Fumetti Cafe Podcast Series · 'Stories From the Drip' By Laura La Sottile Based on the Book Trashedies: Funny Flash Feminist Fiction

THE FUMETTI CAFE Podcast ~ Episode 2

February 25, 2026·11 min·1 clip

A woman with bandaged ribs wakes in a desert bar after a bird attack, unsure if paramedics abandoned her there.

["The episode opens with the narrator waking up in the Fumetti Cafe with bandaged ribs after passing out from a bird attack.", "She describes the cafe as deliberately shabby-chic with layers of tchotchkes, including green baby heads caught in a fishnet on the beam.", "A Betty Boop-like bombshell sits next to her with a mini-beast on a leash, creating an immediate strange presence.", "The narrator notices a sign knocking against the siding that says 'free guns,' adding to the surreal desert atmosphere.", "When she orders a margarita, she's told only beer is available, which she describes as 'beyond classlessness.'", "Bombshell gives her the evil eye and hisses at her, creating tension between the characters.", "The narrator asks Bombshell if she's seen any big prehistoric birds flying high in the desert.", "Bombshell smugly responds 'It's a condor, duh' before twirling recklessly on her stool and falling to the floor with a sound like a wine vat hitting cement.", "Bombshell is knocked unconscious at the narrator's feet, but the narrator's injured ribs prevent her from helping.", "Suddenly, what looks like cavalry or bouncers arrive to carry Bombshell out on a stretcher.", "As she's carried away, Bombshell begins wailing a thunderous, deeply rooted pain that freezes the narrator in awe.", "The narrator feels like 'something ripped through the fucking mess of me and let in the light' from this encounter.", "She reflects on needing to understand what tragedy happened to her in the desert, wondering if she should call it 'trashity' since she was discarded there.", "Her friend Paolo finally arrives, described as extraordinary with a laugh that sounds like a horse's neigh.", "When asked about Bombshell, Paolo stares straight ahead and says 'A lady of the evening,' then turns to gauge the narrator's reaction.", "The narrator tries to tell Paolo about when she lived in Manhattan, but he asks if it's funny and mumbles 'Not really.'", "Paolo giggles with his distinctive neigh-like laugh, and the narrator unsuccessfully tries to imitate it.", "The episode maintains a surreal, absurdist tone throughout with vivid descriptions of the cafe's bizarre decor.", "Recurring themes include disorientation, injury, mysterious encounters, and reflections on tragedy versus absurdity.", "The format is a first-person narrative monologue with dialogue interspersed during interactions with Bombshell and Paolo."]

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