Photograph by Kathy De La Torre
Writer Michael Vaughn presents 'An Agnostic Christmas' at several local coffeehouses this month.
Local writer celebrates 'An Agnostic Christmas'
Vaughn hosted Blue Rock Shoot fiction series
By Shari Kaplan
For people who follow religions other than Christianity, the "December Dilemma" describes the feelings--awkward, indignant or indifferent--they experience during the Christmas season. But what about people with doubts about religion in general?
Michael J. Vaughn of Los Gatos doesn't have the answers. But he offers a humorous and somewhat cynical yet thoughtful view of the holiday season and its trappings in his short story, An Agnostic Christmas. The story and tongue-in-cheek illustrations by artist Frank A. Bella of Mountain View were published in book form in November (Dragonfly Press, 1999). The story debuted in December 1995 in Vaughn's hometown paper, The Sunnyvale Sun.
Throughout December, Vaughn and friends--actress Gabriella Guetzkow, poet Robert Pesich and writer William Jeske--are acting out the story and selling the book at local coffeehouses.
The plot revolves around Harman Jones, a devout agnostic who refuses to put up Christmas decorations, and John Sorenson, head of the Arbor Court Decorating Committee. Sorenson's tireless crusade is to light up the dark house on the block, which Vaughn likens to "a long electrical smile with one tooth missing."
"[The story] came about very much by chance. I've always had a fascination with Christmas lights and was trying to justify my love of Christmas with the fact that I'm an agnostic," Vaughn says. "You can have religious views, but you can also enjoy this stuff just because you enjoy it."
So does Vaughn see something of himself in Jones?
"Sort of," he says, smiling. "In a sense, every one of his rambling philosophic thoughts are ones I've had as well. But the big difference is that with Harman, because he's agnostic, his answer is to not pay tribute to any religions. I feel just the opposite: I like to take from and appreciate all of them."
Vaughn won't divulge the story's ending, but promises a good sense of resolution.
Vaughn, who graduated from San Jose State University with a journalism degree, worked for several years as publicity director for Saratoga's Villa Montalvo and now writes opera and theater critiques for Metro and the Palo Alto Weekly . He's also published a novel and several short stories and poems; an online novel is due next year.
For five years, Vaughn hosted the Art @ 8 Poetry Series at City Espresso in Campbell. Earlier this year, he also hosted Michael J.'s Fiction Lounge at Blue Rock Shoot coffeehouse in Saratoga. He participates in monthly open-mic readings at Cafe Rouge in Los Gatos. He also has a very nonliterary day job: He paints houses.
Readings take place Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. at Cafe Rouge, 42 Elm St., Los Gatos; Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. at Coffee Cantata, 1702 Meridian Ave., San Jose; and Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. at City Espresso, 1820-B Campbell Ave., Campbell. The Campbell reading is followed by a gig by Randie & the eDawgs, a band for whom Vaughn plays drums. For more information, contact Vaughn at 408.402.9846.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
