Christmas Reading Room - December 24th

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

Title: Groundhog Doyle
Author: Irene
Link to story or zine/ProsLib info: Close Quarters (Deathless Pros Press, 1996, OP). Not available online.
Pairing: Bodie/Doyle
 

Happy Holidays, mates! 

This is slightly awkward. I discovered a new Christmas story this season and was eager to share it with you -- and had gone so far as to jot down a few of my thoughts -- but my rec was preempted earlier in the calendar by Starlite876, who did a very nice job. I tried to come up with a couple of other recs -- so many great stories! -- but each one was also snagged in its turn (which is the problem when your date falls late in the calendar), and unfortunately I just don’t have time to try and ferret out something else at this late date.

 So I’m afraid I’m going to have to go ahead and rec my original story -- Groundhog Doyle by Irene. On the bright side, it’s a story worth a little extra attention.

 

 The first time he lived through December 24 that year, Ray Doyle thought it was just another lousy day. He and Bodie had reported to Mr. Cowley’s office as scheduled. There they were informed that the schedule had changed. They were on stand-by until further notice. Further notice didn’t come until late afternoon, when they were called out for a tip on a bomb

in Left Luggage at Victoria Station. Routine stuff. The Met kept the public at a safe distance, CI5 did their best to hunt up someone who remembered who left the parcel, and the bomb squad made sure that the explosive was disposed of No casualties, no property damage, nothing to spoil the party spirit.

That was about the best that one could say for the day. The rest was boring legwork, even more boring report writing, and a tasteless sandwich for late dinner before falling into a cold and empty bed. Depressing. lt was Christmas Eve, true, but to Doyle all that meant was that the holidays would soon be safely over for another year.

 It’s just another day in the life of the lads -- except that it happens to be Christmas Eve, Ray Doyle’s least favorite day of the year -- and no wonder with that chilly scenario.

The second time he lived through that December 24, Doyle thought it was a prank. Probably one of Bodie’s, given the scope of the thing. He’d often complained of Doyle’s realistic attitude toward Christmas.

 This is where I began to love this story. That paragraph tells us so much about both Doyle and Bodie and their relationship, as does the comment about that “realistic attitude” of Doyle’s toward the holiday. Right there we have our first clue as to how Doyle has managed to get stuck in this Christmas Eve loop: his “realistic attitude” that the rest of us (and his CI5 mates) recognize for the self-absorbed, jaded cynicism it is.

And yet, though this Doyle needs to learn a lesson, he’s recognizably our Doyle. He’s a good man and a good agent. His flaws are minor enough, common enough, and he’s probably suffering the most because of them. Irene’s characterization -- of all the agents, but Doyle and Bodie in particular -- is really well done, very human, very believable, which means she achieves that most difficult thing of making sheer fantasy seem perfectly plausible.

I’m not generally a fan of gimmicky stories. Takes on A Christmas Carol or It’s a Wonderful Life don’t usually work for me, but Irene’s touch here is so light and deft, her humor so deliciously sly, that I was hooked. She doesn’t belabor Doyle’s bewilderment, and his efforts to make sense of what’s happening -- including a brief, very amusing interview with Dr. Ross -- are distilled to the best bits.

 Doyle ran a hand through his hair. “Look. Have you ever heard of something like this? That’s all I want to know. Is it a common delusion? A rare one? Are there related problems that may occur?”

“Is what a common delusion?”

“Living the same day over and over.”

“Your friend’s delusion. Thatʼs what you're referring to? This notion that heʼs living the same day over and over?” The tempo of the pen on the note pad picked up speed.

“Yeah. That’s the one. Ever heard of it before?”

The tapping stopped. Ross closed her notebook. “No. I’m afraid your friend is unique. His problem is unknown to science. If you’ll be good enough to refer him to me, I will consider the problem. A few sessions might prove amazingly informative. Why, one never knows. If Mr. Cowley permitted me to publish the paper I may write about it, I might almost certainly become famous. Perhaps the syndrome will be given a name. Something like Doyle’s Friend’s Disease.” 

Doyle’s Friend’s Disease. It makes me grin every time.

 The story is swift-moving, taking part over seven days (six of them the same day), and in fact, part of its charm is the pacing. It’s a premise that in less skilled hands could easily become wearisome.

 Naturally, as Doyle continues to live the same day over, he begins to notice things he missed the first time around, and among those things are his feelings for his partner.

 Doyle spared a few moments to consider what it would be like to be with Bodie that way. A willing, enthusiastic, happy Bodie in his bed. It would change the world, a miracle like that.

Smiling, he slept.

 As with the best Christmas stories, there is the threat of tragedy here, and without giving too much away, I have to say that Irene’s subtle underplaying of peril was so skilful that when things go terribly wrong, I was caught by surprise and genuinely shocked.

 Ah, but it’s a Christmas story. And a magical story at that.

 Here’s hoping your holidays are equally magical.

 

 

Comments

[krisserci5.livejournal.com]

This story was such a pleasant surprise. The premise could have been crack fic, but instead it sucks you in and you relive each day with Doyle.

Thanks, it was worth the reread!!

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

The premise could have been crack fic, but instead it sucks you in and you relive each day with Doyle.

Yes! Somehow this isn't crack fic. It seems to make perfect sense within the Christmas story context. Maybe because the only cracky thing about it is the reliving of the same day. Everything else is perfectly straightforward.

[starlite876.livejournal.com]

Groundhog Doyle is such a well-written story... it deserves to be recced again !

The twist in the story was so unexpected and shocking, but being a wonderful writer, Irene was able to turn the tragic events around and give the story its traditional Christmas ending *g*

Merry Xmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year to you!

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

Bad luck about your recs being successively snaffled. It happened to me and I was one of the first up. I'm very glad you stuck with your original rec. There's something 'groundhog day' about that too, isn't there?

Happy Christmas to you.

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

There's something 'groundhog day' about that too, isn't there?

What a great observation! :-D

Happy Christmas, Jaycat92.

[metabolick.livejournal.com]

This has now become one of my very favorite Pros Christmas stories. Another one of those little gems in which every word is perfect. I especially love D's elation when he wakes up to realize he has another chance after the awful day. And that seemingly never-ending, sweet moment when they're standing in the kitchen, B's chin resting on D's shoulder. And D's new-found ability to savor each moment.

Remember this, he told himself...When this day is gone it's gone for good. Remember.

::happy sigh::

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

And that seemingly never-ending, sweet moment when they're standing in the kitchen, B's chin resting on D's shoulder. And D's new-found ability to savor each moment.

This one really is a little gem.

I think the giddy relief of the scene where Doyle wakes to find to his abject relief that he's still stuck on December 24th is just beautifully done.

And, yes, the sweetness of the final scenes.

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

With two recs for this story, I'm hooked. Is there anyone who can tell me where I might get a copy?

Happy Holidays to all!

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

Is there anyone who can tell me where I might get a copy?

Drop me a line back channel...