We folks in western civilization are addicted to the flash. Maybe it's hard wired in us--to be surprised or to be scared so we can say "Wow! I didn't see that coming~!" Or "That scared the **** out of me!" And we will replay these things in our head so we don't have to think about the thing that surprises or scares us the most: that we don't know whats going on in this life. We don't know what it's for or if we are doing it right.
And when **** happens as it often does --wife leaves, baby dies, the dickhead gets the promotion or mother doesn't remember her name any more--that's what scares us--our inability to make rhyme or reason of it. So we don't even try to make sense out of it. rather, we gravitate toward the nearest alien Buick with flashing lights that sucks stuff up and spits weird **** out.
Because it's easier to focus on that than our fragile, confusing humanity with no easy answers.
This is From A Buick 8 in a nutshell and if you examine Mr. Kings stories very closely you will find that is the reason for all of them. The scary thing is the hook, but if you take your eyes off the scary thing and not be lulled by it's dreadful hum, you will hear more, you will see the real story that Mr. King is trying to tell. The real story is not about the scary prop that he has put out to get a crowd to gather but the human story.
To tell the human story is what is he is really doing and the scary props he lays out, be they psycho clowns, steam sucking vampires or time traveling school teachers are just to ensure the biggest crowd gathers around the campfire. "Yes let me tell you about an Alien Buick but listen carefully because I'm really telling you about yourselves."
Am I being too romantic? I don't know. I do know that the human story of From A Buick 8 moved me very deeply. And then I realized what Mr. King is doing. He's creating this frightful picture that grabs you and you are mesmerized with fear but if you stop focusing on the scary flashy thing you see a mirror.
And when **** happens as it often does --wife leaves, baby dies, the dickhead gets the promotion or mother doesn't remember her name any more--that's what scares us--our inability to make rhyme or reason of it. So we don't even try to make sense out of it. rather, we gravitate toward the nearest alien Buick with flashing lights that sucks stuff up and spits weird **** out.
Because it's easier to focus on that than our fragile, confusing humanity with no easy answers.
This is From A Buick 8 in a nutshell and if you examine Mr. Kings stories very closely you will find that is the reason for all of them. The scary thing is the hook, but if you take your eyes off the scary thing and not be lulled by it's dreadful hum, you will hear more, you will see the real story that Mr. King is trying to tell. The real story is not about the scary prop that he has put out to get a crowd to gather but the human story.
To tell the human story is what is he is really doing and the scary props he lays out, be they psycho clowns, steam sucking vampires or time traveling school teachers are just to ensure the biggest crowd gathers around the campfire. "Yes let me tell you about an Alien Buick but listen carefully because I'm really telling you about yourselves."
Am I being too romantic? I don't know. I do know that the human story of From A Buick 8 moved me very deeply. And then I realized what Mr. King is doing. He's creating this frightful picture that grabs you and you are mesmerized with fear but if you stop focusing on the scary flashy thing you see a mirror.
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