Matthew Kirkpatrick Reading

            Last Wednesday I attended the Matthew Kirkpatrick reading. Not knowing what to expect I went in with an open mind and was completely blown away by his witty writing. While he did not say very much about his stories or how he came to write them he did share that his one tale was based off working for a rather corrupt cell phone company.

            At first I was a little confused by the very abstract style of his first piece that he read for us and frankly was not especially enjoying myself. Yet his second story about working for the cell phone company completely made up for it. Filled with very ironic humor, the story pointed out the corruption in the office in an almost oblivious manner that really worked. I could really picture an office where the employees lazily shuffle papers and secretly hate their job and everyone around them.

            Another rather unconventional aspect of the reading that I believe everyone really enjoyed was the fact that Matthew Kirkpatrick’s parents attended the reading. Having never read his work to them before, he would just smirk and apologize before every inappropriate or vulgar line. This definitely added some humor to the entire situation that everyone (including his parents) got a kick out of.  

            It was really neat to hear him talk about how he worked a very stereotypical office job for years only to give it up in order to pursue writing as a profession. Matthew was also very relatable since he himself graduated from Penn State. I am really glad that it worked out that I attended this reading because I truly enjoyed it and wish to read more of Matthew Kirkpatrick’s work.