How many of us (more and more it seems) have rubbed the sleep from our eyes in the early light of dawn only to see our cars pawed through, or our yards vandalised by a faceless, nameless bandit of the night? The burglar dissolving like a spectre as the morning brightens. How many of us have uttered those eight words "If I'd only caught them in the act!" while we pour a bowl of Cheerios imagining it with a side of that dish best served cold: revenge?
This week in Second Saturday Stories, Martin Durkin brings one such fantasy to life with the help of 'The Pine Cone Bandit.' A tale of a neighbourhood thief who pushes their luck just a little bit too far with one resident.
Martin describes 'The Pine Cone Bandit' as an absurd look at being a vigilante in a small town. It centres around a neighbourhood watch page on social media, the comment section of the page outlining how someone would handle a thief, and someone just crazy enough to follow through on protecting their home.
To date, Martin Durkin has published three books of poetry, the last book entitled, SteelTown for Mary: Memoirs from a Dick, was short-listed by the Hamilton Literary Arts Council in 2015.
Since 2015, he has been the editor for the 8 Wing newspaper, and has been published in various literary magazines, and performed at events such as the inaugural Al Purdy Residency, Night Kitchen Too in Belleville, First Tuesday Muse in Tweed, and will be heading to the Picton Armoury to record for an upcoming video series through the Picton Arts Council.
Martin is currently creating new work, reflective of his years living inside the gateway to the north.
Martin's approach to short stories is to incorporate a voice through poetry and micro fiction. Memoirs from a Dick was considered both a long poem as well as a short detective noir story, telling the tale of a local cop dealing with the loss of his wife, retirement, and learning to live again within the city he loved - Hamilton.
In the last installment of the column, Martin gave us a great story of a female police officer, who comes to a local town and needs to set the tone of what her leadership will be like as she protects the local citizens, and deals with how social media dictates people's success....or failures. Read 'New Town, New Sheriff' here
'The Pine Cone Bandit' gets their just desserts today at 3 p.m. Don't miss it!
