On 22 Jun 2010 19:52:02 -0500, " +Grant. " <+Grant@grant.grant> wrote:
>In article <q0e2269735a2t8gjnnri27mo6v5ngfu46l@4ax.com>, HMS Victor
>Victorian <victorvictorian@hushunomail.com> wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:14:15 -0400, Mover <Mover@Watch-Me.com> wrote:
>>
>> >In article <p872269ovkj1il76guef2hkdd7uaq8fh6r@4ax.com>, HMS Victor
>> >Victorian <victorvictorian@hushunomail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >> On Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:48:46 -0400, Mover <Mover@Watch-Me.com> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >In article <Grant-me-that-2106102@Grant.Grant>, +Grant.
>> >> ><+Grant@grant.grant> wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >> The Adventures of Stevie #9
>> >> >>
>> >> >> These stories were told to me by friends and other people. Some of them
>> >> >> are true. Some of them are only partly true. Some of them should have
>> >> >> been true. LOL
>> >> >>
>> >> >> My first post about Stevie ("Call me Stephen!") was when he was 12 and
>> >> >> in summer camp and was told by another camper. This was from a time
>> >> >> before computers would fit on a desk and when people communicated with
>> >> >> friends in other countries by actual letters sent through the postal
>> >> >> service. When children did this those friends were called "penpals".
>> >> >> Carlos is Stevie's penpal in Argentina and knows English. This is a
>> >> >> fictional contrivance to enable Stevie to tell us his stories because
>> >> >> he isn't here in person. I think.
>> >> >> The stories may not be posted in chronological order.
>> >> >> Stevie's school is for gifted children who don't fit in regular schools.
>> >> >> It's spring now, and Stevie has just turned 11. He has studied to
>> >> >> become a better communicator, and has succeeded.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> The Adventures of Stevie #9 "Tit for Tat"
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Dear Carlos,
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I learned a very important lesson this week. I will tell you about it
>> >> >> later. First I have to tell you about what happened in fencing class.
>> >> >> The teacher was surprised I hit what I aim for all the time, no matter
>> >> >> how fast I move. I told him it was because of two things. I have very
>> >> >> strong fingers from my metal sculpture I have been doing since I was
>> >> >> very little, and I always know exactly where the target is, so I can
>> >> >> aim the foil fast and thrust right. He didn't believe me, so I showed
>> >> >> him. He believes me now and is a little sore for it. Ha ha. I showed
>> >> >> him how strong my fingers are by grabbing his wrist and squeezing it
>> >> >> until he yelled STOP. He was very surprised a weak looking little boy
>> >> >> could to that. I guess he never saw me practice bending forks and
>> >> >> spoons with the fingers of one hand at lunch. The judo and karate
>> >> >> teacher we call Sensei already knows. Then I put some tape on the wall
>> >> >> in different places and wrote numbers on them. I turned my back to the
>> >> >> wall and told him to call out the numbers in any order. He did that and
>> >> >> I hit each number over my shoulder with the tip of the foil without
>> >> >> looking, as fast as he could call out the numbers. He said "how did you
>> >> >> do that?" I said "I already told you. I know where the targets are. I
>> >> >> saw them, remember? I didn't have to look again because they didn't
>> >> >> move." I don't think he believed me, but he couldn't think of anything
>> >> >> else. It was a good thing I didn't tell him most times I don't have to
>> >> >> see a target at all to know where it is, even if I never saw it before.
>> >> >> I think Sensei knows, because nobody can sneak up behind me and get
>> >> >> away with it, but he won't tell. I will explain it.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Sometimes I know about things I can't see, because I have special
>> >> >> hearing. I can hear very soft sounds that nobody else can hear until
>> >> >> the sounds get louder, and I can hear higher frequencies than normal
>> >> >> people, which only animals like cats and dogs can hear. Mother doesn't
>> >> >> know because she would think I am a freak. Father knows because he saw
>> >> >> that loud sounds hurt my ears more than normal people, and had me
>> >> >> tested. There is something else nobody can really understand except
>> >> >> somebody who is blind. Just like them I can use my ears to see. They
>> >> >> learn it because they don't have eyes that work so they have to
>> >> >> concentrate on hearing, but I do it better because I was born with
>> >> >> better hearing and grew up with seeing ears so my brain grew in a way
>> >> >> that helps me use that better, just like bats see in the dark with
>> >> >> their ears. They make sounds and listen to them bounce off things. That
>> >> >> tells them where the thing is and how hard it is, because sounds bounce
>> >> >> back sharper from hard things than soft things which soak up part of
>> >> >> the sound. You can make different kinds of sounds, and from what comes
>> >> >> back you can tell different things about what they bounce off of. If
>> >> >> you don't believe me I can tell how you can hear this for yourself.
>> >> >> Have you ever been in a room that echos when you make a sound? That's
>> >> >> what I hear all the time, but I get a lot more information from it
>> >> >> because I can hear higher frequencies that bounce better. If you hang
>> >> >> lots of curtains in that room, the echos will stop because the sounds
>> >> >> are absorbed by the cloth. Here is another test. Go into a quiet medium
>> >> >> size room and put an electric fan in it. You sit or stand about 10 feet
>> >> >> from the fan with your back to it, so you can feel the wind on you. Ask
>> >> >> somebody to walk halfway between you and the fan as quiet as they can
>> >> >> so you can't hear them move, and stand between you and the fan. You
>> >> >> will hear the sound from the fan change when they do that. You might be
>> >> >> able to feel the difference in the air on your skin when the air
>> >> >> changes the way it moves, too. I hear these things and a whole lot
>> >> >> more. Because of this I have a good picture of a room I'm in and know
>> >> >> everything that changes in it, all without having to think about it or
>> >> >> see it with my eyes. There is more. I can hear people breathing and
>> >> >> sometimes their heart beat, and their knees and elbows move, and their
>> >> >> shoes squeak, and their clothing rubbing together that they can't hear.
>> >> >> This helps me a lot in body reading and signaling, which I will explain
>> >> >> to you next.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> We don't just communicate by talking. We communicate with how our faces
>> >> >> and bodies move, sometimes even more than speaking. It's like a
>> >> >> language and a code. The language is simple but the codes are complex
>> >> >> and hard to read unless you learn and practice. A language is a way to
>> >> >> communicate ideas and a lot more. A code is something that means
>> >> >> something it isn't. It's like shaking your head. Unless you are trying
>> >> >> to avoid a fly buzzing around your face, it means you are saying NO.
>> >> >> That's a simple code. If you put a lot of simple codes together you can
>> >> >> make it almost as complex as a real language and communicate a lot of
>> >> >> information with it, which we all do but most people don't notice we
>> >> >> send and receive this information from each other all the time. If we
>> >> >> don't know we are doing it, and don't study the body codes and what
>> >> >> they mean, we can't fake it, so people who know the body codes can
>> >> >> learn a lot about us we don't want them to, like they can tell if we
>> >> >> lie. My father teaches this part time at the school, and cyphers and
>> >> >> lock-picking too, which are more things we can talk about later. There
>> >> >> is one more thing about this. You can make up your own codes, like lift
>> >> >> your shoulder and move a little finger at the same time to say you are
>> >> >> hungry to somebody who you told that's what it means. You can make up
>> >> >> your own secret body code and nobody else will know what it means
>> >> >> except the people who learn it. This way we can do like talking to each
>> >> >> other and nobody knows we are doing it. Father teaches it to us.
>> >> >> Students have our own body code at the school. Teachers have a
>> >> >> different code. They don't know I know most of it because I am my
>> >> >> father's best body code student. We call doing it signaling. I can
>> >> >> understand the body language better than normal people because I can
>> >> >> hear some of it, not just see it. I am very good at reading poker
>> >> >> players. Ha ha.
>> >> >> You should know about all this because it helps explain what happened
>> >> >> later.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Ever since I learned what breasts are for, I have been very curious
>> >> >> about them. I decided to experiment. SueAnn is a student at my school.
>> >> >> She is 14 and has big breasts, and is very shy. When I see her in the
>> >> >> hallway and nobody else is around, I run up to her and squeeze one of
>> >> >> her breasts a little. She holds very still and her face turns bright
>> >> >> pink. She looks like a like a frozen popsicle in a dress with hot sauce
>> >> >> on top. Then she runs to the girl's bathroom, and I run away to the
>> >> >> boy's bathroom to wait for my monster to quiet down. So far I have done
>> >> >> this to both her breasts and with both of my hands, which I change back
>> >> >> and forth, and no milk has come out yet to make her dress wet. She
>> >> >> never tells on me. These experiments are exciting in a fun way. A week
>> >> >> ago I ran into the bathroom after one of the experiments, and Will was
>> >> >> there standing in the middle with his zipper down.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Will is 14 and is the strongest student. He has bigger muscles than
>> >> >> anybody I ever saw. He can lift people over his head! He is the best at
>> >> >> judo, but I never practiced with him. He likes me a little because I'm
>> >> >> good at karate, and I have a special claw hand shape I use to grab,
>> >> >> that's very strong.
>> >> >> His zipper was down because it was broken. He asked me to help him fix
>> >> >> it because my hands are smaller than his and would fit there better,
>> >> >> and I have very strong fingers. I tried jerking the zipper thing up for
>> >> >> a long time and it didn't move, but something else did. His monster
>> >> >> grew upward too. I couldn't help touching it through his tight white
>> >> >> briefs when I was jerking the zipper up, because his pants were so
>> >> >> tight. He started making little moaning noises like a ghost from the
>> >> >> bottom of a dry well. I knew what that meant! I tried to back away
>> >> >> before he made my fingers slimy, but he grabbed my hands and made them
>> >> >> rub his monster more. I was caught and couldn't get away. Then his
>> >> >> monster jumped and my fingers were wet and sticky. He let me go, and I
>> >> >> washed my hands. I said I couldn't fix his zipper, and was going to get
>> >> >> some safety pins to close his pants, and ran out of there.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I came back with the pins, and gave them to him. He asked me to help
>> >> >> him put them in. I tried but he jerked my face too close to his zipper
>> >> >> for some reason I don't know, and I accidentally stabbed my thumb with
>> >> >> the pin. A little blood came out. He said he was sorry, but didn't
>> >> >> sound like it, and pulled me up so he could look at it. Then he put my
>> >> >> whole thumb in his mouth and sucked hard up and down it. It felt
>> >> >> strange and and my monster liked it a little. I asked him why he was
>> >> >> doing it, and tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let go. He made some
>> >> >> noises but he couldn't talk so I could understand while my thumb was
>> >> >> plugging up his mouth. Now I know why the dentist didn't understand
>> >> >> what I was trying to tell him. I finally pulled my thumb away, which
>> >> >> came out with a loud "plop". I was rubbing my thumb dry on my shirt
>> >> >> while I ran out of there and back to class. I run everywhere. He came
>> >> >> back a little later with his pants closed with the safety pins.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Things changed. Will kept looking at me all day and the next day like
>> >> >> he was hungry and rubbing his zipper when he thought nobody would see.
>> >> >> He was wrong. People did see and I could tell they didn't like it. That
>> >> >> kind of body code doesn't lie. I didn't like it either, and I didn't
>> >> >> like what he made me do in the bathroom. He didn't ask, and that made
>> >> >> it bad. If Jeremy asked me, I might do it, but Jeremy is nice and would
>> >> >> never make me, and Will is mean and might hurt me to make me. Then the
>> >> >> school psychologist Dr. Wyman Knot came and signaled a come-with code
>> >> >> to Mrs. Toffeekness, the literature teacher who was in the class, and
>> >> >> they went out of the classroom and whispered to each other, which I
>> >> >> heard without them knowing it. They were going to take Will away. Then
>> >> >> they came back in and took Will out of the class. He never came back.
>> >> >> They said Will was expelled, and we would never see him again. I felt
>> >> >> better he wasn't here anymore to do what he did, but I felt sorry for
>> >> >> him too. This is a great school.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> What happened with Will made me think about what I did with SueAnn.
>> >> >> Then I ran to the bathroom and cried. I was just as mean as Will! I
>> >> >> didn't want to be like that. NEVER NEVER NEVER! I didn't want to make
>> >> >> people feel bad like Will did to me. I didn't want to be expelled too.
>> >> >> Then I wiped my face and went to talk to SueAnn. I told her I was very
>> >> >> sorry I did what I did to her without her permission, that I didn't
>> >> >> understand it was bad before, and I would never do it again. She said
>> >> >> "thank you", and took my hand, and we went back to class. I almost
>> >> >> cried again.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I learned this very important lesson.
>> >> >> Doing things to people's body's they don't want you to do is very bad.
>> >> >> Making them do things to your body they don't want to do is very bad
>> >> >> too.
>> >> >> Making people feel bad so you can feel good is maybe the worst thing in
>> >> >> the world.
>> >> >> I will remember this lesson all my life.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Your friend,
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Stephen
>> >> >
>> >> >I see what you mean, about the explanations. They promise intriguing
>> >> >things to come.
>> >> >
>> >> >An important lesson, is very true. I like it.
>> >> >Stevie is growing up, as should we all.
>> >> >
>> >> >I look forward to reading your next creation.
>> >> >
>> >> >Mover, the avid reader
>> >> >
>> >> >Ps
>> >> >Doc is wrong. The posters who contributed to the names of "Dr. Wyman
>> >> >Knot (lol) and Mrs. Toffeeknees", were not always enemies, contrary to
>> >> >what Doc wanted, and did collaborate at times.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Dear Mover,
>> >>
>> >> " ... as should we all."
>> >>
>> >> Should we?
>> >>
>> >> Growing up is the seed of all the problems in the world.
>> >>
>> >> Think about it.
>> >>
>> >> Respectfully,
>> >> VV
>> >>
>> >
>> >Dear VV,
>> >
>> >The goal of "growing up", in this context, is to become wise.
>> >
>> >It is when this doesn't happen to us, when we physically grow into
>> >adulthood, that we cause and have real problems, because then we have
>> >the power denied to us when we were children, to more destructively act
>> >out our selfishness.
>> >
>> >As you see, I disagree with you, in a small way. I would recommend you
>> >rephrase your statement to read:
>> >"Incompletely growing up is the seed of all the problems in the world."
>> >
>> >It's not as specific as I would have written the concept, but you would
>> >have had less argument from me. LOL
>> >
>> >I hope Grant continues to imbibe Stevie with more wisdom, because it
>> >could be of benefit us all, and even more so, to Grant himself.
>> >
>> >Respectfully,
>> >
>> >Mover, past(?) problem child, looking for something to make fun of, and
>> >unhappily not finding it
>>
>> Ah, I shall not.
>> Because ...
>> I could not disagree with you more, dear sir.
>>
>> For to-day, I beheld a classroom full of adults,
>> From around the globe
>> From places of poverty, cruelty and injustice,
>> A classroom of adults ,mothers and fathers,
>> Who upon sitting at communal tables,
>> Quite naturally segregated themselves into like with like.
>> And with their young sons, as well.
>> Who soon tired of sitting so,
>> And got up
>> And discovered one another
>> Boy to boy to boy
>> And played as if they were not
>> Strangers
>> But as if they deary, life-long chums.
>>
>> So,
>> I must prefer the wisdom of immaturity,
>> To that which any "growing up" can give.
>>
>> Sincerely Yours,
>>
>> HMS Victor Victorian NP-g18
>
>This is great! Just what I hoped my stories would help happen.
>Discussions we need.
>
>I have my point to make too.
>
>I agree and disagree with you both. LOL
>
>VV, innocence isn't wisdom, no matter how inviting it looks to us who
>wish we still had it. There is another more savage aspect to childhood
>innocence, shown in "Lord of the Flies". Romanticizing childhood
>doesn't do it or us justice. Not even Peter Pan could get away with it.
>
>I think part of becoming wise is unlearning things you learned before,
>that were not wise. That's very hard for most people, more so when they
>don't think they need to question what they were taught when they were
>too young to know better.
>
>Stevie story #14 will be about prejudice and discrimination, which you
>observed happen. I will write it in a way we can all relate to.
>Naturally. I hope. LOL
>
>I think you both are more wise than any child can be.
>Besides complementing people I like and admire, I think this truth
>makes Mover's comments a little closer to being right.
Dear Grant,
I agree. Children are capable of great cruelty. Innocence is not
wisdom, but wisdom is not always preferable to innocence. As acquired
by adults, wisdom implies the use of knowledge to obtain a positive
result or end, and there have been many very wise, and very bad
people.
You mention William Golding's wonderful and horrifying work as an
example of the more "savage aspect to childhood innocence". Again, I
must disagree. The first thing the boys did was behave like adults,
as adults had taught them. They consciously, and perhaps against
their natural intuition, constructed their lives to reflect the adult
world in its institutions and behavours. You saw the result.
Who, pray tell, was the wiser in this tale? Jack or Ralph? Consider
the results of each one's actions. Then tell me who was the more
innocent? Who was the more congenial and likeable? Who was good? And
who was bad?
Your story articulates a very simple, but durable axiom of life. I
learned it as "The Golden Rule" and remain convinced to this day that,
had we all adhered to its simple guide, we would see much less
savagery in the world.
Sincerely,
V
God Save the Queen.
God Bless the Prince of Wales.
God Preserve the Windsors.
Rule Britannia!
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