All Comments on 'Escaping the Past'

I guess that infidelity was the one thing he couldn't escape.

Word count in 734, so doesn't count for this 'challenge'

That was great. You told the story with a little flair. Great job with the.period language too.

If you see Frieda Wiesz there , don't tell her Harry said hello... This story reminded me of one of my favorite Dylan songs. You " Blood on the Tracks " stalwarts know which one.

Ergo the obvious score

Full marks *****

Good one. Nice surprise at the end. 5*

I'm guessing you already know that Houdini died from a punch in the stomach? He had a thing where he invited people to punch him in the stomach to prove his ab muscles, when flexed, would prevent any pain or damage. Some big dude punched him unexpectedly and Houdini wasn't ready for it.

My release of MS Word says this story is 734 words long. Good story. I'm giving 5 stars for writing a good story with LESS that the Lit minimum - and getting it posted. Well done. Thanks for the effort.

That's why Houdini became an escape artist? Who knew? Great job!

My count was 734.

"Erik Weisz was dead" - I recognized the name right away. I was also familiar with the stomach punch.

And the only wife he had since they married when he was 20 and never divorced, she was his constant companion and stage aid.

Interesting mysterious introduction but a lot is left out so this is a weakness of 750 stuff. I'd like to read a little more elaborate idea.

I am really starting to dislike these 750 stories.

I'm a Houdini fan so of course I recognized the name immediately. It was fun reading fiction about such a well known character.

I had to give it a 5

Dorothy escaped as well.

Another nice little piece of whimsy.

Lue

revamping rewriting and putting the lit-spin. TK U MLJ LV NV

With a nice twist.

Very enjoyable. Nice job of thumbnail characterization and economy of language, with the normal PiperHamlin flair. I'm always glad to see new things from you. You have your own niche and style, and are an asset to the site.

GA

But somehow I wanted him to have his wife and her lover arrested and charged. Then you had a so-called "modern woman" listen to his tale and then just leave him. That seemed like an odd conclusion. Not much to this.

Plots stolen from GA? Hilarious! Thanks for the entertainment, Randi.

A bit delayed this time, but sometimes life happens. As always, addressed in the order posted.

"I guess that infidelity was the one thing he couldn't escape."

True dat. I had to research Houdini to find out that apparently he liked the ladies.

"Word count in 734, so doesn't count for this 'challenge'"

It seems I should get bonus points. I did it in less. I should also point out there is no cash prize.

"That was great. You told the story with a little flair. Great job with the.period language too."

I'm a sucker for old American slang. I couldn't possibly sustain a period piece, but this event let me indulge my language fetish.

"This story reminded me of one of my favorite Dylan songs."

"'The greatest escape I ever made was when I left Appleton, Wis.' - H.H."

It's nice when I research a story, then someone hits me with something I missed. Full marks on the comment.

"Good one. Nice surprise at the end. 5*"

The surprise only works if people didn't know his real name. I didn't before I did research. I'm glad it worked for you my German friend.

"Good story. I'm giving 5 stars for writing a good story with LESS that the Lit minimum - and getting it posted. Well done. Thanks for the effort."

You are wise.

"That's why Houdini became an escape artist? Who knew?"

It's a story that needed to be told.

"'Erik Weisz was dead' - I recognized the name right away. I was also familiar with the stomach punch."

You would recognize that name. I had to look it up.

"Interesting mysterious introduction but a lot is left out so this is a weakness of 750 stuff. I'd like to read a little more elaborate idea."

Ah, but I would not be the one to write it. I don't have the resources to drop everything and do a period piece for a site that pays... well, nothing.

"I'm a Houdini fan so of course I recognized the name immediately. It was fun reading fiction about such a well known character."

I'm glad it still worked for you even if you knew where it was going.

"Short of words or not, I had to give it a 5"

Please proselytize.

"Two escape artists in one story. Dorothy escaped as well."

Indeed.

"USING THE TONY CURTIS MOVIE"

I'll have to look that one up.

"nicely done story. With a nice twist."

I love it when someone calls me nice!

"I'm always glad to see new things from you."

Thanks for commenting. I was worried you only liked me for my relationship with Wobbles.

"But somehow I wanted him to have his wife and her lover arrested and charged"

A natural feeling. I had 750 words to work with and I invented both of those characters. If it helps, they both lived unhappily ever after.

"Plots stolen from GA? Hilarious!"

I live for the tags! This is a good opportunity for me to acknowledge the actual story I ripped a plot device from. The story is "Friday." It's in this category.

Good, creative story, but how many of your readers know how Houdini died?

Headlights, gams, daddy-o.

Where the heck did you drag this from, your 1960 collection. Laughed so much had to stop reading.

...the bees knees daddy-o... thanx!

Loklie

Dang Man, you started that off like a detective mystery from the 60s. Like Mickey Splaine. Yeah I know, the spelling is incorrect. It’s been a long time.

Straight out of a Spillane novel.

Some of us need your lightness and mirth. You are the only author in 2019 to nring joy into LW.

And well written, as usual. Bravo!

5-stars

The effort to use the imagined vernacular of long ago just made the story fade into the background. IMHO

But thanks for the effort.

Loved it - 5*

Great short using a historical figure getting shot down.

Neat story, neat twist and a time-travelling vocabulary (that's praise not criticism). Many thanks.