Stephen's Secure Blog #250
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 Winter holidays of year 7 of his
special school.
Stephen's Secure Blog #250 "Second Gallery Showing"
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I sent an image the day after the last meeting with The President of
China and said, "This is a private meeting. Nobody but us will know of
any of this until we agree to let it be so. I'm checking on your er,
comfort, after what happened yesterday." He looked around, and I
grinned. He said "I will trust you." I said "Bowing with the half of me
you see, would look VERY odd." He laughed. He said "I am well. If
anything, I am better. I think my status with them might have
improved." I said "I don't know if that is good for me, but I am glad
if you think it is for you. However the status, being in a country
me to make your non interference request, official. They fear other
parts of the country will follow." I said "In regard to religion, would
that be bad?" He said "I don't think it would be. They just don't want
to give in, and give up any power."
I said "You have seen that I am able to force my will on others,
where there is proper justification. When the time comes when I can no
longer wait for them to act wisely, I will do that. Then they will no
longer be able to hold public office in this country, being unable to
lie. Nor will the entire legislature." He said "I wondered when you
would say and do that." I said "I don't think being unable to lie is a
bad thing. I am that way. But I will also require them to answer my
questions. Recordings of that are likely to be of some interest to the
world." He grinned and said, "Yes. I have seen that." I said "That will
cause a problem for you. If you are among them, and more if you are
not. So, it is in your best interest that it does not need to happen."
He said "I understand, and I am humbled by your care for me. I don't
think there is much I can do about it." I said "I can mention this in
our next recorded meeting."
I said "Is there anything else we should discuss in secret, at this
time?" He said "I don't think there is, but there is a lot of that for
a regular meeting, but not for a least a week, to let them chew over
what they heard yesterday. How can I contact you?" I said "If you keep
it a secret, I will establish a watch-point. You are under constant
observation, so it must work in a way they will not understand. The
bottom surface of your desk's middle drawer, underneath the desk. Touch
it with only the two middle fingers of the right hand, like this, for a
public conference. With the left hand, for a private conference. I will
check and see about things, before I appear, as usual. Is that
satisfactory?" He tried it, and we determined it worked, and I said
farewell.
Somebody from the TV show 60Minutes wanted to interview me. I said to
the producer and reporter on the phone, "Why do you want to interview
me?" The reporter said "You are something of a news item, with an
unusual array of talents. What you are doing in Tibet and China is
newsworthy." I said "What you would say to me, and how you would say
it, would likely be severely disliked by many Buddhists. I like you and
your show, and think you are doing a very valuable service for all
mankind. I do not want to be the cause which reduces that esteem in
other people." Silence. Then the producer said, "I can find very little
to argue with in that." I said "I hear that a lot from intelligent
people. Not from Chinese officials." They both laughed loudly. I said
how often have you heard THAT?" More loud laughter.
I said "But having me on your show in any way, would put you in a bad
place. You would be criticized for being too hard on me from one side,
and too soft on me by another. I know you get that a lot already, but
my case is a little different. Most Buddhists consider me something
like Christians would something between a Living Saint, and Jesus in
the flesh. I've had to keep some from killing somebody who touched me
without my permission, more than once, and for usually passive
Buddhists, that's really something. Embarrassing, too. I have to be
very careful not to mention some of the things that have happened to me
in China, or that could set practically the whole world afire. I can't
be harmed by any material thing, but those who tried to kill me didn't
know that. One attempt, the blowpipe, was interesting, though. More so,
after I put something really bad tasting on the mouthpiece." They
laughed. I said "I should mention another problem. I don't lie. I
can't. Good thing I don't want to be a politician." More laughter. I
said, "So, your best course of action in this, is no action. I should
not be questioned by any serious journalist. Or even by those who laugh
well." Chuckles. I said "I do love you. Please accept my gift of that.
Farewell." I hung up, and wrapped them with all my love. When they
recovered, they said, "Wow!"
I gave my memory of that to Pete and Chad. They wanted a meeting.
Pete said, "They WILL keep trying." Chad said "Absolutely, even though
you were great with them. The head of the news department won't let up
on them." I said "Sure. Obvious. So, what do we do about it?" Chad said
"Spill!" I said "After a lot more pushing at us, they will eventually
offer to treat me like royalty, with prepared and approved questions.
If they go beyond that limitation in the interview, I can erase those
parts. It would help if Tomba could be involved with some of that.
Robes do make a difference. Or I can invite an Abbot from Tibet. Or the
Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government in Exile. However, I still
don't want to do it. Whatever happens, it's not going to satisfy
anybody, and that might hurt my goal. But we could do this. Invite them
to the gallery show, if they promise not to question ANYBODY there. And
I have another idea for the show. How do they know it is really I who
did all that work? Well, if I do a painting right in front of them.
Pastel, of a subject one of them chooses. I can spare the few minutes
that would take." Chad said "The painting is a good idea. I don't know
about the 60Minutes angle. Have to see how hard they push."
There were no reporters at the second gallery event. This time I
greeted them as they came in, by name, which many appreciated. Well, it
wasn't free this time, so I thought I should give them something extra
for that. There were some strange reactions. We served wine, and
strange little food things, called whores devours. I just had to write
that. After they stopped coming in, I mingled a little. A big muscular
man came up to me close, and whispered fiercely, "Tell me how you know
me right now, or I'll break you in half!" I said "Wow! Break me in
half. Nobody has ever said that to me, before. Today." He said "I'm
warning you, don't fuck with me." I said, "You sure don't have to worry
about that! You're not my type, but that man over there might be for
you." He said "I'm a 4th degree black belt. I warned you!" I said "Wait
a minute. That man over there I mentioned, trying really hard not to
laugh, he's a martial artist so advanced, he's above the belt ranking
system." He said "So what? He's not right here."
I said "Well, I'll tell you. I'm his teacher." He said "You!?" I said
"Right. I'm holding my Ki in. If I let it loose, people's reaction to
that would be embarrassing. If you want to test me, shake my hand." He
did that, and tried to crush my hand. I matched his strength. I said
"Try and push me off balance with that hand." I didn't move a
millimeter, and he tried really hard. I said "Now, if you want, I will
crush your hand to a bloody screaming pulp. Ready?" I increased my
strength a little. He said "No sir! I give." I said "When we let go, I
will tell you how I knew your name." He did, and rubbed his hand
against his pants leg. I said "I know the name of everybody I meet, who
was old enough to know his name when I touched him, when I gave my love
to the world." His jaw dropped in complete astonishment. I said "Better
close your mouth, before something unsavory flies into it." He snapped
it shut. I said "That man I mentioned, Hawk RedCloud, well, he's heard
every word we've said, and one little push will make him collapse with
laughter. Oops, that did it."
He looked, and had to laugh a little, too. I said "I'm sorry my
knowing your name upset you. If there is anything I can do to help you
with what caused that, please let me know. I am the Abbot of a Buddhist
Temple. Anything you tell me as one, I am required to keep
confidential." He said to me, "You are not just a Priest." I said with
a grin, "Absolutely right! I am just me, Stephen." He said "I should
have known. Zen is from Buddhism." I said "Yes. My offer?" He said "May
I talk with you some other time?" I said "Here, after the event?" He
said "Fine. See you then." We bowed to each other, and I wandered
around some more.
I went up to the stage, and said, after Hawk rang a big bell, "Hello
everybody! I have an announcement to make." I said to Hawk, "Nice bell.
A pealing sound." He and some others groaned at the pun. I said "Some
of you have questioned how one person could make all this art as fast
as it must have been made between my last exhibit and this one. I'll
address that in two parts. I've been doing this for years, and not
selling all that much around here. Another explanation is I work VERY
fast, and keep inventing new methods to enable me to work faster. I
would like to demonstrate that now." Chad brought over an easel and art
supplies. I said "I will be using colored chalk for this, because it
doesn't need time to dry. Now for the subject. Please, all of you,
think at me what you would like me to paint, when I say begin. I will
choose what inspires me from that. No, I will not invade your privacy.
Ready? Begin!" Then I said "Stop. I will not paint nudes at this time.
Those of you with very strong er, desires for that, well, please
restrain yourself." Some laughter, and a few red faces.
I said "Let's try this again. Begin!" I got it, and my arms and hands
were flying, and the paper was arranged so they could see me work. Five
minutes later, as I was finishing, a woman shrieked, "Martha!" I said,
"Ma'am, do you recognize the subject?" She said through her tears, "I
do! She is my younger sister, Martha! She died of leukemia when she was
14. Your picture of her is when she was twelve, when she won a school
talent show. That wasn't what I was picturing. How did you know?" I
said "I didn't, and don't know. I just knew what I should paint, and
let myself do it. In these situations, stranger things have happened.
Would you accept this as my gift to you?" She said "Oh yes! I don't
know how to thank you!" I said, while Chad was putting it in the
previously prepared matt and frame, "Your feelings which are coming to
me, are doing a pretty good job of that right now. I'm happy for you.
You will have it when you leave. Carrying it around now, well, I can
just imagine those sharp corners jabbing mostly innocent people in
places they didn't even know they had." The laughter at that, reduced
the tension in the room. I said "This demonstration is over. I will not
be doing this any more at these events. Please go back to spending all
your money to benefit a worthy cause." Some chuckles.
I stepped down off the stage, and did some more mingling. I was asked
a lot of questions about it. I said loudly, "No more questions about
the demonstration, please. I have already said all I can say about it.
Asking more questions than I have answers for, is not going to achieve
were about to suggest that I was lying. I don't do that. I can't. I
suggest you have some care with what you choose to express." He looked
oddly at me, and wandered away, muttering under his breath. I said with
a grin, "Sir, I can hear what you're saying, and I think some of that
is not physically possible." More than a little laughter. One said "How
could you hear that? I was closer, and I couldn't." I said "Extra
sensitive hearing runs in my family. When it got to me, it er,
galloped. It's not always a good thing. Loud noises hurt." She said
"Are there any other unusual things which run in your family?" I said
"Not really, unless they're being chased." She laughed. Then she said,
"What about your high intelligence?" I said "My great grandfather has
high intelligence. That skipped the generations between us, so it is
likely to be less inherited than we would like to think." She nodded,
and said, "Disappointing." I said "Not for those who have moronic
relatives." She laughed and said, "I have to agree."
I mingled some more, and she followed. Another woman approached, and
said, "May I have a word with you?" I said "Sure. Do I get to choose
which one?" The first woman laughed, adding to the new woman's
irritation. She said, "Privately." I said "But we are not private, and
to do this NOW?" She looked flustered, and said, "How did you know?" I
said "Your reaction to the word 'state'. Please answer the question."
She said "I would rather not." I said "I always like to give people the
chance to do the right thing before I act." I waited. Then I said,
"There are always consequences." Then I acted. Her phone rang. She saw
the ID, and went pale. She walked away to answer it, and then walked
rapidly out of the gallery.
The first woman said, "What just happened?" I said "She wanted
'private', and now she has it, but without me. You are more than smart
enough to figure out what happened, but please keep it er, private,
which a private investigator should know how to do very well." She was
very surprised, and said, "How did you know?" I said "I'm an expert at
reading face and body language, and I feel people's emotions, and I
have an IQ sixteen times the average. Add that up, and I know a lot
about people without hardly trying. But I don't think my last name of
Holmes has anything to do with it." She ran through a lot of different
feelings, before she laughed. I said "Or that my agent and manager's
name is 'Watson'." She laughed some more. I said to her, "Business or
social?" I said "You don't have to answer. Subject?" I said "Well,
that's good and bad for you. Good that I'm not the subject. Bad that
one who is under my protection, is. At least for now. That might change
when we have our scheduled talk. I think you might realize it would be
a very bad thing for you to cause any trouble here."
She said, trying to be coy, "I might, just to see what would happen."
I said "Wrong move. Second and last chance. To help you decide, try to
touch my hand." I held my hand up. She did try, and was blocked by my
shield. I said, indicating Hawk, "See that man who is looking at us?
He's heard everything we've said, and has already investigated you, and
relayed that information to me. That drunk driving conviction last
year, and the suspended license, must have been a real inconvenience
for you in your work. Oh, you have a fake license. That is against the
law. You may stay for the remainder of the event, but stay away from
your subject." I wandered off, and she stood there like a statue for a
while, and then wandered around aimlessly, uncertain if she should
report what happened to her boss, or not. She started to reach for her
phone, then decided not to. I nodded approval to her, and she went a
little pale. Hawk was about to laugh again.
The rest of the event went well. At the end, I said "Attention!
Please let me have your attention. You might as well, because I already
have your money, I hope." Laugher. I said "Thank you for making this
event a success, to benefit the Native Americans for Endangered Native
Peoples charity, which supports one of my causes, a free Tibet. Do you
think I should do another one of these events?" They were much in
favor. I said "I'll try to. Thank you for your er, free consultation.
Thank you for being here, and thank you for being my friends. Please
accept my love." I was already glowing. I raised my arms, and wrapped
them in all my love. Then I ported to the back room, and waited for
other interesting events to happen.
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Grant
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