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From: Morpheus <Morpheus@dreamland.com>
Newsgroups: alt.fan.prettyboy
Subject: Re: Sad anniversary approach
Date: 10 Dec 2009 21:17:02 -0600
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On Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:39:18 -0800, C, O-SM'OS' wrote
(in article <005757dc$0$4679$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com>):
>
> Sad anniversary approach
>
> My thoughts shift to the sad memory for me that the 1st year anniversary
> of Mephi's sudden departure will soon be upon us.
>
> It is a rare event that newsgroup acquaintances develop into real
> friendships!
> Even rarer that such a friendship spills a little over into the "real
> world" such was the strengths and depth of Mephi's character and warmth.
> Miss you Dude, always!
>
> Cosmos
>
>
> Re-posted below is one such exchange that lightened my heart!
>
>
> Subject: To Nomen Nescio, LOL- Your Brilliant Post has left me
> Speechless!
> From: Mephistopheles <no-fixed@address.net>
> Newsgroups: alt.oyp.norp
>
> On Thu, 30 Aug 2007 01:00:05 +0200 (CEST), Nomen Nescio
> <nobody@dizum.com> wrote:
>
> Thanks so much for this wonderful account of your current adventures
> which has quite blown me away. I remember well you writing somewhere
> about the haunted eyes of Duncan & how we should do all we can to
> right things for those children to whom life has dealt such a lousy
> hand.. Yours is a piece to be treasured.
>
> If there really is a Benevolent Deity, if a Peter & a Paul, a St.
> Patrick, St George, St Andrew or their ilk really walked the earth
> doing good, along with the late Mother Theresa, then I think you must
> be somewhere among that distinguished Pantheon, for I don't think any
> of them actually dared venture into the Burmese jungle or conjure up
> miracles from a rusty mug of diesel, & I don't think even Jesus got
> round to replicating TV on a bed-sheet! Can I put your name forward
> for a gong, perhaps a peerage?
>
> But that you were able to bring so much laughter & joy to these
> awe-struck children with your mini-cinema (a first for them?) ....&
> who would have dreamt that "Shaun the Sheep" that I snatched off the
> Broken Biscuit Company (LOL)would have travelled so far & so
> gainfully. I was half-minded to forward your amazing script to the
> Radio Times, that most ancient of Radio & TV weekly Listings over
> here, dating back to Logie Baird himself, that little Boffin in the
> class below us in our London Elementary that we used to beat up, then
> confiscate his dinner money. LOL. Nick Park of Aardman Animations
> would himself be inordinately chuffed at the news, perhaps give it
> pride of place on their DVD Blurb. I just regret I didn't post them in
> Hi-Def format, which, as I still have the originals, I would now be
> able to do.
>
> And naturally, I came over all hot & sloppy with your Mephi story, but
> then you always were such an impish little charmer, even in the
> darkest days of the Blitz.
>
> Meanwhile I shall patiently await your forthcoming Book,- not "Travels
> with a Donkey", but "In Laos with A Laptop".
>
> My Very Best (if envious) Wishes,
>
> and thanks again for such a splendid missive. It was great to hear
> from you.
>
> Warmly, Mephi
>
>
>> Picture the setting if you can, high in the hills on the Lao /Burma
> border
>> a people cling to their ancient identity and independence, harried and
>> bullied by Khmer and Burmese neighbours, their presence barely
> tolerated.
>>
>> In the corrugated roofed, earth floored school house, the impromptu
> morning
>> English lesson draws to a close, a place where Blackboard and chalk hold
>> sway and ADHD are mere random letters. The humidity begins to soar as
> the
>> sun climbs towards the inevitable downpour early afternoon.
>>
>> A white sleeping sheet is stretched out taut, fastened in each corner to
>> hang vertical over the face of the upended table itself standing upon
>> another, room, mats are positioned in the centre of the floor and
> expectant
>> bodies jostle for prime positions, as the tension and excitement builds.
>>
>> Outside some metres away a mug full of diesel is carefully poured into
> the
>> green patchwork tank and the cap screwed tight. Right de-compressor
> open
>> and start to crank up the flywheel, faster ok hands clear! Flip the
>> leaver, it catches like a 2" mortar pop once twice three! black soot
>> belches from the muffler sheesh first go to! The speed builds and the
>> generator is engaged. We have power gentlemen.
>>
>> Back in the hut faces turn towards me. Shutters I exclaim! And bodies
> dash
>> to close the 4 storm shutters and the room dims, the laptop is prodded
> to
>> life and the projector turned on and the windoz media classic player
> logo
>> shines forth.
>>
>> Cannot hear you! What do you all want I enquire, "we want Mephi" "we
> want
>> mephi" they all chant after considerable practice to near perfection!
> (yep
>> I was an ABC minor) OK I confess it was me that told them the lead
>> actor's name was Mephi, just my little joke! Maybe I should have told
> them
>> that Mephi was really the nice man at the broken Biscuit Company who
> sent
>> me the films.
>>
>> The credits roll and its "Little Sheep of horrors" this time round and a
>> hush descends in the room, outside a deep rumble of thunder adds to the
>> atmosphere and no translation problems with these clips for sure except
> try
>> to explain what, exactly, is a sheep!!! Lonely planet's no bloody help
>> either!
>>
>> Thunder cracks outside and spooks Lui, who shuffles across the mat and
>> nestles between my legs, and looks out at Shaun battles on to victory.
> But
>> draw no assumptions, these Chao Khao are tough cookies, even the pint
> sized
>> ones can take your eye out at 50 paces with a catapult! And the adage
> "if
>> it moves its Food" holds sway with no room for western sentimentality in
>> these parts of the world.
>>
>> We'll finish up with the BCG tomorrow, "old stock, compliments Becton &
>> Dickinson" confident that Shaun the sheep will make new friends in the
>> remaining days to come.
>>
>> LOL Cosmos
>>
>
>
>
Thanks for a wonderful remembrance.
As for the Lao/Burma area....been there, done that. I can see the kid in the
toom staring, transfixed, as the scenes unroll.
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