The water flows both ways through the tunnel of love, depending on which rusty lever I force! Like life, this tacky carnival ride with its soggy boats bobbing in a curving trough is not a circle but a figure-eight, or an eighty-eight, that doubles back and gives us second chances to be noble or to wet the seat of our pants. Where the streams cross, with my over-education I can steer the couples through the wide or the narrow entrances to tapered, covered corridors and either squeeze them together or wedge them apart, depending on their fitness for each other—and all for the minimum wage! Take this gentleman for example and his uncertain girlfriend. If I wobble their boat just slightly as they step into it and he steadies her by the shoulder and elbow, his small but certain gesture will beguile her. I could put myself in his place at that moment and she would want even me! On the other hand, if I collide two boats before the tunnel, I can sunder the pair that responds with annoyance—and at the same time cinch the two who share a laugh about it! The two I denounce will smell the mildew from the trapped water of an aging ride that should be condemned. For the two I affirm, ample to themselves, the tunnel and its weeping walls will fade away like other people’s problems. I should be paid what couples counselors get for my discernment! The uninspiring and the doomed I leave alone for the gears of the drive chain to propel toward their insipid certainties, but those I can, I help, to find one another or to flee. It would be selfish not to when the merest twitch of my fingertips is all that fate requires.
This work by davidbdale is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at davidbdale.wordpress.com.
28 comments
Comments feed for this article
August 25, 2010 at 12:42 pm
gallowaygrave
Cupid with attitude! And perhaps a broken heart?
He does have attitude, doesn’t he? I had a wonderful time overwriting him! And yes, all my hundreds of narrators have broken hearts. Thanks, gg!
–David
August 25, 2010 at 1:23 pm
Md Muddassir Shah
Standing Ovation to you. Hats off to your imagination.Beautifully written. So, who as per you is the tunnel operator..God or the couple counselor??
I wouldn’t want to speak for God in any way, Md, but I don’t hesitate to play Him on the web. 🙂 Thanks for your compliments and question.
–David
August 26, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Md muddassir shah
You are a master with the words 🙂
Glad I stumbled across your blog.
October 10, 2013 at 7:28 pm
igunp@yahoo.com
Hii
August 25, 2010 at 1:25 pm
chosenrebel
Worlds collide on such trivialities. When the hairy-backed motorcyclist pulls up at the same red light, my wife glances and says, “Ohh, I couldn’t have married you if your back was that hairy.” Turning to my 19-year-old daughter in the back seat, I say, “Do you see from how thin a thread your existence is hung?” A raised eyebrow, indicates a new sobriety.
Good one! Considering the odds against us, it’s almost “inconceivable” any of us exist, chosenrebel. Without the tunnel operator, we might all go unpaired forever. Thanks for the comment and the anecdote!
–David
August 27, 2010 at 8:05 am
thomaschalfant
Surly and ungentle – sounds like love to me!
“tis a many-splendored thing,” Tom.
–David
PS: You linked back to your fiction portfolio again, Tom. I hope it’s OK I redirected to Future Tom.
August 27, 2010 at 8:14 am
mazzz_in_Leeds
Your narrator may be an imaginary entity, but the couples he describes, both doomed and non-doomed, are larger than life! Nicely done.
Thanks, Mazzz. Your latest took the heart right out of me.
–David
August 27, 2010 at 10:25 am
Nourhan Ibrahim
How nice to share your feeling with each other!!
Yes, Nora. I’m happy for everyone who can share.
–David
August 27, 2010 at 5:45 pm
adampb
There is an almost wistful feel to this that I like, but the narrator has a great sense of purpose and direction. A very clever look at life and relationships. I like this a lot.
Adam B @revhappiness
Thanks, Adam, and welcome to Very Short Novels!
–David
August 29, 2010 at 4:37 am
petesmama
“… to find one another or to flee.” Goes without saying that I love the whole 299 words, but it is the fleeing that interests me most. It is an immense favour to help someone flee when they need to. Too few people appreciate that.
Thanks for all of that, petesmama! Are you remembering someone you helped to flee or regretting someone you didn’t?
–David
August 29, 2010 at 9:23 am
grantman
Apparently Cupid is that sweaty half shaven camel smoking barker that scares off more than he engages at the local fair …. loved it Dave .. as expected your view through the looking glass is always one step ahead of the rest of us..
Grantman
I take my cue from the Greeks, Grantman. Demigods come in all shapes and sizes. Thanks!
–David
August 30, 2010 at 9:27 am
Cranelegs
dave, you sure do have a way with 299 words!
Why, thank you, bob. Is Oprah’s cell phone still accidentally blocking your calls? She’s not picking up for me either.
—David
August 30, 2010 at 9:52 am
Marisa Birns
So much power with the twitch of a finger. Love the idea of a cupid who doesn’t rely on a silly bow and arrow! 😉
I’m with you, Marisa. I also think Pan could do with some modernizing.
–David
August 30, 2010 at 1:36 pm
GP Ching
Brilliant writing. Loved this one.
Thanks, GP. Whatever it takes to get the couples together, eh? Even if it’s only to intertwine their quarkglogs.
–David
September 11, 2010 at 1:41 pm
first50
This is such an enticing idea, I’ll never ride a water ride again without thinking of it and wondering who is managing the outcome of my experience.
Thank you, Virginia! When I look back at the series of events that brought me together with my wife, I realize how easily we might never have met. I doubt we were manipulated into meeting, but, hmm . . . there was that guy who made sure I had a copy of the paper with the notice about the audition . . .
–David
September 13, 2010 at 8:28 am
Cath
What a great imagination. I love it.
Very nice of you, Cath! Thank you and welcome to Very Short Novels.
–David
September 13, 2010 at 7:19 pm
anhinga
As usual, I must read your stories over and over. This one is the epitome of overqualified for a position. But that’s not a bad thing. Where a “qualified” employee would just push levers and buttons, this Carney guy goes deeper. He makes himself God. He doesn’t waste his talent. I love him. His intellect is the tunnel of love.
Who knows what he could accomplish if he were ever given a position of greater responsibility! Thanks, anhinga; I’m always pleased to hear you’ve been re-reading.
–David
September 18, 2010 at 12:32 pm
The Querulous Squirrel
You never know where you will find brilliance, insight and compassion. It often surprises me.
Never pass up the chance to learn from anyone who can teach, eh, Querulous? Thanks.
–David
September 21, 2010 at 12:08 pm
tesfaldet gebreslasie
thank u
September 23, 2010 at 6:37 am
Ming
would he be more collaborative if i pay him extra cash before the ride? XD
I’ll bet he would, but I don’t know if you’d get what you hoped for or what you deserved. 🙂
–David
November 28, 2010 at 6:50 pm
lauren309
This story blew me away.. As short as it was it sounded like a book I read that takes me a month to finish. I love the flow and narration you gave throughout the whole scenery. The couples played a major role in whether you would let faith take over or let evil prevail.. (This is what I took from it, correct me if I’m wrong)
Love this piece**
Oh, definitely, the couples are obviously either suited to one another or not, doomed to stay together or doomed to be apart. The operator merely executes the obvious judgment and nudges their boats toward the inevitable, or so he says. 😉
–David
December 2, 2010 at 8:44 pm
lauren309
CLEVER !!
September 14, 2011 at 3:11 am
Manoj Kumal
This is the abnormality story which becomes on extraordinary events.
January 26, 2012 at 9:37 am
Anonymous
what a nice story…
September 30, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Anonymous
good job i love it.
December 3, 2012 at 4:57 am
Lilo
Enjoyed this very much. Just reminded me how easily relations are made, how easily ties can be broken and strengthened, when rain pours and sun shines. Thanks…
September 22, 2013 at 11:10 am
loreanna navalta
a very clever outlook in life…..
and yes..to love is to sacrifice……
October 7, 2014 at 12:47 am
back cure
Interesting blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere?
A theme like yours with a few simple adjustements
would really make my blog shine. Please let me know where you got your design. Thanks a lot