Buses

Symposium #20

Image courtesy of Ana’s 9 year old.

Letter From The Founder

The thing about writers is that many of them of treating a deadline as an exact target rather than a limit. So if the thing has to be due in by 23:59 on a Wednesday it will be sent at 23:59 on that Wednesday having been worked on until the very last moment. And I’m no different, I’m a prime example even.

In fact as a type this introduction out a few hours before I am due to hit send my own contribution to this collection still remains not quite finished. Our half a dozen storyteller (plus an essayist, a poet and a filmmaker) have all submitted in good time like pros and yet here I remain. And honestly I’m not sure how much reading their work to comment on it is helping my own efforts. The truth is that everyone who has participated here is really, really good at what they do. Which of course pleases my greatly as the founder of this thing but also might hurt my ego as a fellow writer and contributor here. Just a little bit. Not that you’ll ever hear me admit that of course.

So what we have here for you this month is a focused, thematically unified short story collection with an additional short film and (hopefully!) a supplementary collection of notes and observations from yours truly. I suspect it will make ideal fodder for your own commute if you are a bus-catcher or, like all of the best art, it will transport you on a journey from the comfort of your own reading chair at home. Because that, after all, is what these Symposiums are all about.

Enjoy.

~TJB

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Essays

Notes for an essay on buses by Thomas J Bevan

The real achievement with this piece was that I was able to hangout at a bus station, gawk at people, take notes in a spiral notepad and not be kicked out for being a weirdo. 25+ years later the skills I learned from The Usborne Official Spy’s Handbook have paid off.

Reimagining the Humble Bus by Michael K

The Roman Empire, tech overlords and refining what’s there rather than reinventing the wheel. Another clear-sighted and thought provoking essay from Michael K

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Fiction

A young woman's thoughts on bus travel by Ana

This I was in awe of; small talk being an elusive skill for me. I felt jealous of their mastery at meaninglessness, wishing I could fit in with them but feeling no curiosity whatsoever about what they talked about.

‘Mastery of meaninglessness’ is the perfect way to describe something that I have been trying to put my finger on for years now. Still can’t decide if this skill is a good thing or not. But what I do know is that Ana Bosch is great at capturing memories and small moments as this story shows. Impressive, especially for a debut Symposium appearance.

Waste Lock by D.B.

The man mumbled something. Then he continued, “They took her, you know. In that building. That’s where I’m going, I’m going to save her. I need your help though.”

DB simply has a way of drawing you in. I first pulled this piece up about a week ago with the intention of giving it the briefest of skims before reading it ‘properly’ as part of putting together this symposium. Well I ended up being enthralled and reading the whole thing. This might not sound like much but it’s high praise. Anything that can penetrate this world of screens and distractions and force you to stop and attend to it closely on its own terms is extremely valuable in my opinion.

Drivin' His Life Away by Clint

I like Clintavo ‘s style, I like the idea of putting a logline in the subtitle and front-loading the plot in this way so that the reader is either in or out from the jump. I like Clint’s way of using simple dialogue to do a lot of discreet heavy lifting and I like Clint’s whole attitude and approach to creating. In short, I like the whole thing a great deal.

Canadian Spy by Konstantin

First of all Konstantin Asimonov might have one of the best Substack names around. ‘Tap Water Sommelier’ is just 🤌.

But on to the story itself: This is a great short work which- to wheel out a cliche- is both timely and timeless all at once. This is deceptively simple and all the more compelling for it. Has that real feel of someone just sitting you down and telling you a tale, which I personally value highly.

Psychophysiological Responses to Bus Time Dilation Near Tooloobaika by Vanya

Obvious winner of the Best Title Award for this month. Also romps home with the Largest Word Count Prize and the Turning My Work Into a Bonus PDF Show Off Award. Which is to say nothing of the actual content of the story in question which is yet again exactly the kind of banger that Vánječka fans have come to expect by now.

Alfred Eats Walnuts by Greg

I can’t remember the last time I had a walnut. And now, wouldn’t you know it, I really fancy some. Might have to head out to the shop when I press publish on this. Which is a demonstration, I suppose, of the life-changing effect of good fiction. Or of Greg Lemon ‘s skill anyway. Fantastic prose here.

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Poetry

Buses by James Maynard

This post features two absolutely outstanding poems by James Maynard . I’m gonna post one below, but the other you will have to click the link to discover. Which I absolutely implore you to do. You’re mugging yourself if you don’t

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Film

The Heartbeat of the Bus by Trilety

I’ve never been to Omaha but now, in some small way, I kind of feel like I have. I’m also reminded of the meditative effect that film can have and how quickly it can transport you. As Trilety Wade herself says:

I think if you look and listen with an attentive eye and ear, you’ll be able to stitch together a moving narrative in the mere 2 minutes of footage.

And you know what, she’s absolutely right. And who can’t spare 2 minutes for that?

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So that was the STSC symposium on Buses. We hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Thank you for your support with these projects we share, thank you for reading them and thanks for all of your comments, feedback and notes. Thank you for taking the time to share them and pass on the word.

And of course above all thanks to all of the contributors and those who help keep the STSC going via their kind support, especially those who keep a low profile, I hope we will be able to coax more of you into taking the plunge and participating in future issues.

Cheers.