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Bluma

@bluma.bsky.social

150 followers 76 following 2.5K posts

Werewolf advocate, Golem appreciator. Writes a little about H. Leivick on https://blumalangerobertson.substack.com/

blumalangerobertson.substack.com

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Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 10h

It’s also the start of a three-story arc about ‘Mack’. Which I really like. I’m a sucker for interconnected short stories.

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 10h

Next up, ‘Bloodbath Hill’

(These are all about the invasion in the Philippines)

— We’re going into hell.

The harmonica wheezed:

I’ll be seein’ you
———————

— Brooklyn! — your girl, the one who’s down for half your insurance, she’ll be having a ball right now. She’ll be splashing out with five thousand of your smackers.

— Her? — Brooklyn laughs — She won’t get a dime. The broad’s joined the WAVES and didn’t even ask me. Me, a soldier. The least she could have done was enlisted in the WACS in my honour. But no. Only the sailors with their light feet that attract them. To hell with her. I changed my insurance right away. Let her make some sea-bird happy.

— That’s wifely gratitude.

— And how, and how — Brooklyn sighs — she was great in bed. A demon, a she-devil…

The harmonica sang again:

I’ll be seein’ you
———————

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 1d

Serious, it‘s like going from ‘Martin’ to ‘Martin’s’ — why?

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 1d

Am enjoying all the immigrant name-change chat today.

Definitely got told the story as a kid, but the change? A single S.

That’s…like…why even bother?

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Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 1d

A small boat floated amongst the ship. A boat called an LST, built to sail right up to the shore, open its wide mouth, and spew trucks, jeeps and soldiers from its innards. Supply trucks, guns, rifles, ammunition rest in the belly of the LST, and the deck is loaded with war materials. And amongst the vehicles, crates of rifles, young men lie staring in the dark.

Eight days they had been cutting through the sea, and tomorrow, on the ninth, the bloody shore must appear from the blue of the ocean.

The youths lie in the LST, packs under their heads like pillows at night. Rifles resting close by their sides. Young men lie, thinking thoughts, rocked on the waves.

In the darkness, a harmonica plays. The thin, yearning notes draw out across the length of the boat. The tune — a story of a girl and her soldier-boy:

I’ll be seein’ you
In all the old familiar places…

The harmonica weeps, creeping into the eyes, into the throat — until ——————

— Give it a rest, Okie — a hoarse voice shouts from somewhere in the darkness.

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 1d

Scots have no problem with that ‘ch’ so I don’t even know what’s happening there.

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 1d

I thought things might get better in high school after ‘Striped Pyjamas’ in primary, but no.

The social studies teacher is teaching WWII/the Holocaust right now and can’t pronounce Kristallnacht and doesn’t know ‘Die’ means ‘the’ and I just want to go into a corner and scream

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Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 2d

Mmmmm not anymore.

I’d like to say I’ve moved up in the world, but it feels more lateral than anything.

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 2d

Time in Dundee hastens the coming of the Moshiach and takes time off your punishment after death.

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 3d

You clearly never lived in Dundee.

There are statues.

(There’s also one for Lemmings, so, you win some, you lose some?)

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 3d

I’d like to think I’m past all of the squishier bits, but I know I’m not — the story about a farm boy being deflowered by a middle-aged housewife on holiday in the Catskills is still to come!

Save me

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 3d

Thanks for the reply. I’m not super formal myself (and slightly shy) and I’m a little anxious about approaching ‘civilians’.

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Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 3d

May I ask how you decide whether or not to contact someone? Do you always have a firm project in mind before reaching out?

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 3d

If someone told me that I could be taken serious in life and not have to be graceful and generous, but I’d have to give up having children….

I don’t know what I’d say other than I don’t think a lot of men are presented with that theoretical choice while casually reading the paper.

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 3d

The little voice in me that goes ‘the forties were a different world’ keeps shouting to be heard. But it’s going hoarse.

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 3d

This story is far, far…well, it’s something.

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 4d

Nimona was so fucking cute, I’m glad I nudged the kids to watch that.

I followed the webcomic way back when and did vaguely know there’d been a movie.…it is great.

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 4d

“— Do you want me Ralph? — she whispered.”

Good lord.

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 4d

Ah, there is far too much hugging and kissing and touching in this book.

I feel like I have to switch back to keep my sanity.

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 5d

I wait for the weird. I’m disappointed if it doesn’t get really, really weird at some point.

There’s not really a case of ‘too odd’ as far as I’m concerned.

I love strange.

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 5d

You know what, fuck everything.

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 5d

There are people out there spelling סכך like psychopaths.

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 5d

NB: I am not saying Machado is not deserving. She is. It takes more nerve and courage to be in her position than I will ever know.

This is more my read of the angling and volatility of the fragile shell of ego and hubris which is somehow running America at the moment.

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 5d

That, however, was plausibly a joke.

Bluma @bluma.bsky.social · 5d

I am slightly reminded of the time Paul Muldoon had a poem rejected by the New Yorker in which ’Is this a New Yorker poem or what’ was spelled out acrostically.