Dead Air Redux - A Word, and the Table of Contents

A WORD (from my forthcoming B-sides compilation Dead Air.)

The stories in this book were written between 2004 and 2009, approximately. Some of the poems were written as early as 1990, slightly modified in 2016. I started writing the stories on my Livejournal page in 2004. Some of them have since been modified or blown apart, and have appeared in similar or very different contexts in my books Gateways to Abomination and Creeping Waves. My vision for what Leeds is has changed since these early years, so some of what you see here is not really part of the whole Leeds/WXXT mythos (if you will), not anymore. I include it for the interest of those who might want to know how I fumbled around the ideas and concepts when I began. I hope you find it to be of some value. Thank you for reading. There is a lot more for me to tell. I hope you’ll stick with me on this bloody and disquieting journey.

There are many more broadcasts to come.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

“BLACK MAGIC,” HE TOLD ME: 13 WAYS TO BEGIN AN ESSAY ABOUT WXXT, THE LAST STATION ON EARTH

THE LAST OUTPOST

STEPHEN AND MARY PART 1

I WAS ACQUITTED OF KILLING MY FIRST WIFE IN 1936

MY MOTHER, LUCILLE AXTON

MORE ABOUT WXXT

I WAS A SCRAPPER

KNIVES

THE MANY STUDIOS, PART 6

(PHOTOGRAPH MISSING)

THE BROADCASTS. TRASMISSION 99.

INTOLERANCE, OR FCC COMMISSIONERS I HAVE KNOWN

EVIL IS UNSPECTACULAR AND ALWAYS HUMAN AND SHARES OUR BED AND EATS AT OUR TABLE

IN OUR EFFORT TO BECAOME A VIABLE PRESENCE IN THE PIONEER VALLEY

EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT HE WAS GOOD AT THE BEGINNING BUT HE JUST WENT TOO FAR

THE GAPS BETWEEN THE BARS ARE THE SUTURES OF ONE’S OWN SKULL

WXXT’S COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM

WHAT TOM BROUGHT TO SHOW AND TELL

INTERSTATES

AS TIME IS ENDLESSLY SHOVELED ON MY GRAVE FROM SOMEWHERE MILES ABOVE ME

WE DEARLY NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE

MY BROTHER EARL

APPLE PIE, PART 1

OUR NEW HOME

FCC CHAIRMAN MANGROVE O’HARE GOT OFF EASY

UNCLE ROTTFIELD’S BLACK GLOVES

something large and grey

SUCCUBUS, BY JAMES PEMHIGUS MORPHEW

THE BALLAD OF DONALD BELSON SKRATTE

THE DISQUIETING LEGEND OF JOHNNYPANTS WOLFGANG GORSTED

SOME NIGHTS IT’S BLOODLUST

please stand by

THESE ARE THE PEOPLE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

THE MIGHTY WALK ON FIELDS STAINED WITH DASHED BRAINS

SITHYL

UNCLE DIGGLE READS TO-DAY’S NEWS

DEAREST MICHELLE

ON A CRISP OCTOBER DAY

DEAD MAN IN MY BED: STEPHEN AND MARY PART 2

MY HALLOWEEN IN 2005

WXXT GOSSIP

SOUP IN WINTER

TUGGING ON YOUR SEAWEED SLEEVES

WXXT ARE ENVIRONMENTALISTS

GOODNIGHT, NURSE

POSTSCRIPT

A WORD