{"id":16036,"date":"2024-03-09T16:11:36","date_gmt":"2024-03-09T22:11:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/?p=16036"},"modified":"2024-03-20T11:32:32","modified_gmt":"2024-03-20T16:32:32","slug":"little-by-little","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2024\/03\/09\/little-by-little\/","title":{"rendered":"Little by Little"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-social-links-is-layout-765c4724 wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61556140010887\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/boudin_mcneese\/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12,4.622c2.403,0,2.688,0.009,3.637,0.052c0.877,0.04,1.354,0.187,1.671,0.31c0.42,0.163,0.72,0.358,1.035,0.673 c0.315,0.315,0.51,0.615,0.673,1.035c0.123,0.317,0.27,0.794,0.31,1.671c0.043,0.949,0.052,1.234,0.052,3.637 s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 c-0.315,0.315-0.615,0.51-1.035,0.673c-0.317,0.123-0.794,0.27-1.671,0.31c-0.949,0.043-1.233,0.052-3.637,0.052 s-2.688-0.009-3.637-0.052c-0.877-0.04-1.354-0.187-1.671-0.31c-0.42-0.163-0.72-0.358-1.035-0.673 c-0.315-0.315-0.51-0.615-0.673-1.035c-0.123-0.317-0.27-0.794-0.31-1.671C4.631,14.688,4.622,14.403,4.622,12 s0.009-2.688,0.052-3.637c0.04-0.877,0.187-1.354,0.31-1.671c0.163-0.42,0.358-0.72,0.673-1.035 c0.315-0.315,0.615-0.51,1.035-0.673c0.317-0.123,0.794-0.27,1.671-0.31C9.312,4.631,9.597,4.622,12,4.622 M12,3 C9.556,3,9.249,3.01,8.289,3.054C7.331,3.098,6.677,3.25,6.105,3.472C5.513,3.702,5.011,4.01,4.511,4.511 c-0.5,0.5-0.808,1.002-1.038,1.594C3.25,6.677,3.098,7.331,3.054,8.289C3.01,9.249,3,9.556,3,12c0,2.444,0.01,2.751,0.054,3.711 c0.044,0.958,0.196,1.612,0.418,2.185c0.23,0.592,0.538,1.094,1.038,1.594c0.5,0.5,1.002,0.808,1.594,1.038 c0.572,0.222,1.227,0.375,2.185,0.418C9.249,20.99,9.556,21,12,21s2.751-0.01,3.711-0.054c0.958-0.044,1.612-0.196,2.185-0.418 c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><strong>Little by Little<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Susan Tepper<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A drum roll woke me at 3am.&nbsp; When I saw that time lit in red on my alarm clock I almost had a hemorrhage. The racket was coming from the downstairs apartment.&nbsp; I got up and kicked the floor a few times.&nbsp; No change.&nbsp; Then, in full force with the cymbals and all the rest.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I stuffed my ears with cotton balls and put two pillows over my head.&nbsp; When daylight showed through the blinds, I got dressed quickly and went to the pocket park at Bleecker and 6th for some peace and quiet.&nbsp; A few street people were scattering crumbs to the squirrels.&nbsp; I stayed a while then phoned my friend Robin to meet me at Rocco\u2019s for cappuccino.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cMy head is shattered,\u201d I told her.&nbsp; \u201cI\u2019ll have to move out immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cBut aren\u2019t you rent-control?\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The waiter, Antoine, put down the two cappuccinos.&nbsp; \u201cA cannoli with pistachios?\u201d he said with a wink at me.&nbsp; He knew my cannoli habit.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cMaybe later, Antoine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">When he was gone, Robin said, \u201cWant me to ask Rocco to lower the music?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cHow can I let it go!&nbsp; A new apartment will be quintuple what I\u2019m paying.&nbsp; I always expected I would die there.&nbsp; You know\u2014like Dijuna Barnes dying across the hall from some other dying writer.&nbsp; I heard he used to scream out:&nbsp; <em>You still in there Dijuna?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cThat\u2019s kinda creepy,\u201d said Robin, taking a sip.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cYou think so?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cWhat I think is you should talk to this drummer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cOh\u2026 I don\u2019t know.&nbsp; People are really nuts now.&nbsp; He could pull out a gun and shoot me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">She pointed at my cup.&nbsp; \u201cIt\u2019s getting cold.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I spooned the creamy foam into my mouth then took a few sips.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cWell\u2026 I suppose you could concoct a scheme,\u201d said Robin.&nbsp; \u201cRemember when I sewed Ralph\u2019s coat sleeves together?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">In spite of my fierce headache I cracked up laughing.&nbsp; \u201cHow could I ever forget!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Ralph was her old boss who was simply intolerable in every way.&nbsp; Then, at the end of the day, he\u2019d hold out his coat to her, so she could help him slip into it.&nbsp; It galled her.&nbsp; That\u2019s when she concocted the coat scheme.&nbsp; Just a few stitches each day.&nbsp; <em>Little by little<\/em>, she named it.&nbsp; Eventually, he\u2019d start to feel the tightening of the sleeves as his hands went in; but he\u2019d assume he was getting fat or maybe even hallucinating it.&nbsp; He wouldn\u2019t really figure it out until his hands could no longer get inside the sleeves.&nbsp; Robin timed it carefully&nbsp; By then she\u2019d have quit; getting the last laugh.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cShould we order cannoli\u2019s?\u201d&nbsp; I said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">She nodded.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I caught Antoine on his way to the kitchen.&nbsp; \u201cPistachio for me, and\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cChocolate chips for Robin,\u201d he finished.&nbsp; \u201cI don\u2019t know how you girls keep your figures.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cThank you, Antoine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Robin just glared at him.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cSee, you get taken advantage of by men.&nbsp; I assume it\u2019s a male drummer who caught a look at you on the street when he was moving in.&nbsp; Saw <em>sucker<\/em> all over your face.&nbsp; Found out from the Super it was you living above him and voila!&nbsp; The torture begins.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I took a deep breath.&nbsp; What she said had a certain validity.&nbsp; I do get taken advantage of by men.&nbsp; \u201cWell look at you and Ralph!&nbsp; He took big advantage of you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cThose days are dead and buried,\u201d she said.&nbsp; \u201cWe need a scheme.&nbsp; You live above this jerk.&nbsp; That gives <em>you<\/em> a big advantage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cIt does?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cYeah!&nbsp; You can attack him back from above.&nbsp; You have the superior attack position.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Antoine interrupted:&nbsp; \u201cGirls, another capo?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cOK,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cNo,\u201d said Robin.&nbsp; She kept silent until he was out of earshot.&nbsp; \u201cYou can\u2019t be too careful,\u201d she told me.&nbsp; \u201cThe drummer could be a friend of his, for all we know.&nbsp; Maybe that\u2019s how he got into the building.&nbsp; Antoine may have brokered the deal with the Super.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Rocco\u2019s was starting to fill up.&nbsp; We moved into chairs against the wall so that other people could sit down, too, at the table for eight.&nbsp; But we put our bags on the table blocking off the two chairs directly next to ours.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cWater,\u201d said Robin.&nbsp; \u201cWe\u2019ll go with water.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cYou want me to overflow my tub?&nbsp; That will make some big mess in my apartment, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cDo I look dumb?&nbsp; Would I make a scheme that would jeopardize your position?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">She kept saying position, like it was two militias facing off.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cWell what then?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cHere\u2019s your\u2019s, honey.\u201d Antoine picking up my old cup and saucer, setting down a fresh cappuccino.&nbsp; \u201cStill time to change your mind,\u201d he said to Robin.&nbsp; She ignored him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cYou don\u2019t have to be rude,\u201d I told her.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cYou know that old hardware store on Houston?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cThat place is still there?&nbsp; With the keys and all?&nbsp; I bought stuff there years ago, I got my Medeco lock and some odds and ends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A woman with a terrible blonde dye job took a seat on the aisle of our table.&nbsp; She was alone.&nbsp; That meant nobody would sit across from her, which meant our table was more or less pretty much filled; despite the few empty chairs left.&nbsp; Nobody ever climbed over someone else to get at a seat.&nbsp; They went to the back greenhouse, reluctantly, if worst came to worst.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cFinish your drink and we\u2019ll head on over,\u201d Robin said.&nbsp; \u201cYou\u2019re going to buy a drill this time.&nbsp; It\u2019ll be <em>Little by Little <\/em>again<em>.&nbsp; Part Two<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I finished off my capo and we paid at the register.&nbsp; Rocco was wearing his crazy red trademark hat with all the stuff pinned to it.&nbsp; \u201cYou want some house cookies to go?&nbsp; he said.&nbsp; \u201cNice and warm, just came out.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cWe\u2019ll get some later,\u201d I told him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">On the street I started to feel uneasy.&nbsp; I was still very tired and the caffeine and sugar rush wouldn\u2019t last long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The fruit market had a nice pile of oranges on their outside stand.&nbsp; \u201cMaybe I\u2019ll get some oranges, they\u2019re healthy,\u201d I told Robin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cConcentrate!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cOK.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cBecause little by little you\u2019re going to drill through your floor all these tiny deep holes.&nbsp; Clear down through his ceiling.&nbsp; We\u2019ll have to buy a long drill bit.&nbsp; And little by little you\u2019ll pour water into the holes.&nbsp; Holes so tiny you won\u2019t even notice in your floor.&nbsp; By the time you\u2019ve drilled dozens, his apartment will be a rain forest.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cI thought it was dry in the Rainforest.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cDon\u2019t quibble!&nbsp; You want him out, right?&nbsp; And meanwhile get some really good ear plugs from Bigelow\u2019s.&nbsp; This is going to take time.&nbsp; Little by little.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>___________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Playlist song:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/playlist\/2DGL2kl6olesM3rnA0rZ6N?si=db16a2b031e44d4e&amp;nd=1&amp;dlsi=b8920d324dbf4a26\">B.J. Thomas, &#8220;Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head&#8221;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Susan Isla Tepper<\/strong> is the author of 11 published books of fiction and poetry and 5 stage plays. Her work has been nominated 21 times for the Pushcart Prize, and once for a Pulitzer Prize. Her stage play <em>Crooked Heart<\/em> will appear in the May Play Festival at Origin Theatre Company, NYC. It previewed in a fall reading at the Irish Repertory Theatre in NYC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>__________<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"438\" height=\"211\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg 438w, https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1-300x145.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\"> \ud83e\udca0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2024\/03\/09\/hot-jazz\/\">Back<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2024\/03\/09\/the-musics-gonna-get-you\/\">Next<\/a> \ud83e\udca1<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">To learn more about submitting your work to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/boudin-submissions\/\">Boudin<\/a><\/em> or applying to McNeese State University&#8217;s Creative Writing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/mfa-application-submissions\/\">MFA program<\/a>, please visit Submissions for details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Little by Little Susan Tepper __________ A drum roll woke me at 3am.&nbsp; When I saw that time lit in red on my alarm clock I almost had a hemorrhage. The racket was coming from the downstairs apartment.&nbsp; I got up and kicked the floor a few times.&nbsp; No change.&nbsp; Then, in full force with&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[199],"tags":[75,146,198],"class_list":["post-16036","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-all-music-espressivo-24","tag-boudin","tag-fiction-2","tag-music"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16036","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16036"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16036\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16429,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16036\/revisions\/16429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16036"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}