Robert L. Slater's Blog, page 3

Voyage of the Decameron: Prelude

An Introduction from the Author: Robert L. Slater

Inspired by the introduction to The Decameron also known as Prince Galeotto by literal and literary Renaissance Man, Giovanni Boccaccio. The Decameron is at time referred to as lUmana commedia, The Human Comedy. The word decameron means ten days. During the Bubonic Plague, Boccaccio began writing vignettes told by ten young folks, ten stories a night for ten nights to help them deal with their social separation from other humans. This one goes...

Voyage of the Decameron: The First Evening VI

Raymond: The Truth and a Lie

Giannis First Tale: Till I Am Myself Again

When I was about 12, I think, Danny and I got sent to a boarding school for a while. Maybe well tell you the why at some point. I didnt mind it. Danny hated it. So when vacation came and wed been well behaved for long enough, Danny decided to go home. 

I was still pissed off that my parents hadnt done a better job defending our behaviors from getting kicked out of our old school. It wasnt really fair, but that was how I...

Voyage of the Decameron: The First Evening V

Raymond: The Truth and a Lie

Gianni’s First Tale: Till I Am Myself Again

Gianni pulled a tiny bottle of Grappa out of her jacket. “I get the first shot of the Grappa and then you all can sample. It’s Italian. I’m not Italian. And if I was, my parents should have named me Gianna, the feminine. Other than my parents being kinda mildly odd, I’ve been blessed with an easy life. Lady Luck spun the wheel of fortune and I get three sevens.

I’m Canadian, No, I don’t speak French, either. Well,...

Voyage of the Decameron: The First Evening IV

Raymond: The Truth and a Lie

Rowan’s First Tale:

When I was a kid, they called me Little Flame. So it wasn’t all that surprising as a teenager that I was a little bit of a flamer. And certainly no surprise at all to my parents when I finally did come out. They knew it. Had known it. And were just waiting for me to realize it.

That’s not really what the story is about. But, I guess all my stories are partly about that. So, like Superman in the old movies, changing in a phone booth, I...

Voyage of the Decameron: The First Evening III

The Truth and a Lie Raymond: Danny’s First Tale

Danny picked up the acoustic guitar he’d brought and strummed through a chord, tuning as he went. “Do you mind if I play a little while I’m talking? Helps with the nerves.”

“Danny,” Angelisa smiled at him. “Play. Then play a song at the end if you want.”

He fretted a chord and let it ring free. “I’d been a Springsteen fan probably since I was born. My mum stuck headphones on her belly and played the live collection over and over. Maybe that...

Voyage of the Decameron: The First Evening II

The Truth and a Lie Raymond: Lia’s First Tale

Lia scribbled some notes as the rest of us topped off our glasses and filled out tiny plates.

When everyone settled in, she began. “Like I said last night, in this story I am still Emilia. I’m going to tell about a sale of two kitties, the first animals I ever got to love, Dino and Rino. I only remember the touch, sights, sounds, and scents, but I know the rest of story because my family retold it so many times.

“My father was a working...

Voyage of the Decameron: The First Evening II

“Kittens” by Caro’s Lines is licensed under CC.

The Truth and a Lie Raymond: Emilia’s First Tale

Emilia scribbled some notes as the rest of us topped off our glasses and filled our tiny plates.

When everyone settled in, she began. “Like I said last night, in this story I am still Emilia. I’m going to tell about a sale of two kitties, the first animals I ever got to love, Dino and Rino. I only remember the touch, sights, sounds, and scents, but I know the rest of story because my family...

Voyage of the Decameron: The First Evening I

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The Truth and a Lie Raymond: Introduction and Angelisa’s First Tale

We stayed in the Port of Madeira today. Rumor had it the Captain was trying to pull strings to get someone on shore who owed him to override the quarantine. If he doesn’t, will we go forward to the Mediterranean or head back to the United States? We’re closer to Rome. And who gets to decide? The captain, of course. And he’s from Bari. We’ll go to Italy. The debate has been happening all day, but I...

Voyage of the Decameron: The First Evening

Creative Commons License

The Truth and a Lie Raymond: Introduction and Angelisa’s First Tale

We stayed in the Port of Madeira today. Rumor had it the Captain was trying to pull strings to get someone on shore who owed him to override the quarantine. If he doesn’t, will we go forward to the Mediterranean or head back to the United States? We’re closer to Rome. And who gets to decide? The captain, of course. And he’s from Bari. We’ll go to Italy. The debate has been happening all day, but I...

Voyage of the Decameron: Prologue

We’d been cruising slowly out of the Caribbean since news of the virus broke.

And the ship had slowed still further once it became clear that the virus was on the ship. The staff and crew, which were most of the healthy people left, knew we weren’t making the normal speed. Keep the clients distracted, that was the advice. That got old quick. We weren’t going near them without masks and even then, we’d keep our distance and wear gloves.

It was important to keep the crew healthy, but the...