I'm trying to find a story about a high school guy with a slight mental handicap, but who knows how to make good pizza. Some girlfriends convince him to take business classes and later he opens a pizzeria.
I'm trying to find a story about a high school guy with a slight mental handicap, but who knows how to make good pizza. Some girlfriends convince him to take business classes and later he opens a pizzeria.
It's no wonder that answer was here in the blink of eye - it's high on Top 50 long stories.
And for anybody who still has not read it - What are you waiting for? :D
As much as I like Lazlo Zalesac's work, this one almost had me throwing something through the monitor. You see, I hate root beer. Absolutely, positively, 110% hate root beer. And he mentions it 58,702 {/sarc} times in the story. Drove me friggin' nuts. It is the only one of his stories that I haven't read more than once.
Nothing easier - download it to your comp - edit (replace) all root beer with what ever you like - and you are going to get best story for you :D
And lucky for me - I haven't ever before hear about root beer, so for me it is just another word :D
I'm reading this for the first time and I keep gnashing my teeth at the number of times the author gets the names of his own characters wrong. The story could really do with a decent editor/proofreader.
Having said that, it's far from being a total clunker. Scrolling past the preachy bits, there are some moments of pure genius.
AJ
The story could really do with a decent editor/proofreader.
It was written almost ten years ago when editors at SoL were a lot rarer than today. However, I do know Lazlo was having a good editor go over it for him, but don't know where it's at.
If the editor is reading this: as an example, when Dan is at Pat's grave providing her with an update, he gets Alison's name wrong, calling her Amanda.
AJ
If the editor is reading this: as an example, when Dan is at Pat's grave providing her with an update, he gets Alison's name wrong, calling her Amanda.
What chapter is that, and I'll have him check it.
Perhaps I should have made a note of more name errors. I remember that in the scene where Tom's girlfriends are being introduced, Dan supposedly says something even though he's not there - Tom should have been the speaker. And elsewhere a reference to Pat and Sally should have been to of Pat and Betty.
AJ
Jim had already fixed the other one you mentioned when he looked at it. I've sent him the link to this post so he can check it to. He's usually very good, so it's likely been fixed in the version he's working on.
While typing this I got a message from him he'd already spotted and fixed those. I'd suggest waiting until Lazlo posts the edited version then report any they missed.
While on the topic of Lazlo......
I'm extremely interested in seeing the final version of Thunderbolt and Lightening when it is edited for FS. I think the original is very good, but diluting it for FS may lose a lot of the strength of the story - which may be why it has been shown as incomplete for a few years. I am interested to see if he can avoid that possible side effect.
Regardless, I still feel that it would be an excellent story to have on that site to draw readers.
Agreed - I don't want to start an editorial pissing contest. Although I can't forego mentioning Granny Parker's apple-ation as Granny Smith :)
AJ
Having said that, it's far from being a total clunker. Scrolling past the preachy bits, there are some moments of pure genius.
and I appreciated the web site which went with it; a lot of basic common sense distilled
I didn't bother following that link because it was related to the preachy stuff and because so many of such links in stories turn out to be dead.
Having said that, you've piqued my curiosity - can you post the URL so I don't have to troll through the story looking for it. Cheers!
AJ
Having said that, you've piqued my curiosity - can you post the URL so I don't have to troll through the story looking for it. Cheers!
Lazlo told me that he was forced to take the site down due to unacceptable posts by some third parties. Hence only bits are available on the Wayback Machine
https://web.archive.org/web/20090523224423/http://wiki.zalezac.com/wiki/The_Facts_of_Life
(I hope he forgives me releasing this address)
Only the bits above Contributors' Versions are available but those are, IMHO the useful bits. Sysyphus did add some sensible suggestions to the basis. In the story the question is raised as to whether two of the Facts are in fact different expressions of the same thing - Lazlo disagreed but ISTR Sysyphus also saw a connection..
You may wish to try his replacement site:
http://drupal.zalezac.com
edit to add: a lot of information was lost when the old site was taken off-line.
If you don't like root beer, you'lll have to do a S & R on your copy. :)
A story I've read a couple of times.
It's at the very beginning of Chapter 60.
Thanks, I'll pass it on.
edit to add: I know the edited version will be fixed, how long before the author posts it is another matter. That I don't know.
Taking a left turn in the thread, a woman used by a gay man to disguise his sexuality is called a beard. What's the equivalent for a man used by a gay woman to disguise her sexuality, such as Sue and Dan in this story, or Hillary and Bill?
AJ
Interesting. I always understood a beard to be the male cover partner of a lesbian. You have it reversed from my understanding.
A quick trawl through the slang dictionaries show most define beard as applying to either sex, but a few restrict it to a woman fronting for a gay man.
So beard is actually a correct answer to my question. I couldn't find a slang term applying just to men fronting for gay women. In a way that's a shame, it would be quite amusing to say eg Bill Clinton is Hillary Clinton's tits :)
AJ
Another name error: there was a place when they referred to the black employee (trouble maker being reformed) by a different name. Maybe Leroy?
Just finished rereading the whole thing. Once again amazed.
As a person who had started a small business a few years ago (and continues to run it), I appreciate the story much more now than I did back when I read it the first time.
The millionaire Next Door
As a person who had started a small business a few years ago (and continues to run it), I appreciate the story much more now than I did back when I read it the first time.
Agreed, it would make a useful primer for any young person intending to set up their own business. The "Facts of Life" (see link above) should, IMHO,be required reading for kids in school
The "Facts of Life" (see link above) should, IMHO,be required reading for kids in school
I felt the same way, I ended up printing up a poster with them listed out and a few family thoughts to put on my son's wall. Been a few years since and we still refer to them when things come up.