Hello, fellow October Country dwellers --

Back in 2004 I found a recent trade paper anthology - probably Halloween related - that included a wonderfully droll, witty short story by Ray which (I think!) involved three sisters who lived together in a small town. They were strange, therefore outcast; but one married - with humorous consequences. Not really sure about these details. Very likely this story was late Ray: written after 1985...

Since then, I have scoured every Bradbury collection: no luck. I have checked out numerous Halloween anthologies: ditto. Help!
What is the name of this story!

Thank you for your attention.
-- Mark

From what I recall this story involves two sisters and a guy attracted to one of them but only the other, who is attracted to him, will speak to him. The one he is attracted to is grossed out by him and he is not attracted to the sister who admires him. The sisters use this situation to get the guy all flustered. I can't think of any Bradbury story with more than two sisters but I can't seem to find this one, either, or think of what it could be. I definitely feel it appeared in a much more recent collection than Driving Blind.

I had the feeling the collection was We'll Always Have Paris but it wasn't any of the ones I checked in there.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: dandelion,

This sounds very much like "Triangle" from The Cat's Pajamas.

The only inconsistency is that it was never published before 2004, so it's not a 1990s story.

My note on the story is:

"A woman in her thirties has for many years had a secret crush on a man she sees around town. One day, at last, he comes calling - but it's her sister (who isn't interested) he wants to see! The visit obviously ends in disaster, with all three characters contemplating the years of unrequited love ahead. A minor (and, until now, discarded) Green Town story."

Thanks, that was indeed the story of which I was thinking. Wonder if it's the one Mark meant?

Friends!
Thank you so much for your kind attempts to reconnect me with my lost Bradbury.
Regrettably, The Triangle was not the story I have been struggling to find.
The story I am still looking for was included in a Halloween-themed (I am pretty sure) anthology that I purchased in 2003 or 2004. Since it was composed of current stories, I am guessing that it was something Ray wrote between 1997-2002. Was a quite witty, amusing though dark toned story that had something to do with a group of sisters who were assumed to be witches in a small town (maybe?). I recall that tables were turned in a most droll manner at the end.
My search continues. Once found, I will certainly record it herein.
Thank you, again for your help.

Mark, my guess is that the story you read isn't by Ray Bradbury, after all, despite your recollection. I have notes on over three hundred of his published stories, and your description isn't close to any of them. The only Ray Bradbury story I know of that has appeared in more than one Halloween-themed anthology is "The October Game", and that's definitely not the story you're looking for.

Because of Ray Bradbury's fame, readers often have his name in their heads when they're looking for a story, only to discover that the story was by someone else. There are any number of examples of this in the annals of this forum.

I have two suggestions: You could perhaps try the facebook page of The Center for Ray Bradbury Studies---if Professor Eller and his elves cannot identify this as a Ray Bradbury story, it is not by him. Another idea is to try the discussion board of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, and float your question there.