Been a bit (okay, a month and a half) since I dipped my toe in these waters…
The Ballad of Bonaduke—
Episode 53: Connection
DETAILS: Series: The Ballad of Bonaduke, #53 Format: Kindle Vella Story Read Date: June 28, 2024
The Story So Far…
A drunken Michael Bonaduke decides to use a grift (with maybe some sort of magic/magic-like “help”) to win on a scratch-off lottery ticket so he has money to buy more to drink. He pulls off whatever he did, gets his money and some booze and stumbles off into the darkness to drink himself into oblivion so he can start again the next day. He’s hit by dark memories (probably what’s driving him to the drinking) of fire, pleading, and screaming. There’s going to be a price to pay for his grift, and he’s trying to be ready.
He’s abducted by some representatives of a mysterious group who subject him to a test—if he passes, everything will be explained to him (and hopefully the reader, too). He passes—and is brought somewhere for answers, or maybe training, or maybe another test. Time will tell (or things are going to get really annoying). Answers aren’t quick to come—but the mysteries and questions keep piling up.
Things get hairy and Bonaduke leaves and finds himself back in the neighborhood he started from. He takes refuge in a homeless encampment shortly before a police raid. He’s apprehended and finds himself an interrogation room and shortly escapes after using his grift (but with results he didn’t quite intend). He finds himself by a group of squatters who seem to have strapped a woman to a chair for reasons that can’t be good. He attempts to rescue her before he even realizes what he’s doing, and seems to have succeeded—well, the two of them got away from the group anyway—breathing but bruised. They make their way to a fast-food taco joint and Bonaduke really needs to refuel to keep going. He tries, but fails to get food because he keeps passing out. Thankfully, the clerk is the same guy from the liquor store and he both recognizes him and gives him first aid. The woman (Zero) wakes up and shows some abilities of her on as she helps them escape from her captors who’ve tracked her down. One thing leads to another—Zero and Bonaduke’s magics don’t mix well (at least until they understand what each other can do?), and they end up in a video-game race against the squatters in a tricked-out version of Eric (the clerk’s) car. Note, I said video-game race, not a video-game-style race. They’re actually in one. When dumped back into reality, he’s surrounded by bruised and broken bodies (of people and cars). And then he gets into a supernatural fight and survives…just.
Or maybe not. But he gets better. And then his new…friends? Acquaintances? People who keep popping up in his life?…start explaining exactly what’s going on to him while they set up a new HQ and try to teach him about his abilities (and everyone tries to understand them) while they try to fund their further work.
What’s Connection About?
There are two parts of this episode really. In the first, Bonaduke chews on some of what he’s learning and applies it to the circumstances around his family’s death, his childhood, and more. He’s starting to make some connections and then is interrupted by his compatriots and the need to free Om.
Bonaduke asserts himself more than he usually does—and everyone responds to it (at least they allow it). Om might not be free—or even closer to free*—by the end of this episode, but we’re starting to get a clearer idea about the powers that this motley crew are tangling with.
Whatever is (mostly) in control of Om tempts Bonaduke to cast his lot in with them. But, at a cost, he refuses and employs a gambit he’d been cooking for a while. It seems to work but before Bonaduke can enjoy the taste of victory, he’s told that was only step one to freeing Om.
* Have an earworm for free with this post.
So, what did I think about Connection?
I’d have been closer to satisfied if each part of this episode had received a full one (or three) to fully develop. But that’s not what we got, so…
I wish circumstances, his patience, other things going on had allowed Bonaduke to spend more time thinking about and thinking through the first half of things. I just really want these answers, and am intrigued by the possibilities.
On the other hand, I’m also intrigued by what’s brought up at the end. This could be pretty cool. I’m concerned that Slaywood is going to fall back on his half-baked and vague “here’s an explanation, but not really” and convoluted hand-waving in the general direction of answers before going off in some other direction. I’m hoping to be proven wrong.
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