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Corpsatomic

by 210 & Amy Brown Carver

Click or tap each card to see the back.

An illustration of an older man standing at a bar drinking a mug of tea. On the right side of the card is a red ornament, with text overlaid that says “Making Spirits Bright.”
An illustration of holly and oak leaves, floating on a dark background. To the right is text that reads: “Wayne came in every evening. He lived in an old folks home, in a high rise, across the street. He’d order a mug of hot water and produce a tea bag from somewhere inside his coat. He never bought a thing, and the bartenders never kicked him out.”
An illustration of an older man slipping backwards next to a high-top table. His cap lifts off the top of his head. Surrounding the illustration (and juxtaposing it) is festive Christmas iconography: Santas, pine trees, sleighs, presents, candy canes, stars, ornaments. The text “Merry Christmas” sits on top of the illustration.
The same Christmas accoutrements from before, this time surrounding a short passage that reads: “A man went down hard in the entryway, a result of the snow tracked in on people’s boots. He left after only one drink and slipped again on his way out.”
An illustration of a woman sitting at a bar with a margarita in front of her. She wears a puffy vest and a luminous gold scarf. Overlaid is a flourished that says “Joy To The World.”
The bottom portion of the woman from the card’s front, focusing on the margarita. Below the illustration, text reads: “She sent back the margarita. She didn’t want salt. It reminded her of a college history course. What good were the wars her ancestors fought if she was going to refuse this thing that keeps meat from rotting, that was once worth its weight in gold, that poured in a wound will burn?”
An illustration of a young woman sitting at a bar. Her back is to us, and she is facing the shelves. In front of her, we see rows and rows of liquor bottles. Surrounding the illustration are watercolor drawings of a fruit tree’s branches.
The shelves of the bar from the card’s front, focusing on a bottle of liquor. The woman’s right shoulder is just visible in the bottom left corner of the frame. Below the illustration, text reads: “Brynne saw the knot of them in the corner. There was a time when their view of the world filled her whole universe. But seeing them now, back from college, Brynne felt...fine.”
An illustration of a man sitting on the floor of his kitchen, in just his underwear and a tank top. He holds a carton of milk, and next to him rests a pie tin that’s empty except for a fork. To his left is a stylized illustration of a heart-shaped ornament, with pink and white halves that cross-hatch together. Below the illustration reads “Happy Holidays.”
Text that reads: “The bartender’s fridge was full of eggs. Packed full. Cream. Milk. Salt. Nutmeg. He spent his mornings, in his boxers, in front of a trough of eggs. Whisking.” Just after the text, the cross-hatched heart from the card’s front sits in the center.

Credits

Cards were assembled and purchased through VistaPrint and Current Catalog.

210 is the pen name for an artist working out of Maui, Hawai’i. Amy Brown Carver is a screenwriter living in Los Angeles. Amy and 210 have enjoyed a life-long friendship.