ARTS &
8 • The Clackamas Print • May 7, 2003
Chabon hosts free campus Q&A
Prize-winning author/ shares stories with students
Karen Hill
The Clackamas Print
Frequent bursts of laughter and
instant smiles could be heard and
seen in the Gregory Forum April
29 from 11 a.m. to noon, where
over 100 students and teachers had
gathered to enjoy a free reading
hosted by Michael Chabon,
Pulitzer Prize-winning author of
“The Amazing Adventures of
Kavalier and Clay.”
During the reading, Chabon
read and spoke of his experiences
writing short stories. Using wit,
humor, vivid descriptions and
delightfully accurate visual images,
Chabon told the audience of an
opportunity presented to him by the
Washington Post, requesting that j
he write a memoir. Chabon misun-
derstood the request and began ter \
write a short story. Ironically, the
finished product sounded much
like a memoir.
“I thought this was short
story, but it reads like a mem
oir... I thought I was making this
up!” Chabon said.
J
Chabon began his présenta- fl
tion by reading the beginning of g
his first draft of the short story
he planned on submitting to the
Washington Post. It was the
story of two 14 year-old boys
who shared something of a
“love/hate” relationship and
were forced to spend a boil
ing hot summer together,
jet-
consumed with boredom and
frivolous summer jobs.
Although quite amus
ing, if not entirely
entertaining, Chabon
opted not to submit
this story, but to try
writing a second
draft.
This time the
story took place
the
summer
before he was
to leave for
college. Again fre
quent laughter could
be heard around the
room as Chabon read,
pronouncing each syl
lable with intricate
precision.
Between reading the drafts, he
attempted to explain, briefly, what
goes into writing a short story.
“Short stories begin with status
quo, a relationship, the way things
have been. Then one day ‘X’ hap
pens. That’s when the ‘story’ enters
in,” Chabon said. “That’s usually
when I abandon the story,” he jok
ingly finished.
Chabon concluded with the first
10 or 15 minutes of his third and
final draft, which he submitted and
was published in the Washington
Post. This time the story was about
an 11 year-old boy, haunted by
some sort of “tragic era,” and
forced to live with his grandmother
and befriend a handicapped neigh
bor boy with some secrets of hi
own.
The session ended with thunder
ous applause from the audience an<
students rushing forward to shaki
hands and express a few words o
appreciation toward Chabon. Fo
all. those present, this was a grea
opportunity to hear the words
thoughts and ideas of a great write
and perhaps take something witl
them in their attempts to write sto
ries of their own.
Like most fiction writers
Chabon seeks to write about an<
elaborate on experiences from hi:
own life.
“I try to think of stuff that real
ly happened,” said Chabon, “an<
•try to find the story in that.”
A personal interview with Jeff
Durfey, former 'Used' member
Jared Eschweiler
The Clackamas Print
I recently sat down for a phone
interview with former The Used
drummer Jeff Durfey, whom I met
while working as a missionary in
Alaska.
Q: How did you meet the band?
A: I met the guys skateboarding.
They liked to thrash. We became
friends after a while. They were in a
band and they asked me if I wanted
to come and check it out. They found
out I played drums and asked me if I
wanted to jam with them. Of course,
I accepted.
Q: What did you do in the band?
A: I was their drummer for a while,
but the guys were a little too wild for
me. They started to get serious about
their music and got involved in the
rock and roll lifestyle. I was still in
high school and decided I needed an
education over enjoyment. They
were still my friends, so I became
their drum tech. It allowed me to still
be in contact with them, but I didn’t
have to get involved in that lifestyle.
Q: How long were you with the
band?
A: I was with the band for about two
years. I was in junior high when I
met them and was in high school
when I lost contact with them. They
started on the Warped Tour that year
and I stayed behind to continue
schooling.
Q: Have you talked to the band
since they became famous?
A: After they started touring we
lost contact. You know how that
goes.
Q: Was the band trying to go main
stream?
A: As far as I could tell the guys
were not trying to go mainstream,
they just wanted to get their music
out.
Q: Do you feel like you missed
your chance at stardom?
A: I want to be a musician later on.
I don’t think I’ll ever get discov
ered like they did, but I had a fun
time with them.
Q: Where did you play when you
were with them?
A: We played the Utah club scene
and other small shows. They were
starting to get pretty popular when I
left.
Jeff Durfey is originally from
American Fork, Utah. Currently he
is serving a two-year mission for
his church (The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints) in
Alaska.
Q: What famous songs did you play?
A: “Taste of Ink” was the only song
of theirs I ever played to. They did
release a song, “Box Full of Sharp
Objects,” on Mark. Hopus’ (Blink
182) club CD “Atticus” before they
got big.
*The weekly 5 in 5*
Cory Price
Co-Photo Editor
It’s time for another edition
of 5 in 5, and I am leaving the
realm of Asian cuisine, and
heading south of the border.
No, I am not talking about
Taco Bell. I am talking about
Tacho’s (located a mile north
on Molalla Ave. on the right
hand side).
Mexican food is on the menu
for today. Like most restau
rants in the area, Tacho’s offers
a lunch special in the afternoon
that is under $5.
Tacho's has multiple items
to choose from for $4.95, and
you can substitute chicken for
ground beef for 50 cents.
Yes, this takes me over my
Q: Are you happy for the band?
A: I love those guys. I am happy
they found success.
JEFF DURFEY
It's more than
a degree.
It's your future.
$5 limit, but I decided I have
saved so much from in the pre
vious weeks’ lunch ventures
that I can afford to splurge a lit
tle.
The Tacho’s burrito hits the
money spot for me, and yivith
chicken it sends me over the
edge.
The special comes with
Spanish rice, refried beans and
coleslaw. Since I’m not a huge
coleslaw fan I let them keep it
and ask them to substitute some
of their rice instead (it’s that
good).
Like all Mexican restaurants
the food is filling, and they
throw in dessert to top it off.
Be sure to tune in again next
week and read up on another
restaurant under 5 bucks within
5 miles of campus.
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