Wastebasket Angel by highwayman

'fullscap smiles
echo with a mocking paralysis of thought'

The author of Wastebasket Angel has just told me the meaning of the word 'fullscap', which I did not know. It's a slang word for legal sized lined paper. Interesting.

Nice poem.....but shouldn't it be 'foolscap'?

Wondered that myself, Philip. I e-mailed a query to him without mentioning what I thought it should be. Not sure where he's from; perhaps a different spelling from his location? Maybe he is just misspelling tho'. in which case, he did it twice: in poem and e-mail to me!

In any case, he is a writer who clearly experiments a great deal with form, ignoring most of what we 'expect' to see in line breaks or grammatical structure - I actually thought he might have invented a word there!

Find it very interesting to follow what he gets up to, cos he has a novel approach in use of language and imagery. He's also very new to ABC I think.

Little mystery there eh? Fullscap is a nice word anyway.

New to ABC. I have enjoyed the experience so far. I will be posting more work as well as reading work by others. Thanks for your comments.

A few thoughts on the escalier regarding fullscap while I empty this bottle of Absolut on a hot damp tropical evening. It has a suggestion of landscape about it...scope...distance...something remote...like the fool in the corner with the cone on his head...and the upper case D!...thank God we don't humiliate children like that anymore...but there's more...fools top...fullstop...period...a basket full of crumpuled (sic) cripplied (sic again) paper balls flowing out and across the floor back in the days before Word Perfect when a minor revision was a major event...and now it's time to stop before I say something silly...apologize to highwayman...assure him of my good intentions and click on post

Like the way your mind works, Philip. Without fail, I too get into all this convoluted interpretation when I read something!

*decides to do battle with ABC system in attempt to find work of Philip Whiley*

No luck. Who oo is philip, where is he ee????

Hmmmm...looks like my alter ego got hold of my password again. Hot damp tropical evening indeed...I'm in BC, Coupland country...and I use MSWord...

Dash it all my dear Philip, I didn't mean where are you LITERALLY! Ha Ha Ha

Where can I find your work on ABC??

Oh...my mistake...try username 'chuck'......

Found! Will have to get to your work later since these are stories, not quickly read, and there is a life beyond this computer to which I must return!

May I humbly suggest you reorganize your life in order to give priority to reading my stories. Just kidding of course.

Well aren't you lucky. The self appointed literary critic (moi) has returned lo many hours before she expected to be released from 'duty' on this hot damp tropical evening in New Jersey. (BC's weather is certainly different than I was led to believe; are you living in some kind of vacuum?).

There is more on the word foolscap, but we must await a personal appearance of the highwayman for further explanation.

*peers into the far distant lanes of the parkway*

It's hot here in BC....but dry....forest fire season....it is like living in a vacuum in some ways but we have homegrown amusements....my alter ego will be hitting the beer soon but I'll try to keep him away from the keyboard....please keep me posted on any foolscap developments....

Alberta is much the same...very hot, very dry.

I think what my critic is speaking of, is my confession on the true origins of fullscap smiles. I did indeed invent it to fit the line. Foolscap smiles did not seem appropriate but fullscap smile fit what I was trying to convey. And thus the secret is out, I did invent the word fullscap but only slightly. I confess!!!!

Your critic!! Dost thou imply I nag, highwayman? Nay, nay. Tis loving advice I dispense. No more.

Btw, I've been reading on, as promised, and do you write some very sensual poetry. Whew! I'm warm. Must be the weather here on this hot damp tropical morning!

Will you comment if I send you a poem with a revised ending? It needs something.

Well, Philip I've read your stories - since I've been up since 4:00am. I couldn't sleep for thinking about having to do this!

I love your Narm character. She's immensely interesting and delightful, as are her friends with their hysterically funny (coming from them) American expressions like 'kick ass car' and 'Don't worry, be happy. Is America.' And Lou Costello for the detective Sergeant, as well as 'the leading member of the trio'? LOL

Is this partly autobiographical? I'd be glad to further comment, but think I know who'd like the Narm stories if they haven't been published elsewhere.

Thanks highwayman for the fullscap explanation and for coming up with vibrant new additions to the language...nice to know that we are neighbours and apologies if the smoke gets blown in your direction.

Brit...thanks for reading my stories and for your kind response. It’s been a long time since I affected anybody’s sleep with my writing and I sense a little good-natured leg pulling there. Autobiographical? I suppose all fiction is that to some extent. I lived in Thailand for a few years. Met a lot of people and heard a lot of stories. There are many Narms, Berts, Dannys and Arthurs over there. I’m trying to write a novel but still waiting for a strong enough framework to arrive from wherever strong enough frameworks arrive from which kind of leaves me sifting through a lot of fragments. Honing and polishing you could say. I have the characters and the locations, Bangkok and Los Angeles mainly, and the basic idea is for a kind of exotic thriller…but avoiding the usual clichés I hope. It’s like a big jigsaw puzzle that I turn to when I’m in the mood. Lately I’ve been trying to make some of the pieces into short stories that can stand alone. So now you know. Cheers.....Philip

Nay Nay, would naught dream to harness thou presence to such a term as nag. I compare thee to sunshine, warming the truth from these words.

Send your poem brit_grrl would like to read it.

What a small world!!! Those are some fires BC has the misfortune of having to put out. We're tough Albertans we can handle a little smoke and a fire or two, just look at our mad cow crisis. Burger anyone?

Philip I would also like to read what you have written and return the interest you have shown in my work.

Here's a link, to Philip's Dairy Queens:

I've been thinking about this, Philip - or his alter ego - whoever comes online first after messing with the climate, finishing off the vodka and tinkering with words via MSWord!

I have your plot worked out. Sending via e-mail!

Don't ever mention murder/mystery/intrigue and puzzles in the same breath when I'm around. I love both as things to do/read for relaxation. And I will take over either, given the chance. You haven't a prayer.

Hey, I'm good. I'm launching a new career as an agent!

Good Morning,

I received your email late last night. It was too hot to stick (literally) around the house. Today is much of the same, the long weekend is here....heading out to a lake. I really enjoyed reading Cat and will comment soon, I think I may have something for you.

Brit....the alter ego is off fighting forest fires....dangerous work so may be gone for good.....I am currently meditating on a piece of Messershmit and trying to recall details from the first Aldermaston March (true)......thanks for the interest in my humble scribblings....I look forward to a long and productive e-relationship......Philip

Well look at that; my highwayman has gone galloping off and Philip's other half is busy fighting forest fires. Such a boring weekend I'm going to have!

Plot is flying through cyber space, Philip. I expect a treat from Dairy Queen!

This is all a bit scary.....exciting though.......perhaps you should wait for the synopsis to find out how all over the place I really am....did I mention the alien abduction?

You weren't kidding were you Philip? There really IS an alien abduction....

By the way, I have a headache from googling stuff. Between you and prism I've practically earned a Ph.D in Google. But you speak of Messershmit, above, as if it's a piece of cheese, or something - perhaps in BC it is! But isn't it German weaponry of some kind?

Well...I guess certain cheeses could be used as weapons.
I got the other reference; wasn't that a piece of luck!

Hehehe I'm not really in the bushes! That was me going after my Jonny Depp rivals, especially one who professed to have intimate knowledge of his kind legs.

Funny you should mention googling....I just posted a short story on that very subject.... entitled "One Of The Guys"....hope it clears the censors. Messershmitts were German warplanes...before TV came along kids in England used to collect the pieces rather like trading cards...see also Heinkels and Dorniers...

No. I won't see Heinkels and Dorniers, so there! I am, instead, eating luscious strawberries and drinking iced coffee.

However, I will read your story. Do I star in it?

*trots off to have a look*

Deep. Deep. Have to get that straight. For a minute there I thought you'd added J. Depp to the mix!

And, no, he didn't provide the strawberries, you saucy man you. They came from Santori's, which is a new produce market a couple of miles from my home. I was there this morning buying all sorts of fresh vegetables and fruit.

I liked this Philip. A woman's perspective. And you manage to get into our heads so well!

Did you mean 'fusing options', though?

Fusing options is correct....but I'll check it when I get a chance.....you think I make this stuff up?

OK....I did a little research.....seems fuse can also be fuze.....one of those little Anglo/American spelling quirks....

Also fusus or ghund..that should conFUSE everyone sufficiently for one Saturday, don't you think? *grin*

Hey Philip, a cherry! Well done!

Wow ....you're right! I was expecting more of a raspberry for that one.

Philip the cherry machine has gone mad. All the latest postings in the 'published list' have received cherries whilst yours, the only last legitimate one I do believe, was pinched!

The system's rigged. Life's not fair. I quit.

Non, mon ami! It'll get straightened. Or else! We'll have to have a contingency plan, though. A Dairy Queen intrigue?

Well OK then....I'll keep writing. But when my cherry comes back I want hot fudge topping on it.

Philip, did you get a letter notifying you of the cherry award? (I didn't the last time around) If you did, hit reply and tell 'whoever' that it has vanished. They'll get back to you.

I hope.

Yes I was notified and I still have it....it's not a big deal....probably just a glitch in the system.....I'll wait a few days then scream blue murder how's that? Stir things up a bit. Actually it raises a very interesting philosophical question.....do we ever really get our cherries back?

Hmmm. This is Philip's alter ego speaking isn't it? Have you been into the vodka again, chuck?

Correct. I see you are getting to know us quite well. One of these days I'm going to get him operated on.