Part 4: The Final Installment of A FELLOW OTHELLO

PART 4:  The Final Installment of 

A FELLOW OTHELLO

Sitting in Mr. Fuddle’s office was not a good way to end any day.  Mr. Fuddle held up his mirror and looked at himself once more.  The room was packed with Rachel, Gale, Cassie, Tommy and Jimmy.  Mr. Braker had just left the office, after explaining what he had witnessed. 

“So who wants to start,” Mr.Fuddle asked. “I have the rest of the day since I already suspended Jenny for what she did.”

“It’s all my fault,” Rachel said.  “I trusted a boy who I thought was good.”

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” Mr. Fuddle said.  “Would you care to elaborate?”

“That jerk,” Rachel said pointing towards Tommy. “He gave me his mother’s necklace, or something that he claimed was his mother’s necklace.”  Her anger was sharp, if it was a movie flames would have be coming from her eyes.  “Then the jerk stole it back and gave it to her.”  Rachel pointed at Cassie.

Understanding dawned on Jimmy’s face.

“That’s not the way I think it happened,” Jimmy said after a moment.  It wasn’t long before Jimmy explained what he had seen Gale do on the bus, unraveling her sordid plan of deception. 

“Well young lady,” Mr. Fuddle said.  “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

“I want to call my mom,” was all Gale would say, her face was drawn and pointed down at her feet.  She had been caught and there was no way out.  She had screwed up, and it was all that jerk Jimmy’s fault.  If he had just gotten off the bus and not stayed looking at her.  Then my plan would have worked. 

Somewhere in the back of her mind, that middle school brain began to spin as she thought that Jimmy had stayed on the bus waiting for her.  Did he like her?  Did she like him?  Did he want to dump Jenny and date me now?  All those thoughts hovered.  And then she remembered where she was sitting.  

“I bet you do,” Mr. Fuddle said as he dismissed the rest of the students, promising to give out their punishments after he had finished with Gale.

MANIC MONDAY - FREE BOOKS

It's Manic Monday

Once again, I am humbly offering one of my books out to you, my readers, in the hope of showing a smidgen of gratitude for your willingness to take a chance with me.  As some of you may know I sought to create Captain Algernon Fisk as an officer of great gentlemanly character and strong virtue, similar to what we might see in Horatio Hornblower from the legendary series of C.S. Forester.

CAPTAIN ALGERNON FISK and the HMS SCOTT

This part of the Fisk's story takes place three years after the first book in the series.  Since then Fisk has spearheaded a growing presence of the Empire's force within the Asteroid Belt; a force determined to deal with the pirates who ravaged and pillaged the space lanes of the Sol System.  As we will find out in this part of the story, with great success, there can not be complete victory against so insidious a population as pirates.

Enjoy my fair reader.  Again, I am humbly thankful for your attention and would greatly appreciate it if you shared this information with your friends, peers, vassals, lieges, lords and ladies while leaving a review of the story in the appropriate box.

Captain Algernon Fisk and the HMS SCOTT can be downloaded here from Amazon.

Sunday Scribble

Sunday Scribble:  

What's in a word?

or

A History of the Flush Toilet!

The word 'crap' has many different connotations and meanings.  To some it's a good word to describe something not in the best of shape.  According to Mike Rowe (of Dirty Jobs and multiple voice overs including my ringtone of him singing Dr. Seuss's Mr. Grinch)  C.R.A.P.  means Collectibles, Rare And Precious.  While still others use the word CRAP as a term of endearment as in - "It maybe Crap, but it's all mine."  And let's not forget that it is the root of the name of the most famous plumber of all time; a person who has been mistakenly credited for creating the one invention that delineates Civilized Society from Barbaric Society -  Of course I am talking of no other than THOMAS CRAPPER.  Crapper has been correctly credited with inventing the .......BALLCOCK... which helps the flow and flushing of the ah.... crapper. Of course in old English and in parts of Great Britain today the word Crap refers to weeds, or rubbish or even chaff.  

Within the last hundred years or so the word has come to mean something as in dealing with human waste.  In the event that those of you who read this don't realize this I'm a man of history.   I soak up historical facts like a piece of bread sops up soup.  Yes, like that and then some.  I try not to be picky and discriminate about history - after all there is so much of it and it would be very easy to be selective.  Not me, however.  I enjoy hearing about the Ancient Greeks, Early Romans, Middle Age, Dark Age, Sun-Tzu, Mao, Stanley and Livingston, the Pharaohs, Olmecs, Mayans, Easter Island, Stonehenge, King Alfred the Great, Rollo, Xenophon and yes even CRAPper -  the list goes on.  

Long ago, before I had finished college but after I knew everything like a teenager, my now late mother told me of the one defining invention that separates us from the barbaric ages.  She explained how this single invention makes the world of difference in humanity's growth.  It's invention and subsequent improvements helped to prevent disease, improve lifestyles of people and changed the way that the word 'wealth' was used to define people.  

Of course the obvious avoidance of pestilence, she explained, was but the way to prevent disease.  Filth could now travele down the pipe and out of the home. No longer was the average person forced to dump their - ah crap - (i.e. rubbish, weeds and other leavings) out the window to the small gutter that ran down the street.  The gutter which would be filled up and only emptied by the next rain storm, all of which would end up in the river that ran through or by the town.  

When the diseased filth gets flushed down the crapper it flows through the pipes,down to the sewage system of the city and eventually ends up in that river.  The waste then flows down river getting mixed in with the sediment, water, river banks or simply flows to the next town.  Of course this system is only truly beneficial for those closer to the head waters of the river or those rich folks furthest from the water - so just don't go swimming.  

According to those who know, history's definition of wealth has changed repeatedly over the eons.  Early on, it was the amount of sheep or other animals which you had in your tribe as you roamed the lands. As societies settled into more structured civilizations, pasture and farm land size mattered.  This changed to include the amount of gold or precious metals you could use to shape into things to sell or use to defend yourself with - i.e. weapons of war such as the sword or pike.  Some cultures looked at the number of camels while others looked at the size and shape of your ships because it meant you could send more materials to sell on the backs of the camel or keel of a ship.  This all changed again with Crapper and his popularity among the English gentry.  

My mother explained that when Edward VII ordered Crapper to outfit one of his homes he gained national prestige and made everyone want his work, the then contemporary version of what we know more popularly in our vernacular as the flush toilet, water closet or as some know it - their reading seat - and if living the movie THIS IS FORTY (33 seconds in) - your chance to play Words With Friends.  This single act of Edward VII redefined wealth and what made you wealthy.  The flush toilet had reached it's ascendancy.  

Whatever your point of view on the word, keep in mind some simple facts.  Be thankful for Thomas Crapper, and that the word crap means more then crap.    

Until next time - make sure you check back Thursday for the conclusion of A FELLOW OTHELLO.

A Fellow Othello: Part 3

Thursday Tales Presents:

A Fellow Othello: 

(Part 3) 

To read Part 2 of A Fellow Othello Click HERE!

To read Part 1 of a Fellow Othello Click HERE!

Quickly ducking down, Gale found Rachel’s binder that she had left on the bus.  She reached into it and took out the necklace that she had watched Rachel tuck away in the front pocket of the binder.  She pocketed it and stood up.  It was then that she saw Jimmy looking back.  She wasn't sure that if he had seen her but tried to play it off.

“What,” Gale asked.

“What are you doing with Rachel’s binder,” Jimmy asked. 

“What do you mean,” Gale asked, acting dumb.  “Oh, that’s hers.  I just noticed that it was open and figured that the nice thing to do would be to close it so nothing would fall out when the bus moved.”

Jimmy looked at her skeptically, but he figured that with all the garbage she usually gave him for stupid stuff that calling her a liar would only make his day worse. 

“Sure,” Jimmy finally said and headed off the bus.  Gale followed quickly.

***

The touch tunnel was dark, which was the point of the enclosed space.  You had to crawl along the carpeted area in complete blackness, feeling your way.  Gale had positioned herself in front of Cassie, knowing she would have an opportunity to get close.  The plan that Gale had come up with was to drop the necklace into Cassie’s pocket. 

About half way she had her opportunity.  Stopping Gale asked Cassie if she would take the lead for her.  As Cassie passed Gale, she stuck the necklace into the other girl’s pocket.  Getting out of the tunnel, the sweaty group of middle schoolers met up with Mr. Breaker at the hallway.

Gale met up with Jenny who had been at the back of the line. 

“I thought you were going to wait up for me,” Jenny asked.

“I couldn’t,” Gale said.  “The people here wouldn’t let me.” She lied  “Besides I had a great idea.”

“What’s that,” Jenny asked.

“I think you should pick a fight with Cassie,”

“Why would I do that,” Jenny asked. 

“Well, because she’s going to be the next vice-president of student council,” Gale said.

“WHAT!” Jenny exclaimed, drawing the attention of those closest to her. 

“I heard Cassie bragging about it yesterday in Science, but I didn’t want to upset you.” Gale said.  “And I thought you knew already.”

Jenny angrily stormed off towards where Cassie stood, Jenny looked hard at Cassie.  Gale had positioned herself next to a group of other kids and acted as if she was engaged in talking to them.  This enabled her to be able to hear the confrontation while not seeming to notice it. 

“So, you like to brag,” Jenny said to her.  “You are such a b**ch.”

Jenny pulled her arm back and swung at Cassie.  Cassie tried to step back, but not fast enough.  The top third of Jenny’s fingers made contact with the front of Cassie’s face, turning the unprepared girl’s head sideways and staggering her. 

A moment later Jenny was able to slap with the other hand at Cassie’s face, sending the girl to the ground. Jenny took her leg back as if to kick, but was stopped by the timely intervention of Rachel who pulled the smaller girl back from Cassie.

Mr. Braker came around to the front of the group, surprise covering his face.  There was one of his better students on the ground and another standing over her read to kick her senseless.

“That’s enough ladies,” Mr. Braker said.  “Neutral corners,” Mr. Braker soon regained control of the situation. “What happened her?”

“Cassie has been running around telling everyone that she was appointed to the student council, rubbing it in my face.”  Jenny said loud enough for everyone in the immediate vicinity to hear. 

“That’s not true,”  Cassie said.

“You told Gale in science class,” Jenny yelled back.

“Is that true Cassie?” Mr. Braker asked. 

Sheepishly Cassie looked up at Mr. Braker.  His face was a stern mask, filled with anger at his school trips interruption and the embarrassment this would bring him back at school and from the people at the Planetarium. 

“Well,”  Mr. Braker said testily.  “Yes or No?”

“Yes, I told Gale,” Cassie said finally. 

“Well, I’m going to talk to the Vice Principal about this and I doubt he will still want you to be part of Student Council.” 

Jenny leaped up and clapped her hands, yelling “Yay!”

“And as for you, young lady,” Mr. Braker turned on Jenny.  “I sincerely doubt that our esteemed Vice Principal will want you to participate in Student Council at all.  In fact I suspect that both of you will be spending some quality time suspended in or out of school.” 

Mr. Braker made the two girls walk around with him after that but not before Rachel had a chance to talk to Cassie.

“I have to say I’m disappointed,” Rachel said to Cassie.

“Me too, I never would have thought that Jenny would have flipped out like that,” Cassie said. 

“I didn’t mean I was disappointed in Jenny,” Rachel said.  “I meant you.”

“Why me?” A completely shocked Cassie asked.

“Because you were running around blabbing about your appointment,” Rachel said.  “Now I don’t know if I can trust you in this position.  Being my vice-president has to be someone I can trust to keep a secret.  It seems you can’t be.”  It was bad enough that Mr. Fuddles wouldn’t want Cassie as the vice president, but neither did Rachel now.

Without another word Rachel turned and left Cassie in stunned silence.

Rachel didn’t get far before Gale intercepted her. 

“What’s the matter Rachel, you look so upset,” Gale asked.

Rachel looked at Gale, again unsure if Gale was being sincere or trying to upset her.  Rachel still wasn’t sure what had been Gale’s intention on the bus. 

“Nothing,” Rachel said, figuring that it was better to be safe rather than sorry later.

“Good,” Gale said.  “I was afraid it was about the necklace thing.”

“No, I figured you were just trying to be helpful back on the bus,” Rachel said.

“Oh,” Gale said, her face innocent.  “I didn’t mean that necklace thing.”

“What do you mean,” Rachel asked.

“I meant the necklace thing with Cassie,” Gale said.  “I figured that’s what you were talking to her about.” Gale made it look like she was trying to hold something in.  “I couldn’t help but overhear what you just said to Cassie and I thought it was related to the necklace.”

“What are you getting at,” Rachel asked.

Gale hesitated, appearing unsure how to proceed, although she knew exactly what she was doing, creating drama and scoring some attention points while getting back at Rachel for her friend Jenny.  If Gale felt any remorse at her friends loss of the vice president job on the student council, Gale didn’t show it.  She knew that in any plan there needed to be sacrifice, and after all this plan was to get revenge on a girl who was trying to steal Jenny’s boyfriend, not Gales.  It was only fitting that Jenny have some difficulty come from the plan.

“Let it out,” Rachel said, her patience clearly growing thin.

“Well, you didn’t hear this from me,” Gale began.  “But I heard that Tommy had given your necklace to,” Gale held up her left hand blocking her right hand from Cassie’s view, who still looked dumbfounded.  Gale’s finger was pointing at Cassie.

“No way,” Rachel said firmly.  “I don’t believe it.”

Gale looked over at Cassie, noticed a piece of the necklace hanging out of Cassie’s pants.  Rachel followed Gale’s look and saw the same chain.  By that time Cassie noticed the two girls staring and also followed to where they were looking and saw the same chain.  Cassie reached down and pulled the necklace from the pocket, unsure how or what she was looking at.

Rachel’s face instantly contorted into rage.  With an anger she didn’t know she had in her, she yelled and headed towards the crowd of her fellow students.  Rachel saw Tommy standing next to his friend Jimmy, she headed straight for them.  When she got there she didn’t even hesitate, she through first one punch and then a second. 

Tommy blocked the first and then the second.  Jimmy tried to intervene and was shoved back by the enraged girl.  Jimmy banged his head against the ground and yelled out.  Rachel finally connected with Tommy’s forehead, sending him back a step. 

It was then that the surprisingly strong Mr. Braker was able to hold the struggling girl back from any further punching.  Mr. Braker idly thought that it was the last time he would be coming to the Planetarium with anyone.  It was moments like this that made him hate not taking an early retirement.

Manic Monday - Revisited

MANIC MONDAY 2/17/2014

Why should Monday be seen so bad.  Let's lighten the mood, shall we? 

 Celebrating the increased number of participants viewing my stories on my website brings us to the second Manic Monday.  I know we all work hard and I want to humbly thank you for finding the time to spend with me reading my writings.  Once again I offer up to you another free Kindle story in the hopes that you continue to know the depths of my appreciation.  

Captain Algernon Fisk Against the Pirates of the Asteroid Belt

This story tells of a newly minted Captain of a small ship sent to deal with the growing pirate trade out of the Asteroid Belt of our Sol system.  The Belt circles the center of our solar system and because of that is easily the best place to have pirates operate out of as shipments have to cross it's path along the solar systems plane.  Captain Algernon Fisk story is set in a time period where Saturn is dominated by a communist state on the bring of collapse, a British empire based out of Jupiter allied with an American presence on Mars.  Assorted other nationalities are spread out among the Human Diaspora within the solar system, providing a political climate on the brink of war.  

This first book of Fisk is humbly offered to you, my reader.  Please feel free to leave a review if you have read the story already or if you haven't download today and read at your leisure.    

Sunday Scribble: Discrimination can be Fun! or Choice is Discrimination!

SUNDAY SCRIBBLE 2/16/2014

Discrimination can be Fun! or Choice is Discrimination!

I have nothing worthwhile to say today.

I just wanted to start off with that, so don't feel like I will be offended if you decide to stop reading at this point.  I absolve you of any guilt you might feel.

So, I promised you all that I would keep this writing as scribbly as possible and avoid anything controversial, I am just warning you - if you DO continue to read, it's at your own risk - and it's not my fault if you are offended.

Good - Now that we have that out of the way.

To choose is to discriminate:

Discrimination.  Let's be honest, we all discriminate.  We all have our prejudices - even if we can't all spell it. Here are some examples:

• Some of us like nuts in their peanut butter, and others like the creamy kind.  Heck, some of us are just plain nuts.  
• You either like Opera, or you don't, but you don't HAVE TO like Opera.  
• Smartphones - I pick a phone - because it's what works best for me - what I want. 
• Apple vs. Windows - we're not forced to use both.
• Chocolate chocolate vs White chocolate
• Jam vs Jelly
• Grape vs Orange
• Coke vs Pepsi
• Caramel vs. Fudge
• diet vs regular
• Premium gas vs Regular gas vs High Test gas  (all) vs Diesel

All of these are non entities - right.  But they represent someone who has either made it, created it while working in the field, gains or loses because of our choices.  Someone faces the impact of all of those decisions.  Because I like Skippy over the Acme brand doesn't mean that I hate the people at Acme, it just means I prefer this brand over another.

What is my point.  - First my point is NOT Discrimination against a person based on their personal characteristics is ok - It's simply NOT!  

We made those choices because of many reasons (not all necessarily good reasons):

• It's what we were exposed to and like (our parents made us eat spinach and we found we still hated it - for example)
• We took a chance and tried something new on our own (except that whole green goo I tried - stay away from the mystery meat)
• A pretty girl convinced us to try something (or a handsome guy if you enjoy that)
• A friend said 'Try this, you'll love it!'
• The price of this is cheaper than that - so I'm going with my wallet on that.
• This one is better looking that one - so I'm going to try that.

My point is: It's okay to discriminate in some areas - but know EVERY choice you make has a consequence.   We made those choices because it's what we like, but it's OUR CHOICE - not something that is dictated or demanded.

Choice can be a good thing - but don't be upset if your choice is a bad one.  Too many times I've heard cases of complaintitis where people complain about the choice they made:

• Who I married
• What I ate last night
• Why did I get stuck working with you
• How long do I have to stay
• Too many bills
• 'Yeah, I don't have a job cause I told my boss of.  I know how to do my job better than he/she does'
• I have a job therefore I have to get up early to work

Hey, it's your bed that you made - now sleep in it.  And keep your complaints to yourself! 

A Fellow Othello (PART 2)

Want to catch up on what happened prior to Part 2?  Click HERE!

THURSDAY TALES PRESENTS:

A FELLOW OTHELLO 

(Part 2)

Tommy was trying not to make it look obvious that he was now dating Rachel.  They didn’t want anyone talking about their business.  They sat at different tables, but they were sitting so that they could look at each other, thinking the whole time that no one noticed.  Of course that was wrong.

“Did you notice,” Gale said as she leaned into Barbara so that the bigger girl could hear her.

“Notice what,” Barbara asked.

“The way the two stare at each other,” Gale said a bit of mischievousness in her voice.

“What are you talking about,” Barbara asked.

“Can’t you see how Tommy and Rachel are staring at each other,” Jenny said from the other side of Barbara.  “Like they think they’re in some vampire story.”

Barbara looked at the two; she was sitting on the other side of the table from Rachel, but far enough away so that Rachel couldn’t hear the conversation.  Turning her head she looked over at Tommy and then back at Rachel. 

“Well, I’ll be,” Barbara said as she began to stand up.  “She said that she wasn’t going to date him.”

“Yeah?” Gale said in question.  “You must be kidding.”

“We’ll just see about that,” Barbara said as she lifted up her pants, pulling them over her belly. 

Barbara was a larger girl who had a big attitude to match.  She walked with a purpose in everything she did, and this time was no different.  She stopped right in front of Rachel, blocking her view of Tommy.  Rachel looked up at the large girl standing in front of her, taking all of Rachel’s attention.

“Hi Barbara,” Rachel said.  “What’s up?”

“Don’t give me that missy,” Barbara said shaking her finger and raising her voice.  “You said you weren’t interested.”

“What are you talking about,” Rachel asked.

“You said the last time I talked to you that you weren’t interested in Tommy,” Barbara said, turning slightly to point towards where Tommy was sitting.  “Did he trick you or something,” Barbara asked.  “Or are you just some hootsie tootsie girl that goes around stealing boys.”

“No way,” Rachel said, realizing that everyone at the table was beginning to stare. “He didn’t trick me,”  she almost giggled as she continued.  “And I don’t steal boys.”

“Then why are you dating him,” Gale yelled out from down at her side of the table.

Rachel pointed eyes of poison at the girl, but looked back at Barbara.

“Listen Barb,” Rachel said.  “I value my friendship with you, but I am my own person.”  Rachel explained.  “You know my history, how people have hurt me over and over again.  That I don’t trust easily.  There’s no way that I would allow anyone to ever trick me again.”   She paused as she looked up at the towering, larger girl.  “And this is America, I can date who I want.”

Barbara put her hands on her hips, a thoughtful look crossing her face. 

“But you said you weren’t interested,” Barbara asked, her voice filled with a hint of anguish at losing a potential boyfriend.  “How can you tell me that you changed your mind?”

“Well, because I didn’t say I wasn’t interested.  I said that I wasn’t sure if I was interested,” Rachel explained. “That it would take something to convince me that he was a nice guy and not some jerk.”

“So, I take it that he did something to prove himself to you,” Barbara asked, suggesting something lewd had been done.

“Yeah,” Rachel said.  “He turned out to be a really nice guy.”

“OOOOHHHHH,” Barbara giggled and the surrounding students at both Rachel’s and Tommy’s table copied; Gale and Jenny the loudest of the group.

“That’s not what I meant,” Rachel said, blushing.  Tommy’s friend’s elbowed him and slapped him on the back, Tommy ignored them.  “I just found out that he’s not some shallow jerk like the rest of the boys in this jerkwater of a school.”

“You all shut your mouths if you know what’s good for yah,” Barbara said, her eyes of poison looking between the two tables. She needed to think of what to say and couldn’t concentrate from all the noise. “I don’t want to have to beat any of you.”

And just as quickly the moment passed.  Those who had been disturbed by the noise and commotion had already gone back to eating.  By the time the lunch monitors had made it over to the table everything had quieted down.  

***

The bus was bumping along the road on its way to the observatory.  Looking out the side windows, on a small hill was the large building that had a dome in the center of it.  There was a large parking lot in front that was filled with busses, cars and people moving towards the entrances of the building.  It looked like a giant ant hill that was alternately getting filled and emptied at the same time by worker ants. 

Sitting towards the middle of the bus in a three-seater was Tommy and Rachel.  Sitting across from them was Gale and Jimmy who were also sharing a seat.  Gale was talking to Jenny who was sitting in front of Gale. Jenny had only sat next to Jimmy to keep Rachel from seeing him.  The story was that Tommy and Rachel were dating, but Jenny wasn’t convinced, she knew better.  Gale had told her that it was just some big cover to throw Jenny off the way that Rachel was going after Jimmy.  Of course Jenny was still upset with Jimmy because she thought he was cheating on her with Rachel and he had been on that phone call with her.  In Jenny’s fourteen year old brain, that’s all that could have been going on.  Rachel was bad news and Jenny didn’t like her.   

Gale and Jenny were sitting in the aisle seat talking back and forth as if they were talking about the most important things in the world, all the while Jenny ignored Jimmy who was forced to stare out the window as they drove along. 

Gale looked over at Rachel and tried to include her in the conversation, ignoring the dirty looks from Jenny.  Gale could handle that later, and Gale was certain Jenny would approve of the taunting she would be doing.

“So Rachel, you said that Tommy had proven himself.  How,” Gale asked.  “I’m not trying to say he did anything bad, but I figured whatever he did must have been pretty spectacular for you to trust him after your past.”

Rachel looked over at Gale, trying to gauge if Gale was trying to be rude or was sincere.  Rachel decided to give Gale the benefit of the doubt, even she suspected that Gale was trying to be a snake.

“He gave me this necklace,” Rachel said, pulling a silver chain from under her shirt.  “He said it was something his mother had worn before she had died, and that for as long as we went out I could wear it because he knew that I was special like his mom.”

“Wow,” Jenny said as Gale just looked on thoughtfully, considering that Gale might be wrong. Jenny quickly discarded that idea because she just couldn’t trust Rachel.

“That’s pretty incredible,” Gale said.  “Assuming…” But Gale didn’t finish the statement. 

“Assuming what,” Rachel asked. By this time in the trip Tommy had fallen asleep, his head leaning against the window, then leaning back as the bus bounced along, moving his head.  Gale gave an extra glance over towards him to make sure that he was asleep. 

“That it really was his mother’s and not something that he picked up from Walmart,”  Gale said and then saw the look on Rachel’s face.  “Which I’m sure he wasn’t lying about that.  You would never see something that nice there.” Gale backpedaled. 

A tear pierced Rachel’s eye, but she quickly wiped it away.   Pulling the necklace off her head, she stuffed it into her binder, thinking that she didn’t want it on her in case she lost it, but knowing that it was because she wasn’t sure it was real.  Which meant that if it wasn’t real then Tommy’s feelings for her were fake.

Gale watched from her seat, Jenny marveled at her friends ability to destroy.

Manic Monday!!

Introducing Manic Monday: 

Since our restart I have seen a noticeable increase in the amount of traffic coming to my site.  I really appreciate the increased support and confidence in my fans, friends and associates.  I know it can be difficult in our fast paced world to find the time to check out my site, read my musings and my short stories as well as spread the good word among your own friends, family and associates.  I wanted to show you my appreciation for all your help and support so I decided to go the extra step and create a MANIC MONDAY.   I know your question - and here's your answer.  On every Monday I will be posting a link for you to download a free book of mine from the kindle store.  Each week the book will be different.  As new books become available I will include them into the rotation as feasible.  

I offer this humble Thank you to all of you!  

Jim Baldini 

Our First Offering:

Storm Story: Triumphant: A book that I wrote during and after Super storm Sandy hit the Northeast and crippled most of New Jersey, New York and surrounding areas.  My family and I didn't struggle as much as others closer to the shore, but we still spent nearly a week without power but were fortunate to have family who did have power and let us stay at their house during the storm.  Thanks Connie and Fred!  I remember vividly looking at our situation and wondering what my children would do if stuck in Sandy without parents, friends or family to help out.  Many of my stories that aren't Science Fiction revolve around the simple concept of Bad Things Happen to Good People, and how they react.  This was one of those stories.

SUNDAY SCRIBBLE: LIFE IS NOT FAIR or DO YOU BELIEVE IN COINCIDENCES?

SUNDAY SCRIBBLE:  

LIFE IS NOT FAIR or DO YOU BELIEVE IN COINCIDENCES?  

Life is not fair.  We've been told that since we were kids.  Mom and Dad sitting at the dinner table telling us how we need to not accept that things will always break our way; scolding us on our demands of equality as we pound on the floor and ask one more time why we can’t go to the mall, or have that extra playset that we wanted. 

Or how your father would look at you squarely and tell you how there is no money tree and that everything we eat, drink, use or have was bought with his your mothers hard earned money.  How even the food on your plate wasn’t handed out as a giveaway, but earned from working long hours at difficult jobs. 

So Life Is Not Fair.  We know that.  We experience that in our daily life.  When a police officer doesn’t see the speedster who just whizzed passed going fifteen over the speed limit but just happens to be there the moment you go through a yellow a little late.  Like the whole cosmos is out to jerk you around, and let some more deserving jerk get free.

How about when the boss sees only your screw ups, complains about your mistakes while letting the other guy goof around at his job.  Forgetting the long years of service you have provided while the other individual gets away at doing nothing beyond sucking up to your boss.  After all, your hard work doesn't get rewarded, but gets ignored – no the occasional good job doesn't make up for it.  Again, the cosmos is jerking you around.

It’s okay though.  Our father never did find that money tree.  I haven’t either, nor have we found that goose with golden eggs, or the king that can turn things into gold – which must be a great party conversation starter, and if you get too close can end the conversation just as quickly. 

After all this, how do we deal with the reality that Life Is Not Fair?  We can’t accept such a patently unfair concept that Life Is Not Fair, or can we?  I answer these questions by referring to a movie I have watched several times, one of THOSE that make you really examine your place in the world and wonder at God’s presence.

In the movie SIGNS, Merrill Hess (Joaquin Phoenix) asks Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) for insight into the lights over Mexico City.  The former Reverend looks at his brother and says something to the effect is that the world basically divides into two types of people.  One type looks at the alien lights over Mexico City as a sign (thus one of the references to the movies title)  from God and that everything will be okay.  The other type looks at the lights over Mexico City and feels tremendous fear and uncertainty.  To some it up Graham puts it another way and says “Are there such things as coincidences?”  After a brief allegoric story from Merrill about a girl puking before he kissed her, he proclaims that he believes in God and that they are signs and there are no such thing as coincidences. 

I added this section about the conversation between Graham and Merrill because when we ask why Life isn’t Fair we can ask ourselves the same question:  Which group do we divide ourselves into?  Now this isn’t an attempt at religious conversion, but it is an attempt to ask YOU – If what is unfair hasn’t done you in, it has made you stronger.  Then could it not be part of a bigger plan for you.  Or maybe it’s just a coincidence.  You decide, but before you do make sure you think about the outcome.  It could make all the difference in the world.

A FELLOW OTHELLO!

A FELLOW OTHELLO!

“I cannot believe that they are dating,” Jenny said as she was crossing the quad.

“It’s disgusting isn’t it,” Gale said, her face crinkled up.  “It makes me sick.”

“I know,” Jenny said and then opened her mouth and stuck her finger into her mouth imitating someone puking. 

Both girls were shaking their head as they walked past the couple sitting at the park bench.  It was lunch at Roosevelt Middle School, and it was a sunny beautiful day.  The grass that the girls walked on was a rich green, the trees scattered around the grassy area providing shade with their leaves completely grown.  It was the height of the spring and a time when love was in the air. 

“What really burns me is that I thought Barbara was arranging a double date with her boyfriend and Tommy and me,” Jenny said.   “Next weekend we were supposed to see that new movie that was coming out, the romance story.”

“Yeah, well looks like that’s a big FAT FAIL,” Gale said.  “Those two look like -,” Gale paused as she was looking over her shoulder at the couple.  “Yep, there it is,”  Gale said with a squeal.  “They’re swapping some spit.”

Jenny looked over her shoulder and couldn’t help but be shocked and disappointed at what she saw. 

“I can’t believe it.” Jenny said.  “I would have thought that he would have better taste than that, that foreigner.”

“I know,” said Gale.  “I’m pretty sure that slut is the one who I think has been chasing Jimmy.” Gale’s voice was filled with anger and hatred.  “We were supposed to spend all night on the phone last night but when I called him he didn’t answer.”

“No way,” Jenny said.  “I don’t think that’s enough to think that he’s cheating with that hootsie tootsie Rachel.” Jenny paused.  “OMG, they’re kissing again.”

Gale looked over at the couple.

“Tommy could do so much better,” Gale said.  “So after I called Jimmy’s house I talked to his little brother who told me that Jimmy was on the phone with some girl whose name began with an R.”

“No way,” Jenny said her face shocked.

“And so I tried calling Rachel to check, and when I did it said her cell phone was busy,” Gale said.  “I can’t believe Rachel is trying to steal Jimmy.  I’m going to make sure she regrets that.”

“Cell phones don’t get busy,” Jenny said, trying to calm her friend down.

“Yes they do,” Gale paused.  “But only if they’re on a three way call.”

“You mean that hootsie tootsie was on the phone with Jimmy and somebody else,” Jenny asked.

“That’s exactly what I mean,” Gale said.  “She probably had someone listening to the phone call as she seduced my boyfriend.”

“B**ch,” Jenny said in a dark voice. “We have got to do something about her.”

“Don’t get yourself all worked up Jenny,” Gale said as she patted Jenny on the back.  “I have a plan that will get us both what we want.  Her mind had been working all night and day on finding some way to get revenge.

***

The couple sitting at the bench were average looking in most respects.  Tommy, with his blond hair contrasted nicely with the young girl he was kissing.  Rachel’s jet black hair and Mediterranean skin color accented the young man’s fair features.  Her poke a dot dress reached down to just above her knees as she sat.  His khaki shorts with loose fitting polo shirt along with her comfortable outfit made the couple not only seem comfortable with each other, but comfortable in their own skin.  They were cute together.

As they pulled away from each other from their first kiss they both had a smile.  Both looked away shyly.  The boy’s braces could just be made out from the rest of his face.  For the most part they were difficult to see because of the model used by the orthodontists, see through. 

“I think you are awesome,” Rachel said. 

“Thanks,” Tommy said back.  “I think you’re pretty awesome too.  And I do mean Pretty.”  He smiled that way someone does who has braces and has forgotten that they’re wearing them. 

Rachel reached up and stroked the side of his cheek, not caring to notice the braces. 

“That was very nice of you last night,” Rachel said.  “Jimmy and I really needed the help with the math.”

“Thanks, but you were the one who had three way calling.” Tommy said.  “And I think you were the one who had the area formula memorized not me.”

The bell rang signaling the end of lunch.  At Roosevelt only the eight graders were aloud out on the quad after they ate their lunch.  It was one of the only perks they had as the eldest students on campus.  The group of eight graders on the small field on the side of the cafeteria headed into the building; Tommy and Rachel were holding hands.

***

“As you all know in two days we will be going to the Observatory and if you haven’t handed in your paperwork you will not be able to come,”  Mr. Braker said.  “Which means that you will have to stay here and do some other work that I warn you will be very unpleasant.”

The science room had the science islands with the drawers for storing supplies and high stools allowing the students to see the top of the black toped islands.  There was a faucet in the center of each island.  Along the walls were cabinets with glass fronts, allowing students to see the instruments and other items stored there.

Mr. Braker was a small man who had big thick glasses.  He had the look of a man who was continually angry at the world, no matter who you were he hated you.   He was handing out a set of worksheets and talked as he walked around the room, scanning and looking at students and what they were doing. 

“This sheet will prepare you for the field trip,” he looked down at Jimmy who was sitting towards the back.  “So, I expect everyone to hand this in, even you Jimmy.”

“Yes sir,” Jimmy said automatically.  Jimmy had already run afoul of Mr. Braker and didn’t want to upset the old man again.  He was already in trouble for something that was written on his chair that Mr. Braker blamed on him.

“Just because your friend’s father is a member of the Town Council doesn’t mean that you are exempt from facing consequences,” Mr. Braker, who had run for Town Council had lost to Tommy’s dad the year before in a very tight race for town council.  Knowing that Jimmy was friend with Tommy had made Jimmy a target in this science class like Tommy was in another one of the science classes that Mr. Braker taught. Still, it didn’t mean that Jimmy wouldn’t try and trip up the science teacher.

Throughout the class Gale, who was sitting in the front row was passing notes to Jenny, the girl who was sitting behind her.  Notes with, “I’m bored” double underlined, or “Did you see the eyebrows on this guy,” or “Braker – it’s more like NERD”.   As middle schoolers go, the conversation was almost tame.  No foul language and of course, meaningless to anyone over the age of fourteen.   Gale was also passing similar style notes to Cassie who was sitting next to her.

Unbeknown by the girls passing notes, they were getting some helpful assistance from Jimmy as the whole time Mr. Braker was walking around the room he was so focused on Jimmy and everything he did wrong that Mr. Baker never noticed the note passing from the student who he thought was his best.

When the class broke up into pairs, Mr. Braker put Cassie and Gale together as partners.  Mr. Braker considered the two students to be his best students in this class and knew that they would be finished before everyone else.  During the experiments they talked about different things, but eventually the conversation turned towards the student council.

“I overheard that you’re the person who’s going to get to replace the kid that was class vice president but had to move,” Gale said to Cassie.

“Yeah, Mr. Fuddles told me that Rachel, as the class president and him decided that I was going to replace Delbert as the class vice president,”  Cassie said as she handed over the beaker of water to get heated.

“Congratulations,” Gale said.  “Do you think that Rachel will actually let you do anything?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t she,” Cassie asked, her face tilted in that unsure way.

“It’s really not my place to say,” Gale said, trying to act innocent and getting away with it because Cassie was more interested in Gale’s statement. 

“No, I want to know,” Cassie said.  “You can’t say that and not explain.”

“As long as you remember that you asked,” Gale said, her voice and posture filled with contrition.  “Otherwise I would never have said anything.”

“GO ahead already,” Cassie said, turning the heat up on the beaker.

“Well, I overheard Rachel and Mr. Fuddles talking about how they wanted you because they figured you wouldn’t fight them as much as your competition would.”  Gale had heard no such thing; she hadn’t even been in the same wing of the school, but it would make Cassie think that she was helping her out, and it could create so much potential entertainment to see Cassie squirm. 

She only knew about Cassie’s appointment because she heard a couple of teachers talking about it in the hallway on the way to class.  It struck her immediately that it would be a great way to get some attention if she just changed the story around a bit.

“Really,” Cassie said, in that voice that was both haughty and concerned.  “So who did they mean by my ‘competition’.”

“You don’t know,” Gale asked.  Gale looked both ways as if she was checking for anyone to overhear.  Cassie, unsure what was going on did the same in that halfhearted way.  Moving close to Cassie so that there was no air between them, she took her thumb and pointed to the table behind them.  “It was Jenny, she so wanted the job.  All she’s been talking about since she heard Dillie was leaving was that she wanted the job.”  This wasn’t a lie, Jenny had wanted the vice-president job last year when she had lost the election.  This was the best way to tell a lie.  Tell a partial truth so that whoever you’re talking to believes the whole lie.

Cassie turned her head and looked at the lab table behind her; it was a cold calculated look.

***

Jenny and Gale walked close whispering to each other, keeping their voices low enough so that only they could hear.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Jenny said.  “You are some type of genius, but aren’t you worried about Fuddles?” Gale hadn’t told Jenny about the conversation with Gale, keeping it simple, as a backup plan or just some good fun after everything was done.

Mr. Fuddles was the vice principal, an elderly man who been with the school since it was built nearly thirty years before.  If paper was made by Gucci, then his hair would be the equivalent.  It was a startlingly bright white that was so decorative that you thought he spent most of his day combing his hair.   

“That old idiot,” Gale said.  “My dad describes him as the guy whose about as sharp as a dull pencil.  This plan is fool proof, guaranteed to work.”

“Good, cause the day of the trip to the observatory is coming up and that would be the best place to make our plan work.”

“I agree, but let’s see if we can create a bit of stir tomorrow at lunch,” Gale explained.

“Cool,” Jenny said.  “I can’t wait.”

Wanna continue reading on to Part 2 of A FELLOW OTHELLO  Then Click HERE!

Fresh EGGS! Sausage and Tattertots Please! or A FRESH START

I thought I might include some of my more relevant thoughts about my writings here, answer any questions about my writing and provide any public commentary that is relevant.  One thing first about the purpose of this blog, I don’t intend to put my political thoughts or ideas here.  I see this as an avenue between me and you.  I don’t want you to feel like I am forcing my views on you,   that’s just not my place. I want to entertain, not preach to you.  While my writing is often filled with messages of life, lessons of good in a style that has humor mixed in with drama; I hope to bring you entertainment and hope you view it as such. 

Also, I will do my best to make sure that I have reviewed my writing before posting to the site, but even then you can expect there to be some failures in my grammar.  I have improved, and will continue to do so, but to quote Clint Eastwood “A man’s got to know his limitations.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VrFV5r8cs0

My agenda:

I plan on posting once a week a short commentary on the vagaries of life.  Call it the Sunday Scribble, kinda puts it in perspective for me.

 

I have an ambition to do a short little story every Thursday and call it the Thursday Tale.  I’m hoping that I can keep the stories short enough to not bore you, but long enough to keep you waiting for the next scene.  I think I can keep most of it clean or at the PG level.  Of course, who really knows what PG stands for without googling it? 

Today is Monday.  I will have a short piece this Thursday for my readers to read.

Your job is to be respectful and if you leave comments, keep them clean and appropriate with in the PG level – thanks!  I would also ask that you spread the word about this site and my stories.  I know my wallet would really appreciate any book purchasing that you can do. 

- James Baldini