Follow up to Long Song

Thanks for all the kind words (through comments and emails) on the Long Song, as one person called it.

Yes, it is based on things people told me while we were waiting. Something about my expression? Or the situation (sitting elbow to elbow in a little, warm car surrounded by the night)? Or maybe the town just needs a little therapy. I wouldn't have to say much beyond, "Well, it looks like we have about 10 minutes --" and their mouths would open and I'd hear so much, often so much more than I wanted to hear.

I don't think I can publish it, actually, without opening myself to a libel suit. It's a little too honest, don't you think? And too specific -- referring to people who everybody in town could figure out -- and some pretty horrible things they said or recounted doing to me. Some wonderful things, too, of course. I suppose I could change the "names", make up new names for the towns and try it. But I don't know how much would hang together out of context of what I was doing (sitting on an airport in my car doing research). And I don't know how well it would work with the names changed.

On the other hand, I've already revised it from what I posted last night -- I left out one rather crucial couple (some of the Others), and I think there are some who can be removed to make it shorter, without losing anything.

And I'm stuck on what body part would be the Others -- I have them as the sinews, because they are sort of forgotten in the body, yet critical, and most of those people in my story are "new" immigrants to the area, so not necessarily in the main part of the community, but they are the new blood and the future. But they aren't as critical as sinews. Blood doesn't seem right, either.

I also don't like the dead being memories -- because memories aren't a body part. The spleen? I had a couple definite spleens, but they got kneaded into other parts. I hate to lengthen it, but I can think of two spleens that aren't even mentioned. Maybe the mothers are the arms, and the dead are the heart. Hmmm, I might go with that. Any suggestions?