(Indiana Jones and the) Legend of the Lost Reading

In January of 2009 (two years ago, really?), Big and I got assigned to do a reading of a Science Fiction story for another podcast. The story was by a writer you've probably heard about (if not by Big, then on the big fiction podcasts), and we were really impressed by it. It was a good story, and we were happy for the chance to record it.

But . . . it was not to be, apparently. We got word that the story had (accidentally) also been given to another reader, and that our narration would not be necessary.

Both of us were upset by this. I used profanity, Big constructed a voodoo doll out of his son's Lego pieces, and I took refuge in a bottle of Absinthe while Big angrily erased our recording of the story, never to share it with a soul. We are not role models.

Well, in the intervening months (years, according to the calendar), Big and I invariably talk about this experience, and the lost story, both of us remarking that the Other reading never did show up on that (or any podcasts, that we know of). Misery loves company.

But this last week, while together, Big wondered if there was some kind of statute of limitations on audio fiction, and decided to send out a couple of emails. He asked the editor of that other show what became of the story, and he frankly had no memory of it (or us). He also didn't recognize his wife Eunice, even though she was standing right there.

Well, he said the story, the recording, and all records had been lost, so we could do what we liked. Big fired off an email to the author of the tale, who, being a big-shot writer with, you know, groupies and stuff, was not expected to get back to us.

Less than twenty minutes later, though, he had responded with a go ahead to re-record the show ourselves, along with a note that he most certainly DID recognize the editor's wife, if you know what I mean.

So, in this new year of 2011, it looks like we'll get to produce this long-lost story as one of our episodes, after which we'll probably tell this story again, only with more cursing. I hope we can do as well on the reading as we did in that bygone age of 2009. If so, a lot of fun will be had.

And oh, how you're gonna hate it.

Rish Tobias Outfield