Bud Grossmann’s Words of the Week for the Week of October 14, 2012 Previously unpublished fiction. © 2012 by Bud Grossmann. All Rights Reserved.   The Mileses’ Maple, 2012 © 2012 by Bud Grossmann MAPLE LEAVES, WHY CAN’T YOU BE TRUE?        One October afternoon, past the peak of autumn, a New York journalist named Judy Winston wrote to Wisconsin writer David Fischer to report that she had Googled “Leave Us Grass” as Dave had asked. She told him the search “did indeed turn up your book right away. Gotta confess that I can’t abide puns, or any other so-called wordplay, so the cartoons make me wince.”       Cartoonist Fischer wished her well. He drew no conclusions but wondered whether this wincing Winston woman would punish him for punning. Fischer wanted to warn her that wordplay was what worked well for him, and while he was willing to rewrite what he had wrought, it would take time. He phoned her to inquire, “From whence cometh thy winces, princess?”       Ms. Winston whispered, “Please!” Clearly she was pained. Pointedly but politely she said goodbye.       Only then did Fischer perceive that the wincing woman would leave without falling for his treacly attempts at charm. He set the phone down on his desk. And, glumly glaring out his office window, at the nearly naked trees outside, the persistent purveyor of purple prose pronounced a vow slender as a twig: “Maple I’ll take this woman’s advice, to be less clever and more concise.” ♦ View From the South, 2012 © 2012 by Bud Grossmann         ARCHIVES         Click for a list of other Words of the Week I would welcome your thoughts on this page (or any of my others).  Write to me at the following address.  Please be sure to spell Grossmann with two n’s and mention what page you are writing about. Thanks!  BUD GROSSMANN Top of this page | HOME | Fine Photography | Picture of the Day | Writings | | Words of the Week | Mom & Pop Prop. Mgt. | FAQ |

This page was updated Sat, Oct 13, 2012, 10:49PM CDT.