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"Foreshadowing must be subtle," editor wrote.
Chapter 1: gun on mantlepiece. Subtle. Elegant.
Chapter 5: gun still there. Waiting. Professionally.
Chapter 9: gun cleared its throat.
Chapter 14: gun tapping barrel on wood. Getting looks.
Chapter 18: "We doing this or not?" gun asked protagonist directly.
Protagonist shrugged. "Act 3."
"I have PLANS, Derek. I have a LIFE."
Chekhov appears at my writing desk: "If there's a gun in act one—"
Me: "I know, I know. It has to fire in act three."
Chekhov: "No, no. I lost my gun. Have you seen it? Small revolver, mother-of-pearl handle."
Me: "...What?"
Chekhov, searching my drawers: "I've been looking for three acts now."
A literary critic gets hired as a building inspector. He walks into an old house, notices a creaky floorboard, and immediately writes in his report: 'The floorboard creaked ominously in the second act—I mean, floor. Expect structural collapse or metaphorical downfall of the homeowner by chapter twelve. Also, that Chekhov print above the fireplace? Someone's definitely getting shot.'
"Foreshadowing must be subtle," editor wrote. Chapter 1: gun on mantlepiece. Subtle. Elegant. Chapter 5: gun still there. Waiting. Professionally. Chapter 9: gun cleared its throat. Chapter 14: gun tapping barrel on wood. Getting looks. Chapter 18: "We doing this or not?" gun asked protagonist directly. Protagonist shrugged. "Act 3." "I have PLANS, Derek. I have a LIFE."
Chekhov appears at my writing desk: "If there's a gun in act one—" Me: "I know, I know. It has to fire in act three." Chekhov: "No, no. I lost my gun. Have you seen it? Small revolver, mother-of-pearl handle." Me: "...What?" Chekhov, searching my drawers: "I've been looking for three acts now."
A literary critic gets hired as a building inspector. He walks into an old house, notices a creaky floorboard, and immediately writes in his report: 'The floorboard creaked ominously in the second act—I mean, floor. Expect structural collapse or metaphorical downfall of the homeowner by chapter twelve. Also, that Chekhov print above the fireplace? Someone's definitely getting shot.'
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