I have seen countless variations on Rita, and adjacent corollaries to Rita. You've managed to depict a quietly destructive trope that generally goes unspoken for two main reasons:
1. Because even to see Rita requires the ability to see the greater chessboard, and to see one's own fringe group as only a player in a greater ecosystem. To spot a Rita also requires an eidetic memory, because by definition, she enters seeming one way, and only reveals herself over time.
2. Because those people most able even to recognize a "Rita in their midst", are the most likely to have been spotted by Rita, as brighter bulbs in the group... and they are prophylactically compromised by her.
I would venture that the people most likely to observe somebody pulling a Rita are those who are lurking a bit at the fringes of the fringe, and don't feel compelled to let others know how much they are observing.
Okay I had to infer that it was your persona. I’m no worse off. Interesting for a small piece but I wouldn’t want to read a whole book without being on the outside of the inside of your joke.
Wouldn't consider myself a literary pioneer, but would consider it easy to understand that it was experimental poetry going in. The subheading is "It doesn't make sense!" Will be fun to see what people read into it, though.
Bravissima... Excellent post!
I have seen countless variations on Rita, and adjacent corollaries to Rita. You've managed to depict a quietly destructive trope that generally goes unspoken for two main reasons:
1. Because even to see Rita requires the ability to see the greater chessboard, and to see one's own fringe group as only a player in a greater ecosystem. To spot a Rita also requires an eidetic memory, because by definition, she enters seeming one way, and only reveals herself over time.
2. Because those people most able even to recognize a "Rita in their midst", are the most likely to have been spotted by Rita, as brighter bulbs in the group... and they are prophylactically compromised by her.
I would venture that the people most likely to observe somebody pulling a Rita are those who are lurking a bit at the fringes of the fringe, and don't feel compelled to let others know how much they are observing.
This is the best comment I’ve ever gotten on something that I’ve written of this variety. Thank you dearly.
Oooh well stated
A tale as old as time!
Respectable Rita was poly all along…
Interesting. I don’t know the term. But neither does Google. I’m in good company.
I made it up.
Okay I had to infer that it was your persona. I’m no worse off. Interesting for a small piece but I wouldn’t want to read a whole book without being on the outside of the inside of your joke.
It's basically experimental poetry.
Great topic and thank you for being so concise—I love this piece
Thank you!
Now that’s something I can get behind… if one knows that going in then you’re a literary pioneer.
Wouldn't consider myself a literary pioneer, but would consider it easy to understand that it was experimental poetry going in. The subheading is "It doesn't make sense!" Will be fun to see what people read into it, though.