14. SNIP

Yesterday’s blog (DUOS) was meant to be followed by a period of collaboration between GANTOB and me. An unemployed salesperson in the Highlands and a retired elderly clergyman in Edinburgh: an unlikely duo.

But GANTOB is not a team player. She has quite clearly been on solo manoeuvres. Yesterday she made three posts from our shared social media accounts, without prior agreement. They were titled: KORREKTIONS, KWALITY CHECK and INKOMPLETE KAOS.

A letter that I received last night, “personal delivery” but without any direct interaction, explains more. I have followed the instructions.

Dear Benefaktor,   I have enclosed a reworking of the Curt Finks exclusive that we sent to recipients of the book. This is the so called “nested re-enactment” that we alerted recipients to on the packaging. Now that copies are arriving with applikants around the world, it is time to share this more widely. I have adapted it to share on social media.   I was keen to incorporate a sense of confusion, revelation, and considered reflection. Like vinyl “crate digging”, but in words. I also wanted to learn from my mistakes. You will remember the horrors of cutting these up into 400 words for the book packages. It almost broke me. You fudged it. I found little fragments of paper – with a number and word on either side – all around The Manse for days afterwards. Some packages must have been incomplete. I have therefore built in some checks. I am keen that this is a team effort. I will share a photo of the enclosed sheet on social media, explaining the rules and asking for people to answer one question: What was the year? I will email you a high-resolution version.   We need to demonstrate shared purpose with GANTOB followers. Therefore, I ask you this weekend to chop up the original – imagine a slow-motion Banksy-inspired contraption (Kultural Vandalism?). Do this in numerical order: chop, stick; word by word.   Applikants have until 23:23 on Monday 9/10/2023 (their time zone) to complete the task. As you know, that is the birthday you would have shared with John Lennon (83 years ago for you both). I am staying in Edinburgh currently, flat sitting for my son. I will visit on Monday to give you a card and sign the completed story. This will be the first artistic output of the GANTOB/ Benefaktor duo. And the prize for one lucky winner.   Yours, GANTOB

THE BENEFAKTOR

7 October 2023