Murder at the Park Slope Food Co-op (metaphorical)
How to wrap up your story. Also how is the cheese SO GOOD at the co-op?
My friends! It’s Wednesday, which means a new Story Letter Podcast episode is here.
Episode 8: Twenty-Five Years Later: The Art of Endings
What do you do when your story isn’t over yet? Or when the perfect ending shows up 25 years later? Today we’re tackling the art of endings. I’m sharing a story about a confrontation that gave me closure after decades—in the middle of the Park Slope Food Co-op, obviously.
I loved doing this episode because the only things I really miss about New York City, now that I live in Portland, ME, are my niece, my nephew and the Park Slope Food Co-op.
The Park Slope Food Co-op is a polarizing institution, or it was when I lived in NYC. They write New Yorker articles about this place.
If you don’t know, it’s a members-only grocery store and all the members have to work shifts. There is plenty that’s ridiculous about that place, the rules can be very intense and the personalities are something else, and I was almost NEVER all the way caught up on my work shifts.
But I really love when a bunch of people, who don’t necessarily know each other all that well, work together toward something that feels high stakes but isn’t.
It’s why I did theater in high school.
My favorite thing about the Park Slope Food Co-op is that anyone can pick up one of the intercom phones in the aisles and make an announcement, like if you’re looking for a particular cheese that’s not in stock or you find someone’s wallet.
I once made an announcement asking for suggestions for a vegetarian shank bone on my Seder Plate. I got in a WHOLE exchange, again all over the intercom, with several fellow members. Two of whom seemed to be former romantic partners, and it clearly hadn’t ended well.
Let’s do it!
This week’s prompt:
Try writing five different possible last lines for a story you’re working on. Read them out loud and notice which one feels right.
Resources & Links:
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XO,
Micaela
My online, 6-week storytelling course, Your Story Out Loud, starts March 17th. It’s a small group with personalized feedback, and we’ll work on shaping your stories for memoir, performance, or essays. Just a few spots left. Join us!
