A Meta-Fictional Diptych Relating to the Stories "Appogiatura" and "Fixing Hanover"

Last month, Matt Cheney emailed me to let me know that he was putting together a celebration of Jeff VanderMeer's new collection, Third Bear. He asked a number of writers and critics if we would each write about two stories from Jeff's collection sometime in July.

"Sure," I said, "but my July is busy. It might be late in July." Matt assured me that was okay, and here I am, as promised, at the very last minute.

Matt told us we could write however we wished about Jeff's stories. In this case, I ...