedness, he wouldn’t be so specific. Stan’s allusion would be more circumspect. Don’t get me wrong – better than most fiction I read. You may want to read Dan Jones new trilogy.
Love! More please! 🙂
EXCELLENT, sir. Thank you for sharing your writing!
Well, listeners of your podcast have been tapping their toes, waiting to read your much talked about desire and internal battling of putting the pen to paper. Rest your weary head now. You clearly have stories to tell…
At times, what we call fiction is easier to believe than the truth, or vice versa.
I worked with refugees from Myanmar, a couple that found each other, and then they were very young children from two different families caught up in a war they knew nothing about and had no idea why they were imprisoned for over 25 years and moved from one encampment to another until they and their now own children where released and settled in Australia.
Their story could be the next chapter of this, as the events to come do not sound too indifferent.
Beautifully written,
Thank You.
Tim.
Well done. Looks like you may have discovered your next chapter.
You got me, Tim. I wasn’t going to read it, but I started, and dammit, I want to read the rest of it now.
two doubles in three minutes on an airplane, definitely fiction brah.
as for the latin on the card, the men i’ve known in similar lines of work were of few words, not particularly self-righteous or introspective. justification and rationalization were mostly unnecessary.
Great story Tim. Keep writing and don’t be shy/ modest. You have talent
Very interesting. Rework the ending, unless I missed something. But well done.
Reeled me in immediately. Waiting for more. thanks Tim
Amazing! Creative and engaging plot as well as writing. Some lines, including those 3 questions on what kind of person is Stan really–extremely thought provoking! So looking forward to the next part.
I’m intrigued! And most “fiction” doesn’t do that for me.
Ha! Tim always happy when you try new things! Fun intriguing and self awaring!
Im a script writer mainly but someday a non fiction author on my personal growth journal to help others LIVE LIKE A HAPPY KID.
Great first pass at short story writing.
-Overall: Enjoyed it and can’t wait to see more.
-Pros: A) Entertaining; B) Details are clear and easy to follow; C) the story is thought provoking and makes me want to re-read it immediately.
-Cons: A) In some cases, it feels like the audience is underestimated. There’s a point to call out and explicitly explain details or ideas that could be arrived at from the subtext. B) Some details feel like a what a wandering mind would really think about, but don’t necessarily move the story along or add to the narrative
Cheers!
call me a dinosaur, i’m not on all those sites like twitter, so leaving a brief comment about Humanitarians of Tinder-How bout a person of color amongst a bunch of white kids??
My take: If you want to start a war, call me.
He handed me his card. It could have passed for a contractor, a little dirty and worn at the edges.
I sensed I knew him now. I wanted to know him but there was no time. He was much more than the man I had simply summed up days before. Retired, check. X military, check. Intelligent, double check, but quiet, very quiet. He was self-made, like the others, deserving great respect, but he kept his pride close to his chest, and he carried his chest high.
15 men of wealth, all pretending to be Jason Bourne. Pretending to hold their liquor. I am self-made too, without the accolades, no brass, no valet. Nonetheless, here I was, invited by a back-slapping half-acquaintance stumbled on my email from years before. I quickly signed the NDA without anyone really noticing I was there.
It was a mix of strangers, except for a few, all come together to learn evasive driving techniques. On the track, I imagined these men crashing their Lambos as they peacocked about hedge funds, old polo injuries, and third wives. I spent my nights sipping a brand of whisky I’d never heard of, around a campfire with people I’ll never see again. I needed the distraction, and boy did this weekend serve it up. Perhaps my newly shaved head accentuates my funny ears. It’s one way to get attention. One by one, they began to ask me questions. The whisky did what whisky does. That’s how “Stan,” as we’ll call him, eventually opened up. We bonded over hunting and Hunter S. Thompson.
After a weekend of talking bullshit in nowhere Arizona, we packed up. Stan brushed the sweat from his brow as he shared his next adventure. I had a feeling something was next. This guy wasn’t going home.
You didn’t pull any punches in this piece. As much as I want to run from the questions, I can’t. It’s provocative, polarizing, and most importantly you’ve cultivated curiosity. All in a short. Now I’m wondering what he’s going to say to the girl behind him. So yes, you’ve hit the mark!
Really good, Tim. Keep going. I was bummed there wasn’t more.
If there was more, I’d read it.
Bravo. An exciting teaser. Very much interested to see you turn it into a book where you allow yourself to slow down a little and let the characters mature. And of course tell how the mystery lady is connected to your new world.
Intriguing short story, there is the cliffhanger at the end which makes me want to ask for the next one. Sentences are simple and short enough for a wide audience which leads to an easy reading (mine was done in a cafe where a kid was being a bit loud, but still managed to run with it). If I would be at home and in the weekend, I would be open and hungry for some deeper things in the next chapters/mini-stories. The 1st personna is also something which lets me wonder who he is down the road and curious about finding more about him also. Overall, a good read and would follow up. Congrats
“The absurdity was dizzying, and a smile involuntarily spread across my face. It wasn’t a smile of amusement. It made me think of chimpanzees, who sometimes break into maniacal laughter in the canopy if a troupe member is torn apart by a leopard on the jungle floor. I mean, what the fuck else are you going to do?”
This touches on the fact that horror and humor have a shared neural origin, as laughter often accompanies contact with odd or inexplainable phenomena.
Angus Fletcher’s book “Wonderworks” digs into this seemingly emotional contradiction. He writes, “One of laughter’s physiological functions is to reduce our cortisol level, so when our HPA axis mistakenly boosts our blood cortisol, a laugh can flush out the error.”
Oh, and I absolutely dropped what I was doing to check out some Ferriss fiction – fun read!
Dear Tim, Thank you for being the first. Thank you for wearing the scars. Thank you for putting it all on the line. I’m doing a challenge called Brave Thing with Iona Holloway (look her up, brillian), and we have to send a message to someone we think is brave and you were the first person to come to mind. You pushed me out of the nest in 2011 and into the wonderful, wacky world of entrepreneurship, and since then, I’ve earned my freedom, like you – brick by brick… and bird by bird. Sending love, Julie
Very solid. Ian Fleming would be proud. I’d enjoy reading more……maybe you should consider the format of a 6 part limited tv series script……you might find that easier to build out and there would be some interested buyers…..Jason Statham to play Tim
you buy a what now? is eBook or psychical book?
Wow, impressive, Tim! I was hooked and want to know what happens next! Loved getting to be in the mind of such a thoughtful, curious, and intellectual main character. Keep going! 🙂
That was a fun read, definitely hoped there was more, great teaser. Keep going!
My greatest takeaway from this story (great work, btw) is to ask the flight attendant for 2 double scotches next time.
Good one to start …
Waiting for more stories
Killer short story fiction, Tim. Keep at it!
What I find ironic about this, is that a lot of the current problems in Burma have been caused by international extremist groups, (OK, so the Radical Left Wing….Don’t say it out loud….) supported by the West, disarming the resistance fighters, when the “Democratic Government” took power.
The Shan State Army were the last to fall, the pressure on them to disarm was massive, they had been fighting the Myanmar army for decades.
Every man and his dog knew this was going to end in disaster, not a squeak was made about it, when it did.
If all those groups, there were a dozen or more, had been given arms and training, the Army would never have been able to do what it did…….
I like it! I especially like the detail about the “Christian” non-profit that is no longer ostensibly so—made me think of a few real ones I know.
If you’re accepting feedback—if Stan is an evangelical Christian (which is how he reads now), then he would not have Ecclesiastes in the Latin Vulgate on his card. Instead, it would be in the King James translation or even the original Hebrew (pro-Israel). If you want to keep the Latin, I would lean into characterizing him as a militant Catholic. I know that world less well, so I don’t know what small detail would read that way to others.
Glad I took the time to read it. It was worth it.
Thank you, Tim! Makes me want to keep reading!! “I have to imagine that we’ve all backed killers” – 100% spot on!
Pretty good, dude! I’m poised to read on