The story in my post of last September contains a large number of characters. Recently, the entire cast, with a few adjustments, reappeared in an expanded, more dramatic version that appears in my forthcoming collection, Brain Frieze. In September I also posted some notes concerning a “secretly non-sequitur” story like this one, and promised a cast list. Here’s that list.
Note how weirdly plausible these people all seem to be. Note also that the original story arc provides no real or logical connection between most of them. The apparent overall sequence of the narrative relies almost entirely on the tone of the writing and the tendency of readers (all of us) to accept inferred connections without minding how impossible or illogical they are. In fact, even the author as omniscient narrator can’t really justify the cavalier connections in this piece.
“Untold Backstory” — Cast of Characters
David Vivian
A good friend of mine; high-speed box fabrication machine installation engineer for Emmeci Corporation.
Joan Boyce
My sister in Eugene OR; daughter-in-law of Burke Boyce.
Burke Boyce
Historical novelist of the 1950’s; specialized in young George Washington. Author of Man from Mount Vernon.
George Washington
First president of the United States (1789-1797), commander of Continental Army (1775-1783). Subject of various historical novels by Burke Boyce.
Clive Etheridge
Book reviewer.
Frank Fellows
Curator of the George Washington estate at Mt. Vernon.
Delmar Weingarten
Historian and scholar.
Anthony Blaine
First groundskeeper at the Mt. Vernon estate. Son-in-law of Dr. Phillip Dannerston.
Anthony Wayne
Brigadier General in the Continental Army (1776-1783).
Phillip Dannerston
Physician; saved the K. P. Bellows family.
K. P. Bellows (family)
Saved by Dr. Dannerston; entertained T. S. Eliot at their estate.
T. S. Eliot
Poet, playwrite, critic; occasional visitor to K. P. Bellows estate.
Todd Bakersfield
Commentator on the work of T. S. Eliot; famous for quoting the essays of Morris Wellington.
Morris Wellington
Editor and editorial essayist of the New England Review of Literature.
Bill Bakersfield
Nephew of Todd Bakersfield; discovered putative ms. of Morris Wellington.
Boxer & Blaugh
Colonial Boston pre-surrealist painters.
Charles MacKenzie
Art critic; allegedly proved that Boxer & Blaugh were a fraud.
Paul M. Bowler
Art critic; allegedly reinstated legitimacy of Boxer & Blaugh.
Salvador Dali
Spanish surrealist painter (1904-1989).
Genevieve Delmonte
Secretary to Paul M. Bowler.
Prof. & Mrs. Frederik Yankzikov
Genevieve Delmonte’s fiancé’s immigrant parents from Belarus.
Dan Ringle
Publicist; erstwhile publisher; sneaker importer.
James Haughton Ringle
Editorial director, The Greenfield Press (University of Delaware).
Brandy Thurston
Paul M. Bowler’s agent at Alfred P. Knopf Company, New York.
Alfred P. Knopf
Founder of the eponymous NY publishing company (1915).
John J. Johnson
Director, Intellectual Property Rights, Alfred P. Knopf Company.
Kendall McGuire
Freelance literary scholar; brother of Jane Kelly.
Jane Kelly
Dancer at the Copacabana; sister of Kendall McGuire.
Ginji Jean Jackson
Costumer at the Copacabana with Jane Kelly.
Donny Moore
Gangland celebrity; occasional paramour of Ginji Jean Jackson.
Pignose Barucci
Lesser-known mafioso, heir to Zamboni fortune, etc.; cousin of Antonio Sinofoli.
Antonio Sinofoli
Bookie in Flatbush, Brooklyn; cousin of Pignose Barucci. No relation to Orange County gypsy-moth trapper of that name.
Bonitina (Santorini) Sinofoli
Third wife of Antonio Sinofoli.
Drusella Santorini
Petty thief & racketeer; sister of Bonitina Sinofoli.
Jeff Corsiglia
Son of NYC police officer; born in Lakewood, NJ.
(end)
“Untold Backstory” — Cast of Characters
The story in my post of last September contains a large number of characters. Recently, the entire cast, with a few adjustments, reappeared in an expanded, more dramatic version that appears in my forthcoming collection, Brain Frieze. In September I also posted some notes concerning a “secretly non-sequitur” story like this one, and promised a cast list. Here’s that list.
Note how weirdly plausible these people all seem to be. Note also that the original story arc provides no real or logical connection between most of them. The apparent overall sequence of the narrative relies almost entirely on the tone of the writing and the tendency of readers (all of us) to accept inferred connections without minding how impossible or illogical they are. In fact, even the author as omniscient narrator can’t really justify the cavalier connections in this piece.
“Untold Backstory” — Cast of Characters
David Vivian
A good friend of mine; high-speed box fabrication machine installation engineer for Emmeci Corporation.
Joan Boyce
My sister in Eugene OR; daughter-in-law of Burke Boyce.
Burke Boyce
Historical novelist of the 1950’s; specialized in young George Washington. Author of Man from Mount Vernon.
George Washington
First president of the United States (1789-1797), commander of Continental Army (1775-1783). Subject of various historical novels by Burke Boyce.
Clive Etheridge
Book reviewer.
Frank Fellows
Curator of the George Washington estate at Mt. Vernon.
Delmar Weingarten
Historian and scholar.
Anthony Blaine
First groundskeeper at the Mt. Vernon estate. Son-in-law of Dr. Phillip Dannerston.
Anthony Wayne
Brigadier General in the Continental Army (1776-1783).
Phillip Dannerston
Physician; saved the K. P. Bellows family.
K. P. Bellows (family)
Saved by Dr. Dannerston; entertained T. S. Eliot at their estate.
T. S. Eliot
Poet, playwrite, critic; occasional visitor to K. P. Bellows estate.
Todd Bakersfield
Commentator on the work of T. S. Eliot; famous for quoting the essays of Morris Wellington.
Morris Wellington
Editor and editorial essayist of the New England Review of Literature.
Bill Bakersfield
Nephew of Todd Bakersfield; discovered putative ms. of Morris Wellington.
Boxer & Blaugh
Colonial Boston pre-surrealist painters.
Charles MacKenzie
Art critic; allegedly proved that Boxer & Blaugh were a fraud.
Paul M. Bowler
Art critic; allegedly reinstated legitimacy of Boxer & Blaugh.
Salvador Dali
Spanish surrealist painter (1904-1989).
Genevieve Delmonte
Secretary to Paul M. Bowler.
Prof. & Mrs. Frederik Yankzikov
Genevieve Delmonte’s fiancé’s immigrant parents from Belarus.
Dan Ringle
Publicist; erstwhile publisher; sneaker importer.
James Haughton Ringle
Editorial director, The Greenfield Press (University of Delaware).
Brandy Thurston
Paul M. Bowler’s agent at Alfred P. Knopf Company, New York.
Alfred P. Knopf
Founder of the eponymous NY publishing company (1915).
John J. Johnson
Director, Intellectual Property Rights, Alfred P. Knopf Company.
Kendall McGuire
Freelance literary scholar; brother of Jane Kelly.
Jane Kelly
Dancer at the Copacabana; sister of Kendall McGuire.
Ginji Jean Jackson
Costumer at the Copacabana with Jane Kelly.
Donny Moore
Gangland celebrity; occasional paramour of Ginji Jean Jackson.
Pignose Barucci
Lesser-known mafioso, heir to Zamboni fortune, etc.; cousin of Antonio Sinofoli.
Antonio Sinofoli
Bookie in Flatbush, Brooklyn; cousin of Pignose Barucci. No relation to Orange County gypsy-moth trapper of that name.
Bonitina (Santorini) Sinofoli
Third wife of Antonio Sinofoli.
Drusella Santorini
Petty thief & racketeer; sister of Bonitina Sinofoli.
Jeff Corsiglia
Son of NYC police officer; born in Lakewood, NJ.
(end)