Sombrero Fallout

Richard Brautigan

Surreal does not even begin to describe it. This is the Salvador Dali of surreal novels - so much so it makes 'Alice in Wonderland' look normal. It begins with a deep-frozen sombrero, and works from there by a natural, logical progression through a purring cat controlling dreams to a national cataclysm. The logic is infallible, leading inexorably to chaos. An inspired read.

Extract

AS THE RIOT was commencing on the Main Street of town, it is necessary to bring up a very important detail right now:
the train.
The railroad station was six blocks away from the riot and there was a train at the station. It was an eight-car freight train carrying property that belonged to the United States government, more specifically it belonged to the Army.
The train was carrying weapons and ammunition that was on its way to an Army post out in California.
That takes care of the important detail.

Parallels