Stephen's Secure Blog #199
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 #199 "Thought for Food"
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On the way back from the ranch, we didn't say anything. Safer that
way. After parking at the Festival grounds, we went to the manager's
office. He wasn't in, but was expected back soon. We waited. We stood
when he came in. He asked how our time at the ranch was. They all
looked at me, and I said, "Our friendly driver expressed some doubts
that you would believe all he would tell you of what we did." They
grinned at each other. I said "I said I would take care of that." I
took out an expensive video camera, and pointed it at a wall. I
projected some of Rose's memory of what she had seen, on the wall,
which was on the card in the camera, with a lot more. He said wow a
lot. He said to me, "I really want you in the festival! Just when, is
the problem." I said "Is there time after the competition?" He said
"Yes. Just before the closing ceremony. I think we can do that. I can
give you fifteen minutes." I said "Fine. Will the competition area
still be set up after the festival closes?" He said "Part of it will,
as part of the museum." I said "If any of the bow and riding
contestants wish to stay after the festival, I can do some teaching
with them, if they want that. Please let them know." He said "I would
like that. I will see what I can do."
I said "After all that, I will have some Mongol things I made which I
do not expect to be using again. Would the museum accept them as a
donation?" He said "I am SURE they will, when they know about you and
who you are." The driver was practically nodding his head off, which
made Srinoy and the Monk grin. I said "Would the museum director be
available for me to discuss this with him?" He said "Please wait while
I call." We did, and he did. Then he said, "He will be available
whenever you wish him to be." He gave me the contact information. I
said "With what you told him, we will have to do some work to prevent
him from calling you a liar." He laughed. I said "You may keep this
camera, and the memory card which has that, and more of what I showed
you, for your private use only. If you need it, Srinoy will show you
how to operate it. One thing. It will not project for you. I will give
a duplicate of the camera and some of the files to the Museum
director." He thanked me. I said "I must tell you, your man who drove
us has made himself our friend." And that person almost cried, in his
bow. The manager said, "The manager of the ranch?" I said "As you will
see when you review the video, he has some work to do for that to
happen." The driver couldn't help interjecting, "That's in there?" I
said "All of interest." He said "Oh wow!" Srinoy said, "I expect there
will be some interesting discussions involving that." I said "Well, you
did do some er, notable things." He laughed. The driver was about to
list them, so I said to him, "Please don't reduce your boss's pleasure
of viewing it as it happened." He bowed to me, and said, "You are
right. Thank you."
I said "I would like to see the museum first, and then meet with, and
show the director, what we would donate, in our hotel room, later. We
have a lot of items which are not the easiest to move around." The
driver said to his boss, "May I be their driver the rest of the day for
that? I have their equipment still in the van." The manager said, "I
saw you took that. I needed it, and still do. But for such important
friends, I agree, if they agree." I said "We do, with appreciation, and
pleasure with his company." The driver bowed low to me. I said to him,
"But you will be giving up seeing his reactions when he views the
videos." He grinned, and said, "That is indeed a great sacrifice, but I
would not have been in the office at that time." Srinoy hugged him and
said, "Too bad." The manager looked very intrigued, and said, "You know
I have to look at it as soon as possible, now." We just grinned at him,
and he laughed as we were leaving.
I said to the driver, "Where should we go to eat? Something which
serves good vegetarian food." He said "Ah. I know just the place. I'll
take you there." Srinoy said "It should be interesting, how we are
seated and served." The Monk said, "I think it is I who will be
embarrassed this time, and falsely." I said to him with a grin, "Don't
expect sympathy from me." He laughed, and we joined him. That is what
happened at the Indian restaurant. They were very deferential to the
Monk, and practically ignored the rest of us, and didn't notice our
barely contained laughter. The manager came to us to help us be seated,
and said we would not be asked to pay. I said "I will pay, because this
is my group. We will have no animal products. Please choose what you
consider the best for newcomers to your fine food and to this country."
He looked very surprised, and said, "But you know the language!" Srinoy
said, "We know many languages." Then he switched to the dialect of
Hindi which was native to the manager, which I had just given to him,
and said, "This includes yours." I said in the same language, "My
student, Senior Monk Srinoy, speaks the truth." I said in English,
which he understood, "We have heard very good things about your food."
I said in Mongolian, "We look forward to what you will bring to us." He
bowed very low, and walked away looking a little confused. I told the
others what we had done and said, and they had a tough time containing
their laughter.
I said to the Monk, "I had asked for no animal products, but they
cook with ghee, clarified butter, which does come from an animal, but
as a willing gift. Do you object to that?" He said "I, and my order,
find that acceptable. Thank you for your concern." I said "You're
welcome. Different orders have different customs. In Srinoy's Thailand,
Monks eat only once a day, after they return in the morning, from
begging in the streets. The people of Thailand gain merit from sharing
their food with them, and line the streets waiting for the opportunity
to do that." He said "A worthy practice, which doesn't happen here,
with people who still have some aspects of a nomadic culture. They
would be happy to share, but only in their own homes, as a requirement
of hospitality, and gaining merit." I said "I make no personal
judgements on differences of culture, where they do not harm people. In
the country where I have my Temple, Monks would not walk the city
streets begging. They would be attacked by children, more hungry than
themselves. In America, they would probably have trouble with the
police, and violent gangs demanding some of what they receive. It's a
complicated world, with good and bad everywhere you look, which depends
a lot on just how you look, and what you really see."
The Monk said, very seriously, "Please tell me, what do you see?" I
gazed off into the distance, and quietly said, "I see a father
sacrificing almost all his time with his children, and his own health,
so he can earn a living to give them a good home they don't appreciate
until they have children of their own, who continue the cycle. I see a
mother jumping in the way of a bullet, choosing to die to protect her
child, and another choosing to raise that child as her own, because
there is need. I see people who work for their freedom, and the freedom
of their people, knowing that they suffer and die what they believe is
the final death, for the good of all. I see villains and heroes, greed
and charity, violence and peace, sadness and happiness, evil and good,
hate and love. I see all those things, but most of all, I see that
which makes the best part of us overcome the worst; I see love. Love is
all, and I am love." I gave my love to all in the city.
Then I came back to reality and said, "I should't be doing that in
public, but sometimes I can't help myself." Srinoy said through his
tears, "Yes, but I can't help loving it. And you. You are who you are,
and must be true to yourself." I said "Yes, teacher." He said with a
grin, "And don't you forget it!" I grinned back at him. The Monk was
coming out of shock, and said "I have to agree with Master Srinoy." I
said "You know I'm not surprised." He had to smile a little. The driver
came out of his shock, and whispered, "That was you!" Srinoy said,
"Yes. Please don't make that public, or we will all get trampled." He
nodded. I said "We should compose ourselves. Our food is about to
arrive." I said to the server, "If it tastes as good as it smells,
which I expect it will, you will see some very clean plates, soon." His
big smile had some missing teeth. The food was very good. We ate using
pieces of flatbread as spoons, and really did clean the plates. When we
were finished, the manager came to us, and was about to say he wouldn't
accept payment. I raised my hand to stop him, and said, "I would be
very happy to pay well for such superior food and service. You WOULD
like me to be happy, wouldn't you?" Srinoy said, "Yes. Sadness after
such great food, would be an insult to it." The driver caught on, and
said, "A desecration." The Monk said, joining in, "A tragedy." I
grinned at the manager and said, "My position is well supported. If you
can't accept my money, you do have the option of giving it to charity."
He looked happier, and said, "You are full of wisdom, Master." Then he
looked around, and leaned closer and said, "And of love." I nodded. He
said "I knew. Thank you for this day. I will keep it secret if you wish
it." Srinoy said "We do. He is all too easily embarrassed." I said to
the manager, "And that's why he just caused it. Children! We have to
money. We left in good humor.
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Grant
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