Cleaning Day (short story): Difference between revisions

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| caption1=
| caption1=
| other_titles=
| other_titles=
| hero(es)= [[Jenny Everywhere#Kim's friend|Jenny Everywhere]]
| hero(es)= [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|Jenny Everywhere]]<br>[[Kim (Parallax Universe)|Kim]]
| villain(s)=
| villain(s)=
| featuring= [[Kim#Jenny's roommate|Kim]]<br>[[The Vampire King]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Professor Awesome#Kim and Jenny's neighbour|Professor Awesome]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Florida man (Cleaning Day)|“Florida man”]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Eric's mother]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Tepoztecatl]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Russian (Cleaning Day)|Unnamed Russian]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Mikhail Gorbachev|Gorbachev]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[King Charles]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Bartholomew]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Leonardo Da Vinci]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Raphael]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small>
| featuring= [[The Vampire King]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Professor Awesome (Parallax Universe)|Professor Awesome]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Florida man (Cleaning Day)|“Florida man”]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Eric's mother]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Tepoztecatl]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Russian (Cleaning Day)|Unnamed Russian]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Mikhail Gorbachev|Gorbachev]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[King Charles]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Bartholomew]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Leonardo Da Vinci]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Raphael]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small>
| setting= [[Universe (Parallax)|Unnamed universe]]
| setting= [[Parallax Universe]]
| crossovers =
| crossovers =
| length= 1329 words
| length= 1329 words
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| previous2 = ''[[Barbelith Baristas (short story)|Barbelith Baristas]]''  
| previous2 = ''[[Barbelith Baristas (short story)|Barbelith Baristas]]''  
| next2 = ''[[So You're Jenny Everywhere (short story)|So You're Jenny Everywhere]]''
| next2 = ''[[So You're Jenny Everywhere (short story)|So You're Jenny Everywhere]]''
}}'''''Cleaning Day''''' was a [[Jenny Everywhere]] short story written by [[Scott Sanford]] in 2022. In addition to being part of his [[Universe (Parallax)|bespoke ''Jenny Everywhere'' continuity]], it also tied in with [[Lupan Evezan]]'s 2021 [[Jenny Everywhere Day]] story, [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Disappearance of Jenny Everywhere (short story)|The Disappearance of Jenny Everywhere]]''.
}}'''''Cleaning Day''''' was a [[Jenny Everywhere]] short story written by [[Scott Sanford]] in 2022 and is part of his [[Parallax Universe|bespoke ''Jenny Everywhere'' continuity]].


== Contents ==
== Contents ==
===Plot ===
===Plot ===
For a long time now, [[Jenny Everywhere#Kim's friend|Jenny Everywhere]] has been indiscriminately stuffing items brought back from interdimensional jaunts into her closet. When one of the items within it — a [[mammoth]]-fur coat — gets wet and begins to stink up the apartment, [[Kim#Jenny's roommate|Kim]] finally browbeats Jenny into helping her to go through the closet's contents to sort them out. They include an [[amnesia orb]] which causes them quite a bit of trouble as it keeps erasing itself from their memories and getting lost again, until Kim finally thinks to wrap it inside an old shirt and stuff it into a box before they let it out of their sights again. Eventually, they locate the mammoth-fur coat and, “with great relief”, consign it to the dry cleaner.
For a long time now, [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|Jenny Everywhere]] has been indiscriminately stuffing items brought back from interdimensional jaunts into her closet. When one of the items within it — a [[mammoth]]-fur coat — gets wet and begins to stink up the apartment, [[Kim (Parallax Universe)|Kim]] finally browbeats Jenny into helping her to go through the closet's contents to sort them out. They include an [[amnesia orb]] which causes them quite a bit of trouble as it keeps erasing itself from their memories and getting lost again, until Kim finally thinks to wrap it inside an old shirt and stuff it into a box before they let it out of their sights again. Eventually, they locate the mammoth-fur coat and, “with great relief”, consign it to the dry cleaner.


===Worldbuilding===
===Worldbuilding===
====Jenny Everywhere====
====Jenny Everywhere====
* [[Jenny Everywhere#Kim's friend|The Jenny]] featured in this story is the default incarnation of [[Scott Sanford's Jenny Everywhere stories]]. Her closet contains paraphernalia belonging to other Jennies, including ''[[The World is Toast]]'', a book which she specifies was written by [[Jenny Everywhere#Writing The World is Toast|another Jenny]].
* [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|The Jenny]] featured in this story is the default incarnation of [[Scott Sanford's Jenny Everywhere stories]]. Her closet contains paraphernalia belonging to other Jennies, including ''[[The World is Toast]]'', a book which she specifies was written by [[Jenny Everywhere#Writing The World is Toast|another Jenny]].


====Universes====
====Universes====
* The story takes place in [[Universe (Parallax)|the default universe]] of [[Scott Sanford's Jenny Everywhere stories]]. A [[The Bible|Bible]] is described as a “leather-bound [[King Charles Version]] with only six gospels, omitting [[Bartholomew]]”, in a manner strongly suggesting that it is normal for this universe rather than one of Jenny's interdimensional aberrations — giving some clue as to the minor divergences between this universe and real-world history.
* The story takes place in [[Parallax Universe|the default universe]] of [[Scott Sanford's Jenny Everywhere stories]]. A [[The Bible|Bible]] is described as a “leather-bound [[King Charles Version]] with only six gospels, omitting [[Bartholomew]]”, in a manner strongly suggesting that it is normal for this universe rather than one of Jenny's interdimensional aberrations — giving some clue as to the minor divergences between this universe and real-world history.


====Other====
====Other====
* Contents of the closet include:  
* Contents of the closet include:  
** A {{w|Barrett_M82|Barrett Light Fifty}} [[Jenny Everywhere's rifle|rifle]].
** A {{w|Barrett_M82|Barrett Light Fifty}} [[Jenny Everywhere's Barrett|rifle]].
** A cloak made up of [[Stegosaurus]] hide, described as “robust but not in fashion in [[Universe (Parallax)|this universe]]”.
** A cloak made up of [[Stegosaurus]] hide, described as “robust but not in fashion in [[Parallax Universe|this universe]]”.
** A picture depicting Jenny standing in front of a biplane, with “[[Burma]], 1931” written in Jenny's own handwriting, though Jenny doesn't remember the picture's origins.
** A picture depicting Jenny standing in front of a biplane, with “[[Burma]], 1931” written in Jenny's own handwriting, though Jenny doesn't remember the picture's origins.
** The [[Crown of the Vampire King|Crown]] of [[the Vampire King]], described as a “powerful mystical artefact”.
** The [[Crown of the Vampire King|Crown]] of [[the Vampire King]], described as a “powerful mystical artefact”.
** An [[amnesia orb]], described as a “mystical sphere the size of a golf ball that disrupts the short-term memory of anyone who looks at it”.
** An [[amnesia orb]], described as a “mystical sphere the size of a golf ball that disrupts the short-term memory of anyone who looks at it”.
** [[Professor Awesome#Kim and Jenny's neighbour|Professor Awesome]]'s [[de-pants-icator]].
** [[Professor Awesome (Parallax Universe)|Professor Awesome]]'s [[de-pants-icator]].
** A [[Reality Bomb]], specifically a “[[Mark IV Peace Bomb]]”, property of the [[Unified States Reality Service]], bearing the best-by date “best before 3 March 2267”.
** A [[Reality Bomb]], specifically a “[[Mark IV Peace Bomb]]”, property of the [[Unified States Reality Service]], bearing the best-by date “best before 3 March 2267”.
** A tin taped shut with masking tape, apparently containing “the concept of [[squimulation]]”.  
** A tin taped shut with masking tape, apparently containing “the concept of [[squimulation]]”.  
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** A back issue of ''[[Pravda]]'' from the 1980s whose headline mentions [[Mikhail Gorbachev|Gorbachev]] singing.
** A back issue of ''[[Pravda]]'' from the 1980s whose headline mentions [[Mikhail Gorbachev|Gorbachev]] singing.
** A leather-bound [[King Charles Version]] [[The Bible|Bible]] with “only six gospels, omitting [[Bartholomew]]”.
** A leather-bound [[King Charles Version]] [[The Bible|Bible]] with “only six gospels, omitting [[Bartholomew]]”.
** A large pile of freebie T-shirts advertising an obscure band.  
** A large pile of freebie T-shirts advertising various obscure bands and musicians.  
** A broken “Carnot engine” [[perpetual motion machine]].  
** A broken “Carnot engine” [[perpetual motion machine]].  
** A seemingly-normal [[toaster]] bearing a note saying “Perfectly Normal Toaster”, much to Kim's suspicion.
** A seemingly-normal [[toaster]] bearing a note saying “Perfectly Normal Toaster”, much to Kim's suspicion.
** A “small and badly cracked plastic jar” containing [[Resublimated Thiotimoline]].
** A “small and badly cracked plastic jar” containing [[Resublimated Thiotimoline]].
** Posters from a version of the [[Louvre]], reproducing “[[Leonardo Da Vinci]]'s ''[[Mona Ovunque]]'' and a print of [[Raphael]]'s sketch ''[[Nude with Scarf]]''”.
** Posters from a version of the [[Louvre]], reproducing “[[Leonardo Da Vinci]]'s ''[[Mona Ovunque]]'' and a print of [[Raphael]]'s sketch ''[[Nude with Scarf]]''”.
** A CD of “the [[David Cassidy]] inauguration.
** A CD of “the [[David Cassidy]] inauguration”.
** A “black superhero costume made of some thick rubbery substance, inexplicably molded with idealized muscular definition and anatomically correct nipples”.
** A “black superhero costume made of some thick rubbery substance, inexplicably molded with idealized muscular definition and anatomically correct nipples”.
** A “luxurious fur coat, with a multitude of interior pockets”, which is made of [[mammoth]] fur and is therefore “both wonderfully warm in the winter and highly odoriferous in the rain”.
** A “luxurious fur coat, with a multitude of interior pockets”, which is made of [[mammoth]] fur and is therefore “both wonderfully warm in the winter and highly odoriferous in the rain”.
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=== Continuity ===
=== Continuity ===
* Some of the items are references to others of [[Scott Sanford's Jenny Everywhere stories]]:
* Some of the items are references to others of [[Scott Sanford's Jenny Everywhere stories]]:
** [[The Vampire King]] was previously mentioned in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Camera Shy (short story)|Camera Shy]]''.
** [[The Vampire King]] was previously seen in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Camera Shy (short story)|Camera Shy]]''.
** The [[de-pants-icator]] was mentioned in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Paying It Forward (novel)|Paying It Forward]]'' and ''[[Pit Stop (novel)|Pit Stop]]''.
** The [[de-pants-icator]] was mentioned in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Paying It Forward (novel)|Paying It Forward]]'' and ''[[Pit Stop (novel)|Pit Stop]]''.
* Others reference stories pertaining to other Jennies, with it being ambiguous quite how they wound up in this Jenny's closet. They include:
* Others reference stories pertaining to other Jennies, with it being ambiguous quite how they wound up in this Jenny's closet. They include:
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* The [[Good Time Chinese Restaurant]] is a location from [[Daria Morgendorffer|''Daria'']]. Notably, it housed a “dimensional wormhole” in the back.  
* The [[Good Time Chinese Restaurant]] is a location from [[Daria Morgendorffer|''Daria'']]. Notably, it housed a “dimensional wormhole” in the back.  
* The issue of ''[[Pravda]]'' whose front page nonsensically reads “''Gorbachev sings tractors: Turnip! Buttocks!''" originated in the comic strip ''{{w|Bloom County|Bloom County}}''. In one of its most famous jokes, precocious computer whiz {{w|Oliver Wendell Jones|Oliver Wendell Jones}} attempted to remotely bring an end to the Cold War by introducing onto the front page of ''{{w|Pravda|Pravda}}'' the headline, “{{w|Mikhail Gorbachev|Gorbachev}} Urges Disarmament: Total! Unilateral!”, only for faulty machine translation to cause the headline to read, “''Gorbachev Sings Tractors: Turnip! Buttocks!''”.
* The issue of ''[[Pravda]]'' whose front page nonsensically reads “''Gorbachev sings tractors: Turnip! Buttocks!''" originated in the comic strip ''{{w|Bloom County|Bloom County}}''. In one of its most famous jokes, precocious computer whiz {{w|Oliver Wendell Jones|Oliver Wendell Jones}} attempted to remotely bring an end to the Cold War by introducing onto the front page of ''{{w|Pravda|Pravda}}'' the headline, “{{w|Mikhail Gorbachev|Gorbachev}} Urges Disarmament: Total! Unilateral!”, only for faulty machine translation to cause the headline to read, “''Gorbachev Sings Tractors: Turnip! Buttocks!''”.
* {{w|Thiotimoline|Resublimated Thiotimoline}} was a fictional chemical invented by {{w|Isaac Asimov|Isaac Asimov}} in a 1948 spoof academic paper entitled ''The Endochronic Properties of Resublimated Thiotimoline'', and used in several follow-ups. Thiotimoline has gone on to be referenced by many other science-fiction writers.


===Read online===
===Read online===

Latest revision as of 02:23, 2 April 2023

Cleaning Day was a Jenny Everywhere short story written by Scott Sanford in 2022 and is part of his bespoke Jenny Everywhere continuity.

Contents

Plot

For a long time now, Jenny Everywhere has been indiscriminately stuffing items brought back from interdimensional jaunts into her closet. When one of the items within it — a mammoth-fur coat — gets wet and begins to stink up the apartment, Kim finally browbeats Jenny into helping her to go through the closet's contents to sort them out. They include an amnesia orb which causes them quite a bit of trouble as it keeps erasing itself from their memories and getting lost again, until Kim finally thinks to wrap it inside an old shirt and stuff it into a box before they let it out of their sights again. Eventually, they locate the mammoth-fur coat and, “with great relief”, consign it to the dry cleaner.

Worldbuilding

Jenny Everywhere

Universes

Other

Continuity

Behind the scenes

Background

Rather than his customary author's commentary, Scott Sanford posted a fully-annotated version of the story, explaining its many in-jokes. In addition to those described in the continuity section above, a few are references to other works of fiction:

  • The picture of Jenny in Burma, 1931, is described to resemble an illustration by Paul Daly of the character of Tasha O'Dare in his High Adventures Comics, which bore a striking resemblance to Jenny.
  • A version of Aztec deity Tepoztēcatl living in modern-day Minneapolis appears in the webcomic Wapsi Square.
  • The Good Time Chinese Restaurant is a location from Daria. Notably, it housed a “dimensional wormhole” in the back.
  • The issue of Pravda whose front page nonsensically reads “Gorbachev sings tractors: Turnip! Buttocks!" originated in the comic strip Bloom County. In one of its most famous jokes, precocious computer whiz Oliver Wendell Jones attempted to remotely bring an end to the Cold War by introducing onto the front page of Pravda the headline, “Gorbachev Urges Disarmament: Total! Unilateral!”, only for faulty machine translation to cause the headline to read, “Gorbachev Sings Tractors: Turnip! Buttocks!”.
  • Resublimated Thiotimoline was a fictional chemical invented by Isaac Asimov in a 1948 spoof academic paper entitled The Endochronic Properties of Resublimated Thiotimoline, and used in several follow-ups. Thiotimoline has gone on to be referenced by many other science-fiction writers.

Read online

The story is available on the author's Dreamwidth website.