Friday, December 29, 2006

I was it. Now you're it.

I have been tagged with a ridiculous task - with continuing a kind of chain letter for the blog age.

It's Fred Wickham's fault over at The Bullseye Rooster blog.

Basically, the deal is I'm to:

Find the nearest book
Name the title and author
Turn to p. 123
Post sentences 6-8
Tag 3 more people

Normally, I'd ignore it, but Fred is not only a good friend, but he once did a performance art "chain letter" for me and not only was it hysterical, but bad luck did indeed follow me after I refused to perform it for anyone else.

I had to lay two people off at the office the next week - I kid you not.

I have to assume something worse will befall me if I don't do this. So here goes nothing.

The book nearest to me (at the top of the first book box I opened - we're still unpacking dammit!) happens to be Hemingway's A FAREWELL TO ARMS.

Here's sentences 6, 7 and 8 from page 123.

"You'd be a general, " said Simmons.
"No, I wouldn't know enough to be a general. A general's got to know a hell of a lot."

Lieutenant Henry has more to say, but it's beyond the quota.... so the end quote is mine.

I'm tagging someone I know well, someone I know only a little, and someone I know not at all.

Adam Szymokowicz
Isaac Butler
Jaime

Feel free to do what you like, kids. But if you play, thank you for playing.

And Fred: I'll never do anything like this again.

But hopefully I've avoided the fate of one man who broke the chain. Arnold Brady, 42, Susanville, CA, ignored these instructions and within a week was struck dead by lightening in broad day light while heading toward the Bi-Mart to purchase a Samsung Slimfit TV for his wife.

His wife was killed a week later in an unrelated threshing machine accident.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Malachy --

Thank you for playing along and the kind words about "Chain". The fact that I'd satirize this very thing, then become part of it, doesn't speak well for my resolve, but my very talented friend, Lee Ingalls, volunteered me -- as I did you.

This just in: Arnold Brady and his wife who, as you mentioned, died last week -- their daughter wished for them to be brought back to life, and they were, because she did not break the "Cute Lunchbox photos" chain.

Adam Szymkowicz said...

I'm tagged? You tagged me? um, I'll give it a go. but not right now.

Anonymous said...

Oh, yes. I see you did. Shame on me. I've been really out of it lately. I'm very confused.

Arthur said...

Very nice blog you have hhere