The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - If LotR had been written by someone else!?

Kalimac · 11-13-2002, 11:44 PM

Diamond - H.P. Lovecraft was a horror-story/scifi writer who wrote about 10 million short stories in the 20s and 30s, all of them with titles like "The Dunwich Horror" "The Lurking Fear" "The Dreams of the Witch-House" and similar. Mostly they involve characters who are either fatally tainted by some "degeneracy" in their family tree, or who have friends who are tainted. They're definitely fascinating reads, but you
have to be in a certain mood. It's probably not a good sign if your significant other has a shelf lined with Lovecraft books, let's put it that way.

LORD OF THE RINGS by HAROLD PINTER

"The Last to Go"

[scene opens with an elderly Samwise Gamgee sitting in the Green Dragon. Only other character there is a hobbit Bartender (Hob)].

SAM: Oy, Hob. Another beer.

HOB: Aright. Delving or Eastfarthing?

SAM: Eastfarthing.

HOB: [hands him the beer, turns back to dusting bottles, which are far more interesting in his opinion].

SAM: Have a good day?

HOB: Good as any other. Same as ever.

SAM: That's how it is since Rosie died. Get up, garden, see the grandchildren...at least I think I see them.

[pause. Hob doesn't say anything]

SAM: I don't see my grandchildren. I don't see them. Little Fairbairns and Gardners. My kids, they don't remember their old Dad. They've moved away. Tom was the last to go.

HOB: Eh.

SAM: I used to wonder which one would be the last to go. Only little Bilbo and Tom and Ruby left now, I'd think. Which one'll be the last to go? Some days I'd bet with myself, it'd be Ruby. Other days I thought Bilbo. Sometimes Tom.

[pause]

SAM: It was Tom. He was the last to go. He went today.

HOB: [looks glum]

SAM: Some o'that Miruvor brand beer, if you like.

HOB: [hands it over]

SAM: Ah! Nothing like the real stuff. You know, I still play that game sometimes o'nights.

[pause]

SAM: Except it's not the kids anymore. It's the friends. The Fellowship.

HOB: Fellowship?

SAM: Ancient history. Back in the day, we were young and adventurous, nobody'd believe what I went through - [stops, as Hob is obviously not listening. Instead he's bending down behind the counter and lighting a pipe].

SAM: Anyways, Frodo and Gandalf went first. Boromir before any o'them. And now I've been wondering, who'll be the last to go? Elessar, maybe.

SAM: But maybe not. He's a deal of life left in him. Merry? Pip? Nay, they'll go toget

11-13-2002, 11:44 PM	#124
Kalimac Candle of the Marshes Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Flyover Country Posts: 780	Diamond - H.P. Lovecraft was a horror-story/scifi writer who wrote about 10 million short stories in the 20s and 30s, all of them with titles like "The Dunwich Horror" "The Lurking Fear" "The Dreams of the Witch-House" and similar. Mostly they involve characters who are either fatally tainted by some "degeneracy" in their family tree, or who have friends who are tainted. They're definitely fascinating reads, but you have to be in a certain mood. It's probably not a good sign if your significant other has a shelf lined with Lovecraft books, let's put it that way. LORD OF THE RINGS by HAROLD PINTER "The Last to Go" [scene opens with an elderly Samwise Gamgee sitting in the Green Dragon. Only other character there is a hobbit Bartender (Hob)]. SAM: Oy, Hob. Another beer. HOB: Aright. Delving or Eastfarthing? SAM: Eastfarthing. HOB: [hands him the beer, turns back to dusting bottles, which are far more interesting in his opinion]. SAM: Have a good day? HOB: Good as any other. Same as ever. SAM: That's how it is since Rosie died. Get up, garden, see the grandchildren...at least I think I see them. [pause. Hob doesn't say anything] SAM: I don't see my grandchildren. I don't see them. Little Fairbairns and Gardners. My kids, they don't remember their old Dad. They've moved away. Tom was the last to go. HOB: Eh. SAM: I used to wonder which one would be the last to go. Only little Bilbo and Tom and Ruby left now, I'd think. Which one'll be the last to go? Some days I'd bet with myself, it'd be Ruby. Other days I thought Bilbo. Sometimes Tom. [pause] SAM: It was Tom. He was the last to go. He went today. HOB: [looks glum] SAM: Some o'that Miruvor brand beer, if you like. HOB: [hands it over] SAM: Ah! Nothing like the real stuff. You know, I still play that game sometimes o'nights. [pause] SAM: Except it's not the kids anymore. It's the friends. The Fellowship. HOB: Fellowship? SAM: Ancient history. Back in the day, we were young and adventurous, nobody'd believe what I went through - [stops, as Hob is obviously not listening. Instead he's bending down behind the counter and lighting a pipe]. SAM: Anyways, Frodo and Gandalf went first. Boromir before any o'them. And now I've been wondering, who'll be the last to go? Elessar, maybe. SAM: But maybe not. He's a deal of life left in him. Merry? Pip? Nay, they'll go toget __________________ Father, dear Father, if you see fit, We'll send my love to college for one year yet Tie blue ribbons all about his head, To let the ladies know that he's married.