Once again, I’m using Microsoft Co-Pilot while experimenting with human-AI teaming to write short stories. The first short story that I posted titled “Latrodectus mactans” is found here. At the end of the story, I will share the initial prompt that I used to generate the story and discuss briefly how I interacted with Co-Pilot to finalize the details of the story.
The short story begins…
The subway rumbled through the underground station, a symphony of clattering tracks and distant voices. Amid the hustle and bustle of New York City, a man stood by the tiled wall, his silhouette framed by the dim glow of the station lights. With a fiddle tucked under his chin and a bow in hand, Jack Brown brought the subway to life with melodies that transcended the chaos around him.
A passerby, a young woman named Maria, paused to listen, drawn by the soulful strains of Jack’s music. She watched as commuters dropped coins and bills into the open case at his feet, captivated by the way Jack could weave a tapestry of sound from the strings of his fiddle. As the crowd thinned, Maria noticed an elderly man standing nearby, his eyes fixed on Jack with a knowing smile.
“He’s something special, isn’t he?” the elderly man said, turning to Maria.
She nodded, unable to tear her eyes away from Jack. “Yes, he is. Do you know him?”
The elderly man chuckled softly. “Oh, I know him well.”
Maria leaned in, eager to hear more. The elderly man began, his voice carrying the weight of years gone by. “Jack Brown wasn’t always here in the subway. He used to be just Jack, a homeless man who played his fiddle in this very station. He could draw a crowd like no one else. But it was late at night, when the station was nearly empty, that Jack truly came alive. He’d play his own music, songs he wrote from the depths of his soul.”
Maria listened intently, the strains of Jack’s fiddle creating a poignant backdrop to the tale. “One night,” the elderly man continued, “a music producer happened to pass by. It was pure chance, really. The producer was enthralled by Jack’s unique sound and heartfelt lyrics. He knew he’d discovered something extraordinary.”
Jack played a hauntingly beautiful melody, his fingers dancing over the strings with practiced ease. The notes seemed to tell a story of their own, filled with longing and hope.
“The producer made Jack famous,” the elderly man said, his eyes reflecting the glow of the station lights. “He became known far and wide. People started calling him ‘The Music Man.’ His music reached every corner of the world, inspiring countless individuals, and touching hearts in ways no one could have imagined. He became a legend in the music industry, a symbol of true artistic purity.”
Maria’s eyes widened in shock. “He’s the Music Man?”
The elderly man nodded. “Yes, that’s him. The very same.”
Maria was speechless for a moment, a flood of memories washing over her. “I grew up listening to his music,” she said softly. “My mother would play it all the time. His songs were the soundtrack of my childhood.”
The elderly man smiled warmly. “His music touched many lives. But Jack never understood the world of fame. He thought everyone wanted to listen to his music all the time, but he couldn’t grasp why people wanted him to change his style or sing songs he didn’t know. All he ever wanted was to share his own music, the songs that came from his heart. So, he walked away from it all and returned to where he truly belonged—the subway.”
Maria’s eyes widened in surprise. “He chose to come back?”
The elderly man nodded. “This place, these tunnels, the people passing by—it’s his home. Jack finds joy in playing his tunes here, late at night, when the world slows down and he can lose himself in the music. Plus, he needs someone to watch over him.”
As Jack finished his song, the subway station fell silent for a moment before applause erupted from the small crowd that had gathered. Jack smiled, a genuine, heartfelt smile, and nodded in gratitude.
Maria glanced at the elderly man, a newfound appreciation in her eyes. “Thank you for sharing his story. Why does he need someone to watch over him?”
The elderly man hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “Jack… he sees the world differently. He’s a musical genius, but everyday life can be challenging for him. He’s a savant, you see. His mind works in mysterious ways, allowing him to create music that transcends the ordinary. But this also means he needs someone to protect him, to help him navigate the complexities of the world outside his music.”
Maria looked back at Jack, her heart aching as she suddenly understood what the elderly man was trying to say. She nodded, acknowledging the unspoken truth.
The elderly man tipped his hat, a mysterious glint in his eye. “I’ve known Jack for many years. I keep an eye on him, make sure he’s safe. Jack may have walked away from fame, but he’ll never walk alone.”
With that, the elderly man stepped back into the dimness of the station, leaving Maria to ponder the remarkable tale of Jack Brown, “The Music Man.”
As Maria walked away, the elderly man watched her go, his expression softening. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a worn business card. On it, in faded print, was the name of a well-known music producer. He looked back at Jack, a hint of pride in his eyes. The producer had found Jack once, and though fame had eluded him, he had never stopped watching over the musician who had touched so many hearts. Perhaps, he too had given up more than Maria would ever know, for the love of Jack’s music.
…the end. The images are also generated by Co-Pilot. The main prompt that generates the story is:
I want to have a short story that’s a heart warming tale about who makes a living playing the fiddle in the subway of New York City. His name is Jack Brown. He’s an African American. He’s lived a hard life and is homeless. He lives on the streets and the music he plays is his only source of income. He knows all the popular tunes from Rock-n-Roll to Country, and he knows how to draw a crowd passing by on the subway station in. He can work a crowd. Late at night, when the subway station is not as busy, he plays his own music that he has written. It’s deep soulful sound that is unique. He gets a big break when a producer passes by late at night by random chance and becomes enthralled by the sound from the man’s fiddle, and the lyrics he sings. The producer makes him famous, and he becomes known as “The Music Man.” But Jack soon becomes disenchanted with the fame and glitz of being a star. He refuses to sell out, and as a result, he becomes homeless again. But he loves the life in the subway. That’s his home. He finds joy in playing his tunes late at. That is the background to Jack. And the story is set in the subway after Jack has become famous and decided to be homeless again. Jack’s story is told from the perspective of a passerby who pauses to hear Jack play. The passerby tells Jack’s secret history to another bystander.
I then go on to add prompts to groom the story. It’s fairly amazing how quickly one can go from concept to story. So far, I have generated eight short stories, and I’m planning to put them into a book.
I’d be interested to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Have you used large-language models like Co-Pilot or ChatGPT to write fiction?
