Let's Say Published in Eunoia Review

Photo by Eric Nopanen on Unsplash

My story "Let's Say," like a few other recent stories, started from a prompt. The prompt was a simple one: to start the story with "Let's say...." It's not so different from a prompt I used to use with my students, to start with "I remember" when they were working on personal essays. 

I used a similar technique in my story "When," from a few years ago. I just started the first line with "When..." and kept going. 

Some people think of these kinds of stories as gimmicky, but I don't. I think of it more as an organizing principle.

And of course, a story that start's with "Let's say" can end up anywhere. In my case, for some reason I thought of my neighbors down the hill who have a very nice yard with a pool and firepits and enjoy entertaining. On hot nights when my windows are open, I can hear the parties. The idea of parties you can see or hear but can't attend interests me--probably dating back to my first reading of The Great Gatsby in high school. Other people's parties have an allure, because you can imagine all sorts of fun and drama going on at them. 

I did imagine some drama, and the result is "Let's Say."

Thanks for the Eunoia Review for publishing the story, and for writer Meg Pokrass for the prompt.