Suki Takes It Off (Again)

A short story by R J Dent

Published in D.F.L. Lit

Here is the link to read Suki Takes It Off (Again): https://dfllit.com/043-2/

Suki Takes It Off (Again) is a short story written by R J Dent, about a professional ventriloquist who is called to the hospital bedside of her dying mother.

Here is the link to read Suki Takes It Off (Again): https://dfllit.com/043-2/

STORY NOTES:

R J Dent says:

‘My short story, Suki Takes It Off (Again) was inspired by an initial anecdote (told to me by my brother), which I then added further elements to before writing a first draft after several months of research into ventriloquism, particularly the work of the incredibly talented Nina Conti. I kept adding details and refining the story for over four months.

The name ‘Suki Glass’ came from two places – I wanted my protagonist to have an Oriental-sounding first name, as a tribute to the ventriloquist/comedy skills of Showko Showfukutei. And I wanted her second name to be Glass for two reasons: She was named after the Glass family created by J.D. Salinger, the implication being that she was a distant scion of that family; she was also named after Hugh Glass, the protagonist of Michel Punke’s novel of frontier revenge and retribution, The Revenant – and finally, Glass was an indication of her personality and her psychology – clear and transparent, but also fragile.

‘As with other stories I’ve written, in Suki Takes It Off (Again) I was trying to find a way to create a scenario in which someone was given the opportunity to ask questions that they had never asked and which they could never ask – due to it being too late, as the person being asked was no longer around. I wanted Suki to be able to speak to her mother in the way she wanted to – and to ask her mother the questions she needed to ask and for her questions to be answered.

‘It was quite difficult finding the right title for the story. I wrote the story before I had a title for it. The story’s working/place-holder title was Dummy, which was too harsh and didn’t work at all. I knew the story needed a title that implied a reversion to childhood, so I was looking for a nursery rhyme-ish title. I also wanted the title to have a person’s name in it, so that narrowed down the possibilities.

‘I also wanted the title to contain the idea of imitation, as that’s a key element of the story. I remembered that ‘to take him/her off” is an old-fashioned way of referring to doing an impression of someone. Finally, I wanted the title to indicate that a process of stripping away (in this case of identity) was taking place. Suki Takes It Off (Again) seems to be the correct title for this particular story. I’m pleased with the story and the title.’

The story was published in D.F.L. Lit in April 2023.

Praise for Suki Takes It Off (Again):

‘The inner dialog the main character has throughout the story is so well construed. I immediately knew those conversations and feelings. I have been in her place and in this situation I think it feels safer to reside in our minds. I enjoyed being reminded of the way I felt through another’s similar experience as it would’ve otherwise been something lost to being overwhelmed.

It is nice to be given back something you didn’t know was missing. That is what is amazing about art, it gives us a chance to recall and process things that often get lost in the shuffle of life.

Some of us live so much in our minds, talking for others. Hmm, I may need to get me an Apollonia.’

Jhane P (False Maria)

Los Angeles

R J Dent’s website: http://www.rjdent.com/