Solomon's Private File #288
These stories about Stephen and Solomon take place starting in
1950's. Stephen wrote about his life in letters to a penpal, and then
in a secure blog, in case he lost his memory again, in the master
computer in his school for gifted students, which he started attending
in 2016 in a new incarnation, until his death. Now his son Solomon is
attending the same school, and is writing in his own secure blog for
his future incarnations.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
Solomon is 28 in this story, in the Fall of 2054.
Solomon's Private File #288 "Academy Candidates"
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Abbot Lama Rhamcha Rinpoche, past Regent of Tibet, and one of the
Five Abbots of Sera Monastery, died in his sleep. I was there with many
others at the ceremonies to honor him. Kam presided over the selection
of the new Abbot. Later I was alone with the Abbot of Shaolin. I said,
"He was your friend." He said, "And my teacher." I said, "And you were
his teacher. Together, you made each other better. And the both of you
then made others better. What could be, ah, better?" He smiled, and
said, "I have to agree." I said, "Come, let us practice, and show them
something special, of your own ways." He liked that, so we went to the
martial arts practice area. As we got ready to fight, he was very
surprised, when I started to look a lot like a monkey. Then he laughed,
and we fought, and I used that style. Then my hands became like snakes,
and hissed. More grins, as I used that style. We were drawing quite a
crowd.
Then I was like a crane. Then my hands and feet looked like part of a
dragon, and then like tiger claws. Then the praying mantis. I fought
with those styles, and many others, looking something like the animals
I was copying. Then Hawk ported in, and did what I did, and he and I
fought each other, and quite violently, striking hard. Mom then ported
in, and fought with the Abbot of Shaolin. Then Kam came in, dressed for
fighting, surprising a lot of people. She and I fought, and much of it
was too fast for the eye to follow, but they could see some of the
spectacular moves. Then we all stopped, and grinned and laughed. I
announced, "We were not hurting each other, but practicing these
techniques for physical fitness, and I have to say, for fun. And maybe
a little teaching. Abbot Rhamcha would have enjoyed this very much in
life, and he was watching us do this from the spirit place, and DID
enjoy it. You know what his smile looked like. See it in your minds,
and feel his love in your heart." They did.
I asked those who had fought, "Should we share this with the world,
on TV?" They all said yes. I made some programs, and passed the
crystals around. They liked them. I gave them digital copies. By
appointment, I met with the president of Fox. I said, "Got some
entertainment shows for you. All set up with intros, comments, and
commercial breaks." He read the crystals, and said a lot of wows. He
said, "I did some martial arts in my youth, but this is amazing! Animal
styles for REAL!" I said, "Money?" He groaned. I said, "We did this
after Rhamcha's services. Something to Sera Monastery in his honor from
Fox and the U.S.?" He said, "Good. We'll do it, and I know you want it
substantial." I said, "But not ruinous." He said, "Oh, thanks." Grins.
I said, "And you don't own the rights." Grin vanished. I said, "CNN is
going to show a little as a news item, and mention you'll be showing it
all. So, don't complain. Like they will." He had to chuckle. And that's
what happened. Great ratings.
I went to see the Iron Lady of the Bureau Academy. I gave her the
fight crystals, and some digital copies. She had some big smiles for
them. I said, "You might want to show parts of them to some of your
personal students." She said, "I will, if only to show my personal
connections." We grinned. She said, "Now a Jack issue." I changed to be
Jack. She said, "I'm leaving." I said, "Good. This is a dead end job
for you, and you aren't getting any younger. Management has been
wondering when you would leave, and will support you all the way. You
can still use the Academy for ceremonies if you want to." She said, "If
Sol will be a part of it." I said, "He will. Keep him out, he'll beat
you up." Chuckles. We hugged with love. I said, "You announce it, and I
expect we'll have a flood of applicants for your position, and almost
all of them will be flakes." She laughed well.
She said, "My second can handle the job. He's a Fourth. He needs help
with somebody higher, he'll call you." I said, "Not up to me who
replaces the irreplaceable." Grin. I said, "But I'm the one who's going
to have to deal with the applicants. And all the way. I'm the best
judge of them." She said, "I hadn't thought that far. Eh, well, good
luck." I said, "Oh thanks." Chuckles. We hugged. The announcement was
made that she would be leaving at the end of the current class. Then
the applicants for her position started showing up.
A man walked into my office. I said, "Why are you dressed like that?"
He said, "It's my martial arts uniform." I said, "Do you wear that all
the time?" He said, "Yes." I said, "Please leave. We don't want
exhibitionists. You are not approved." He said, "I want to speak to
your supervisor!" I said, "I run this Department. So, that would be the
Director. You will NOT bother him with your nonsense. Do you need
assistance to leave?" He didn't say anything. Then he said, "I can
prove I'm better than you." I said, "If you want to go to prison. A
warning. All my psychologists here are black belts. That's why we don't
need guards, except to take out the trash. Got a bag for you, if you
need it. Well?" He left, NOT in the best mood. There were some
interesting comments in my mind.
Next applicant. A man. At least he was dressed normally. He didn't
say anything about the previous applicant. I said, "So you teach
karate. Did you look at the job posting?" He said, "I did. I thought my
years of experience could be the equivalent of a degree in Phys Ed." I
said, "It doesn't. Might for an assistant, but there are no openings at
this time. But, your degree in accounting is more important to us. If
you want to change your aim, we can proceed." He wasn't interested, and
left.
A woman came in. I said, "Does Jerry know?" She said, "He does." I
said, "You don't want to stay in personnel?" She said, "I've been
taking courses. I have my Police Science degree now, and I'm very
physically fit. I want to be a Special Agent." I said, "Let's do some
tests." We did. I said, "You're afraid." She said, "Nervous. It's a new
direction in my life." I wrote in her file, and said, "Please take this
back to yourself." She grinned, and said, "Am I approved?" I said, "You
know you are. If you wash out, no shame, and you can come back, and be
all the better for the experience. Do your best. We'll be thinking of
you. And saying, thank goodness we aren't doing that!" She laughed her
way out of the office. Ivanna said in my mind, "Will she make it?" I
said, "Even odds. Can't deny her the chance, though." She said,
"Right."
I went out and followed her. She noticed, and said, "Something
wrong?" I said, "I hear a commotion in Personnel." We walked faster.
There was a man on the floor there, in the reception and applications
room. Jerry and I nodded to each other. He said to me, "This man tried
to get rough with Mavis." I said, "Well, we sure don't want to hire
somebody THAT stupid." Laughter. Her's the loudest. I said to the perp,
"Er, man on the floor, what were you applying for?" He groaned. I said,
"That's not one of our job classifications." Chuckles. I said, "Try
again." He said, "Martial arts instructor." I said, "By the looks of
things, you didn't get very far with that." More chuckles. I said, "Up
with you." I helped him up, and he was surprised at my strength. I
said, "We are the best in the world, because we have the best people in
the world. Our Personnel Supervisor mountain should have shown you
that." Chuckles, with Jerry almost choking. I said, "Very foolish of
you to try to get physical in the building of the premier law
enforcement agency in the world." The guards were still grinning their
faces almost in half.
Perp said to me, "Who are you?" I said, "I'm the head of the
Psychological Assessment Department, the usual next step from here for
applicants. I have a professional interest in stupid behavior." He
tried to plant a spinning elbow on the side my head. I stopped that
cold that with my hand, and squeezed the pressure points, and he
screamed. I said, "Oh, did I forget to mention one of my hobbies? I'm a
black belt, too. I'm going to let you go, so I can see if you will do
more stupid things." He just stood there. The chuckling guards took
him. As he was leaving, I said to him, "Oh, by the way, you are not
approved to work here. Not until we have an opening for a groaning
floor mat." Laughter.
One of the applicants said to me, "Sir, why are you really here?" I
said, "I'm a psychologist." I motioned to include the room, "Therapy."
Nods of awareness. I gave a thumb's up to Mavis in the way into Jerry's
office. He said, "Mountain!" I said, "If you're looking for an
hadn't seen me like that before. You helped them get over that shock."
I said, "Main reason I was there." He said, "I suspected. You knew I
could handle him." We grinned. I said, "The man in the pajamas. WHY did
you send him to me?" He laughed, and said, "Entertainment?" I said,
"Really?" He said, "I didn't know about him until after he was on the
way. I was on the phone." I said, "Alright then. No more costumed
avengers. Oh, some of those out there are expressing an increased
desire to work here." Grins. We hugged.
Back in my department, I said to the office manager, "They already
told you?" She grinned and said, "Mountain!" I groaned. I said, "Next
victim", and went back into my office. A man followed me. He very much
wanted to know what they was about, but restrained himself. I nodded in
approval, and he hid his pleasure at that, well. I said, "A martial
artist. We've never had one of your style here before." He said, "You
know what it is? I didn't put it on the application. Just that I was a
martial arts teacher." I said, "Pencak Silat." He said, "Correct." I
said, "And equivalent to fifth degree black belt." He said, "You are a
master." I said, "Yes. A hobby." He grinned, and said, "More than that,
or you couldn't be so advanced." I said, "Alright. A big hobby. Better
be satisfied with that." Grins." I said, "The name you put on your
application isn't one you were born with." He said, "Oh! How did you
know that?" I said, "We have a very efficient research system. On my
monitor. No, you can't see it. Want to explain?" He said, "Doesn't that
say?" I just looked at him.
He said, "I was taken as a child into slavery. A logging camp. I had
to learn to fight there to survive, being young and small. I escaped
when I as fourteen. I was fighting in the street when some Americans
saw me, and talked with me. They paid a school to take me in. I lived
there, and continued to learn more fighting skills in my spare time,
discovering I had a talent for it. The money for the school stopped. I
offered to exchange sex for being allowed to stay. They agreed. So I
had sex with them every night. The men. It didn't bother me. I didn't
think about it. By the the time I graduated, they were no longer
interested in that part of me. They continued to love me, and helped me
to come to America, so I could attend university. That's when I started
teaching martial arts, to earn money to live. I have a Masters in
Kinetics, now. I never saw my parents after I was taken, and can barely
remember them. I now have the name one of the teachers at the school
gave me." We did some tests.
I said, "We might have a problem. We do security investigations for
all who are hired here, and in the rest of the government where
security clearance is required. Your school no longer exists. Do you
know why?" He said, "I think I do. In part, they trained Islamic
extremists. That was after I left." I said, "We may not be able to
prove that. Our investigation could open up old wounds, that could even
affect your immigration status." He said, "Oh! I hadn't thought of
that. I think you would approve me if it were not for that." I said, "I
would. You are the best applicant for the position that we are likely
to have. I am NOT happy about this." He said, "I understand. I will
withdraw my application." I said, "Our Iron Lady has an establishment
in Virginia. Here's the address. I think she would like you to visit
her. If you do, you may tell her all that was said here. Well, we
sometimes practice together." He said with interest, "She is your
teacher?" I said, "We don't discuss that. I'm a Senior Master in
secret. We didn't want to er, dilute her prestige. And secret because I
am not to be known for anything outside of here, like most of the
inside workers." He said, "I will keep your secret." I said, "I know
you will. Thank you." We stood, and I went around the desk to shake his
hand. He looked a question at me, and I nodded. He tried to push me off
balance, and failed. He tried to suppress his smile, as he was leaving.
A man came in. He said, "That man who just left is a better martial
artist than I am. I don't stand a chance." I said, "Giving up?" He
said, "Er, no." I said, "Good. There are other qualifying things than
being able to fight. So, why do you think you could qualify?" He said,
"I teach high school Phys Ed, and science. Physics, usually. Dual
undergraduate majors in that. Masters in Ed. I do some work as a police
auxiliary. I have a 4th degree black belt in ninjutsu." I said, "When
were you promoted to that rank?" He said, "Five years ago." I said,
"Why haven't you tested recently?" He said, "I haven't had the time." I
said, "Your teacher say you are ready?" He said, "Yes, but I'm not
sure." I said, "Feel something?" He said, "Your Ki. Very powerful! And
you control it. A Senior Master?" I said, "And classified." He said, "I
understand. You can't have challengers in your position."
I said, "Let's do some tests." We did. I said, "There is an issue. I
think you know I know what it is." He said, "I'm gay." I said, "That in
itself isn't an issue with us. That you want to keep it a secret, is.
We call it, unofficially, the Hoover problem." He said, "I understand.
You're concerned about blackmail." I said, "And lying to your fellow
workers. We're something like a family here. Lives are in danger. Trust
is critical. Public doesn't have to be told, but no lies." He said, "I
won't be hired if I want to keep it a secret?" I said, "One of the
reasons for the not lying requirement, is that it won't work. Got
professional investigators here. They can't stop thinking that way.
"I'm not approving you now. This would be a life changing situation for
you. And one more thing. You being a Fifth degree, which I can see you
should qualify for, would significantly enhance your chances here. So,
think it over, take that test, and come back if you want to. But don't
take your time." He said, "Please, a question. Why would one degree
help?" I said, "It wouldn't much in itself. That you haven't already,
holds you back for psychological reasons." He said, "Oh! I see that
now. I'm impressed!" I said, "That doesn't help." Chuckles. We shook
hands. I said, "They all want to do that. Oh, alright." His push didn't
work. Grins.
He did come back. I said, "Congratulations, GoDan!" He said, "Thank
you Sansei!" I said, "Eh, you're welcome. I looked at your school. Not
bad." He was embarrassed. I said, "Not just Ninjutsu. Got some Okinawan
styles, too. Should have told me. Raises you up a notch. Usual problem
of people not saying all they could. And then the other ones won't shut
up!" Chuckles. He said, "Do any want to fight?" I said, "Some. Not for
long." Grins. I said, "Had one assassin target me here. My Ki was too
much for him. Had a passed over Senior Master Candidate come here. Kung
Fu kind. VERY angry. You might hear about what happened after he left,
if you get hired." He said, "I think I know. The lamppost?" I said,
"The same. So, on the issue of lying?" He said, "Applies to public
life?" I said, "You can say you won't discuss personal issues, but if
accept." I said, "Here, it won't be the problem you think it will be.
Outside, might not as well. What if one of your students is gay?" He
said, "Is one?" I said, "How would I know?" He said, "You inspected. I
know enough about you to know you would know." I said, "Yes, two
actually. Boy and girl. No, I won't tell you more, without their
permission, and they might not fully realize or accept it, themselves."
He said, "I understand. Thank you."
I said, "Next step is the interview with who you're looking to
replace. She will have my report." He said, "Will you be there?" I
said, "If you want, that will be up to her." We scheduled it.
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Grant
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