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Rational Subtitles (short story) (Patreon)

Published:
2026-04-15 16:03:58
Edited:
2026-04-22 05:17:16
Imported:
2026-04

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Su Byron

Like finding a lost Gogol story. Beautiful. Shoulda realized a great poet could also write great short stories.

Annie Stacie

This one got me to the core. The tears couldn't come when I was reading it, but now they're coming. There's no sense of judgement from the one who knows me (or any of us). But I still can't help but feel my heart break when I think I might be letting it down.

YangChild

Umm, I'm not sure anyone can be perceived objectively. There seems to be at least 2 or 3 ways to interpret any action. But I can see how becoming aware of his blindspots can help refine his intentions. Loved the story! It reminds me of old Disney cartoons.

Sheri

We trust people to be honest with us , but most people can’t even be honest with themselves . I have always found this most disturbing,not because they are not honest with us . Because we find it difficult to be honest with ourselves . Why lie when you can tell the truth , the only people you have to worry about is the person looking back in the mirror in the morning and God. Really Keeps me true to self with no apologies, after all I don’t feel a need to impress anyone but me.♥️

Roz Haddon

Oh Bob! Tears came swiftly. Just so beautiful, great and true. Thankyou ❤️

nightly moth

This is great. I really like this one. Thank you. He wishes to express gratitude for this page and much more

Daniel

"They are, rather, a series of small adjustments, each one scarcely noticeable, until, taken together, they amount to something quite remarkable." Sweet...the miracle of compounded growth, increments that exponentiate, providing riches way beyond one's initial expectations. Called "kaizen" by some, too.

Bonnie Ramba

Wow … this really drew me in. In a short while, I started wishing that I could also have subtitles. After thinking about it, I realized that I already do. Thank you for this story. I appreciate all that you are doing. Praying for you always … take care, sir 🕊️

Elizabeth Bowie

" One evening, as he sat by the fire, he spoke aloud to the empty room. " Who writes these?" he asked. Who indeed.? This is really interesting, my favorite piece of writing so far.

Mia Tillery

To be known by the one who knows you, even when you might not know yourself. These are cool Bob, thank you. ☺️

Susan Stirling

Thank you very much, Bob Dylan (I think) heheh. I’ve enjoyed this one tremendously and was again prompted to consider this human truth, here named Rational Subtitles. My private and personal name always has been Brain Weasels. Either way they keep us self-aware and honest–as you already know.

Barbara Hill-Mayo

Good story - learning to live in the moment with a bit of fantasy directing it. Keep these coming please. I look forward to them!

Claudia

It's not that I see the words, but I sometimes hear them. The fact that they help me become more aware. It's a twist I hadn't thought of until now. The fact that something or someone knows me is comforting.

Jeff Poushter

Amazing!… Thank you Bob!! I’m on Cloud 9 over you posting here… keep ‘em coming!! Great story!

Onsen Dreamscapes

Tea kettle hissing in a narrow little room He blinks twice, adjusts his glasses, something floating in the gloom There’s a sentence in the air, hanging over his routine Says “He thinks the day is normal” — whatever that might mean He waves his hand right through it But the words don’t disappear They shimmer like a secret Only he can hear He says, “I’m standing up now,” but he’s sitting in his chair The words correct his version with a cool, indifferent flair He tries deception, spontaneity, unpredictability But the subtitles keep winning with alarming clarity He opens up a drawer Expecting something strange But all he finds are handkerchiefs And nothing seems to change He greets his neighbor kindly (He wants to be admired) He gives a coin to someone (Avoiding guilt he’s tired) He kneels beside his bed (Hoping someone hears) The words are getting heavier They echo in his ears He asks, “Who’s writing this?” but the answer isn’t kind It says, “You are being written,” and it rearranges his mind Not fear, but recognition — like a window opened wide A narrator who knows him, standing somewhere just outside He straightens up his tie He steps into the day The words float just behind him But they gently fade away He goes out to live — a little more honestly He goes out to live — the way he’s learning to be

Tom Funk

Shortly into this one I started hearing the voice of Rod Sterling narrating a Twlight Zone episode. And towards the end a verse from Paul the Apostle came to mind “Now I know in part, then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” Beautiful story, full of mystery and hope.

Ulf Wong

Exactly the kind of read to shake up my head a bit. So worth it.

Paul S

Love these short stories. Please keep em coming

Amber Martinez

I shall try to be better today🙏🏽🌊🤍

Bronwen

I found the story rather brilliant. It made me laugh and also both heart warming and heart-tugging. I got in a knot over the "R" word in the title though. I looked at it again after reading the story and felt a tweak. I got sucked in, tangled in semantics (more than I like to admit) and looked it up in the dictionary to check whether 'most people' (?) might be using that word the way I think I've been taking it to mean. I leaned back (fairly unsuccessfully) and resolved to respect my 'tweak of doubt' and feel it through. A line that I like that I came across years ago popped into my consciousness: "love has no reason, for the mind knows it not..." Well I'm still troubled about the title of the story. I don't associate the word "rational" with "being known"... And so I'm wondering how Mister Bob relates to the word "rational"... And I'm curious about how much it distressed me, which suggests I'm projecting and identifying more than I realised/hoped. Eek. So back to the distress: what's the worst it could be?? That maybe Bob worships a God of cold hard logic and narrow mechanical linear thinking? Wow how did I get to that?! Words. And if he does... which seems 'reasonably' unlikely :) where would that leave me? Lonelier than before.

Wylde Wild

Thanks for the story. I enjoyed the surreal transformation in reflection. The narrative voice reminded me of Stranger than Fiction, where Harold Crick learned in his own odd way that "He not busy being born is busy dying"

Randy779

The opening of the story put me in mind of Philip K. Dick's "Time Out of Joint". In which the slightly oddball protagonist Ragle Gumm sees a piece of paper with "SOFT-DRINK STAND" appear in place of, well, what a moment before had been a soft drink stand. The two stories diverge from there, and I enjoyed them both immensely.

Bronwen

Well, my 'twisted knickers' over the semantics went away after posting my comment.... But unease came back from time to time. Air: "what's bothering you?" Me: "I'm afraid to go back on Patreon..." Air: "Be patient and stay close to that fear. Really gentle with it" Me: "Ok it's gone down a bit... There's some curiosity coming back in now..." Air: "How come you're afraid?" Me: "Maybe people have been mean about my comment......" Unease went up again. Air: "Something more? Worse than that?" Me: "Yes. Maybe if 'he' read my comment he felt misunderstood. Ouch. I'm sure I would've if it was me.... And maybe he misunderstood me too. Ouch" Air: "Yeah... Maybe.... You can't know how he felt if he read it. He can handle it. Can you handle it?" Me: "Apparently not. Cos it won't let go of me.... " Air: "That's the risk afterall. It just is if you don't see someone's eyes/feel the space between you and check it out slowly in a back and forth. You know that" Me: "That sounds rather..... " Air: "Shush. You know I was meaning a conversation. And even then there's still risk. If there was zero risk it'd be boring and dead and stuck. Which terrifies you more." Me: "Mmm.... Ah shit! Now I'm blatantly going to post this thread" Air: "Fair enough. Makes sense" Me: "And then I'll have to handle what happens inside of me after I do that..." Air: "So don't rush. Don't wait too long either" Me: "Oh no. The timing thing" Air: "How're you feeling now?" Me: "Why're you asking me, when you know? You're witnessing awareness. And what happened to 3rd person narrating? That's gone out the window.... " Ok, I'm feeling... kinda poignant, tender, bit nervous that I'll probably post this in a minute" Air: "You're hoping you're going to drop it after that and feel ....freer.... or something like that " Me: "Yes. So let's see... Maybe 'it' won't drop me ! I'll do my best. Oh listen, it's thundering outside. Hang on a sec... Maybe I'll go look up the words "risk" and "promise" in the dictionary :)" Then again maybe I won't. Instead I'll renew my promise to myself to keep taking risks. (She says as if she has a choice in the matter: it can sometimes feel that way but then again, when she senses closer, it seems strangely like what is actually happening is neither a 'choice'...nor a 'no choice'.... perhaps more like both at the same time)

Patrick

Thanks again Bob. It can’t always be easy continuing to give your life and time over to us strangers, but you’re truly beneficial for all mankind.

RobieSueRose

This was worth the $5 a month. I never needed the coffee at Starbucks anyway.

Matthew Landau

Pan opened four more credit cards and rang up another $1300 in debit. I was furious with myself for having believed she wouldn't do this again and that she could bring her money burning issue under control. I was also furious with myself for my lack of generosity and lack of desire to want to help her pay her debits down. I asked an oracle if I should be obligated to pay off these debits as well and the answer came back that I was not obligated. And this upset me more. If only I could afford to let money burn a hole in Pam's pocket we would have a quasi ideal relationship. The parameters would be clear. But I am not a wealthy man financially. My wealth largely being experience and barrels of not yet mature bourbon. I had already taken on nearly forty thousand dollars in debit on her behalf and while she was slowly paying me back the months turned into years and I feared years would turn into a decade. How could I help her understand? I had no idea. Instead each time she would acquire a new credit card and run up a new debit and eventually tell me about it I would feel used and feel a kind of fury that was both rational and understandable to me, but also irrationally consuming and which caused me great pain. My peace of mind would shatter and I would be forced to confront my own temper in such a way that my anger seared my soul and scarred my day. I didn't really know what to do next.