Stephen's Secure Blog #196
These stories about Stephen began was when he was 10 years old, and
moving to a new part of the country to attend a special school for
gifted students, in the 1950's. 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. He wrote
225 of them to a friend. He stopped writing to his penpal, but found he
still wanted to record his life, in case he lost his memory again, and
wrote 30 entries in his first logbook. Then he wrote to an artificial
intelligence called Geenee, in the master computer in his school for
gifted students, which he started attending in 2016. Now it's after
2018, and he's continuing to save his memories in a secure blog.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
The stories may not be posted in chronological order.
Stephen is 16 in this story, in the Summer after year 6 of his special
school.
Stephen's Secure Blog #196 "A Mongolian Temple"
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31 minutes later, the Monk came back all breathless, and said, "The
festival manager would like to see you as soon as possible. He is very
interested in that bow and its maker." I said to Srinoy, "Wants to see
him." I said "Right. We should probably go." We went to the door. On
the way out of the hotel, I said to Srinoy, "Do you think he understood
the lesson of the picture?" He said "I don't know. We could ask him." I
looked at the monk with a smile, and said, "Well?" He said "The lesson
is that you are living person, and because of that, you need to be
treated like one." I said "Yes, or Srinoy might chew somebody's head
off." Srinoy laughed, and the Monk had to smile. I hugged Srinoy, and
said, "My protector." He didn't contradict me.
The manager had an office where the festival was being set up. We
went in and were introduced. He said to me, "You don't look like a
Mongol." I grinned and said, "And you don't look like an Irishman. Or
your point. I apologize. I've never had my rudeness corrected so, so,
er, nicely." I said "Well, I love people. Would you like to see the
bow?" He said "I would, please." I took it out of the case and strung
it. He took it and examined it. He reached for the center of the
string, and looked at me, and I nodded. He pulled it, and then said to
the Monk, "I agree. It is as real as possible." He said to me, "Would
you use it for us?" I said "Got arrows, and a non living target?" He
took us outside, and to the archery venue. There were targets. And
arrows. I said to him, "Where on the target would you like them to be
placed?" He said "In the center." I said "That is one. What about the
others?" He said "Do you mean what I think you mean?" I said "Yes." He
said "A design of your choice." I nodded. I examined each arrow in my
hands, one at a time. There were a hundred. I fixed the target in my
mind. I felt the air. Srinoy fanned the arrows out to me, and I took
one, and in the same motion, I knocked it and drew it back and let it
go to the absolute center of the target. Half way from that one to the
upper edge of the target, I put five arrows in a small circle. Then I
did the same, below the center. Then from the center arrow, I drew with
arrows, curving lines. The design was a Yin-Yang image. I did all that
very fast. Any faster and I would have damaged Srinoy's hands in taking
the arrows. The manager said "Wow!" Srinoy said "He hears that a lot."
The Monk grinned.
The manager said, "Such accuracy! And I've never seen anybody shoot
that fast before." I told him why I didn't shoot faster, and, "When
your life depends on you shooting faster than your enemy, you learn not
to be slow and dead." Then I astounded him by saying, "You weren't
looking at my face when I was doing that." He said "Yes, but how do you
know?" I said "If you had, you would have said something about my eyes
being closed." His jaw dropped open, and Srinoy laughed. When he could,
he said, "Then how?" I said "I had already seen the target, and so knew
where it was. My mental picture of it was clear and steady, which the
vision of my eyes was not, because of the wind which was created by my
movements. My eyes then being an unneeded distraction, I closed them.
Oh, and I can shoot well on horseback, too." While he was trying to
digest that, I said to Srinoy, "I did that in Arizona when I was
twelve. They were er, surprised." He said with a big grin, "I'll bet!"
I said to the manager, "You see why I can't compete. It wouldn't be
fair. But I could do a demonstration. Some fancy Mongol riding, too."
The manager said, "The making of the bow. The shooting. The riding I
have not seen but believe. How have you come to know all these Mongol
things, when you are not one of us?" I looked deeply into his eyes and
said, "I was." He said "Ah! I have not before seen real truth of
reincarnation. I believe, now. Thank you for affirming my faith." I
bowed and said, "It is my honor to serve. Please allow me to be the one
to let people know of that when I choose to." He bowed and said, "I
robes would be a distraction, and would not work at all well on a
horse." He grinned and said, "I can well believe that! And that you do
not wish to be treated as such." I said "Just with friendship." He said
"That you have!" I said "I can provide my own proper clothing for
Mongol activities, and gear for the horse. And that horse should be the
most spirited available." He looked indecisive, so Srinoy said,
"Animals love him. You can test this now, if you would like to see
something special." The Monk was very interested. Srinoy grinned at
him, and got one in return. I said "We can do this here." I held out my
hand, and a bird flew to perch on it. I said to it, "Thank you for the
gift of your company." It sang to me.
Naturally, they were astounded. Srinoy said "You should close your
mouths before the bird looks for food in them." Over the sound of
mouths snapping shut, I said to Srinoy, "I haven't heard that one
before." He said "I have more waiting, which I expect to be used." We
grinned at each other. The manager said, "Did you call it to you?" I
said "No, the reverse. I have been asking them to stay away, or there
would be a large disruption. For this, I allowed one to approach.
Animals know how I feel." I said to the bird, "I loved your song. Now
please go join your other friends." It flew away. I said "I won't have
any problems riding a horse." The manager nodded, not trusting his
voice. I said "But a little practice would be nice." He said "We don't
have the horses here yet, but you can go to where they are. When you
are available, I can have somebody take you." I said "I can be
available any time. I hope the person who takes us, and the keeper of
the horses, will not er, oppose my wishes." He said "They will be
informed. I must make the arrangements. How may I contact you?" I gave
him the hotel information. I said "I can be reached by a call there, no
matter where I am in the world, for three months. Or until they ask me
to leave for throwing too many wild drunken parties." He looked
surprised, and then relaxed at my big grin, and Srinoy laughed. The
manager said, "You are definitely not like the others! Variety is good.
I will call you with the plans." We said our farewells.
We walked around the city, getting the feel of the place. My Ki was
flowing fully, so people automatically moved out of my way, and the
more aware bowed to me. The Monk noticed all that with awe, until I
wiggled my eyebrows at him. He laughed and said, "Master Teacher, you
teach more with who you are, than what you say and do." I said to
Srinoy, "I can't tell if that was a compliment." He said "I don't know,
either." I said "Well, do your knuckles itch?" He said "No, so he's
safe." We grinned at the Monk, who had to laugh. He said "When Master
Srinoy said you should be yourself, I didn't know that would be so er,
pleasant." I looked at Srinoy, who said, "My knuckles feel just fine."
I said to the Monk, "Thank you, but that doesn't seem to speak well for
the others you know." He said "Yes, but can you tell me why you are
like this?" I said "I am love. Joy and humor are closely related."
Srinoy said, "And he really likes to relate closely." I laughed and
hugged him, and said, "Good one!"
I said to the Monk, "Do you have objections about this part of me you
find pleasant?" He thought seriously, and said, "I think I should
assume you show different aspects of yourself when they are needed. I
have seen some of that, despite your able protector. The agility of
your mind is difficult to be accustomed to, but I think worth the
effort." I bowed. Then I said, "What do you think we should do now?" He
tried to be serious, but his big grin couldn't be suppressed. He said
"Visit my Temple?" I said to Srinoy, "It took him some large effort not
to ask that sooner. In appreciation, should we honor his request?" He
said "If there is no ceremony." The Monk nodded, and led the way. While
walking, I said to the Monk, "Do you understand just how able a
protector Srinoy is?" He said "No, but I am curious." I said "If I were
not with you, the people would react to him as they do to me." He
looked startled. I said "My students are the best fighters in the
world, in all styles and weapons. Srinoy is the best of those his age
and size, and better than many older and larger." He looked like he
didn't quite believe it. Srinoy and I grinned at each other. We waited
until we were at the Temple. There was a stone slab to the side of the
entrance. I said to the Monk, "That big stone. Is it needed?" He looked
at me strangely, and said, "It is going to be divided, before it is
brought inside." I said "Show us where." He did, and I nodded to
Srinoy. He broke it nicely in half with one strike of the edge of his
hand. I said to the Monk, "It's not er, convenient for people to doubt
us." He said "I have never been corrected so politely." Srinoy said to
me, "Looks like he wants to be a festival manager." The Monk laughed,
and said, "They will not believe me when I tell them of your humor." I
grinned and said, "That's not MY problem." He laughed some more.
We went inside, and the Abbot and some Senior Monks were hurriedly
coming toward us. I said to the Monk, "They saw our auras, and so knew
we were approaching, and who we must be. Your Abbot felt us arrive in
the city." He realized I was subtly telling him that he doesn't see or
recognize auras well. He thanked me with a bow. The Abbot and his Monks
greeted us formally, and took us on a tour of the building. I was still
carrying the bow-case. I could see the Abbot was displeased the Monk he
had sent to us wasn't carrying it for me. When it was a good place to
do it in, I asked the Abbot if he would like to look at the bow I had
made. He did, so I put the case on a table and opened it, and handed
the bow to him. He said "It is perfection. How?" I said "I used to make
them just like that, many lifetimes ago. I apologize for bringing a
weapon into this holy place, but I prefer to keep it with me. Not even
Srinoy may carry it. If you have arrows and a target, I could
demonstrate its use." They did, and we went to them. The Monk expressed
his thanks to me, with his face.
A Monk gave me some arrows. I knocked an arrow in the already strung
bow, with my back to the target. I did some practice draws, and with
what looked like an accident, I let fly into the air. It went up high,
and came down behind me, and hit at an angle in the target, dead
center. The Monks, except our guide, didn't know what to make of it,
until they saw his expression he was trying to hide. The Abbot said "Am
I right that it was not an accident?" I said "I am exposed. I didn't
want to bore our new friend with something he had seen me do earlier
today." The Abbot was trying to hide a smile, and said, "We appreciate
your concern." He said to the Monk, "You have discovered his humor?" He
looked surprised, and said while bowing, "Yes I have, Abbot." The Abbot
said, "What do you think of it?" He said "It is a very effective way to
teach, which he does with everything he says and does." The Abbot said,
"Many have told me so. He is in truth The Master Teacher. They say he
embarrasses easily, too, as we see." I said "THEY, talk too much."
Srinoy said, "For which they use you as an example." I grinned at him,
and said, "Good one. Once." He grinned back, and said, "Don't worry,
more are available." The Abbot laughed. I said to him, "An honest
person is not insulted by the truth." He said "You have seen the
truth?" I said "Some, I think, in some moments." He said "I envy you."
I said "It is an honor, but not always pleasant. I think it is best to
find it by not seeking." We bowed to each other.
I said "Thank you for our interesting and pleasant visit to your
Temple, and your gift of a new friend." The Abbot said, "Who will
escort you back to your hotel." I said "I look forward to knowing how
his report is er, accepted." The Abbot grinned, and said, "So do I." We
said our farewells, and left. The Monk was thinking, with not much
success. Then he asked Srinoy, "Did you understand that?" He said "I
think, a little, but only because I have been with Stephen longer."
They both knew, correctly, I wasn't going to explain it, and so didn't
ask me.
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Grant
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