Challenge 514

Put That Pencil Down, Babe

1. In George S. Karagiannis’ “The Peacemaker Incident”:

   1. What is a “dummy”? What does “to dummy (someone)” mean?
   2. What — if anything — does Aidan Reed eventually decide to do?

2. In Martin Hill Ortiz’ “Dr. Asquith’s Intelligent Teeth,” the automatic teeth are eventually programmed to eat living flesh. Why would the wearers of the teeth not become cannibals, so to speak?

3. In LaVerne Zocco’s “All in Good Time”:

   1. Who writes the birthday cards with the threatening messages?
   2. Why might Zelda be apprehended before she can burn down a third apartment building?

4. In Arthur Pinte’s “Return Address”:

   1. Why might the parcel have a fake sender’s address?
   2. What might “Malthusian” have to do with Clive and Alison? Does Alison herself know?
   3. Do any events in the story indicate that Alison might be hallucinating?
   4. Does the story reach a conclusion or resolution, or does it simply stop?

5. In John Grey’s “Victim’s Reassurance”:

   1. For whom is the “reassurance” intended: the victim or the victimizer?
   2. Who or what is “he”?
   3. Who or what is the narrator?
   4. The poem evokes death and decay. Does it express any particular emotion about the process?

Responses welcome!

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