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The Other One
- University of Illinois Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
48 TheOtherOne BooksinPrintattestsI’mdoppelgangedbyanother KevinStein,whosequillpenstalesofdragons, magiccastles,andsorcererstappingwands bothgoodandevil.There’stheusualslew ofpotions,spells,andcursescuredbyakiss. Afewheavingbosomsandmenacemasquerading asanapple.Pleasedon’tsueme,Mr.Stein. ForreasonsIonlyimagine,hecallshimself “TheManinBlack.”WhenAmazon.comlists hisdamselanddragonsbesidemine,Icringe. Nodoubthe’screepedoutbymybuntings, raceriots,andthetoothindeafman withlopped-offhands.Egads. Peoplebuyhisbookonlinethinkingit’smine. Maybethey’rethefolkswhowrotetheJournalStar topledgemysoultohellandurgetheBishop quickexcommunicatethatheathen.Still, thinkoftheslothfulGothwhoglosses abook’sblurbsandgetsmineinsteadofhis. Whatcurses?Whatlaughteramongthecoven? Likemostwriters,we’reguiltyofsolipsism, wastinggallonsofcoffeetoprytheother’s daffytar-babyfromourseriouspinkpalms. “Oh,thework’smylife,”wesqueal.Wellyes, andno.Poetryexposesthesoul’sleitmotif, butlife’samessycauldronofblissandtraffictickets. Thetwoofusareboundasinmarriage.Ourname’s thevow,andneitherchurchnorstatewillsunder 49 whatourparentsjoinedbychance.Anyway, he’sprobablyaswellguy.Ifweweretomeet, we’dshake,“Hi,I’mKevinStein.”Thenwhat? Beck’sandaGuinness—he’sGerman-Irishtoo. Thenphotosofmykidsandhisblackcats, chitchatandweather,theunenlightenedpresses, andbytheway,howhisbookssellmorethanmine. ...