Notes - 1964, Prof. Cleora Fuller, Oates and Bread Loaf / Gabriel

         Mid-afternoon. You had your morning walk in the park then came home and mowed the yard. Presently you finished a Subway picnic at the small park by the Little Miami River at Foster. Carol is on page 221 of Bel-Air Dead and reading while you are not particularly ready to do in writing.

         It wasn’t so cloudy this morning and the sugar maples are looking really good this Fall. (Why does Word no want me to capitalize the seasons?) It seems to me I was taught to capitalize them in elementary school. My favorite romantic poets most always capitalized them. I read a good ‘fiction’ by Joyce Carol Oates in the newest Harpers, which arrived yesterday. The focus was on the summer of 1951 at Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and the Poet of the Summer was Robert Frost. Joyce was the fictional interviewer of Frost and the story showed a lot of enlightened detail about the ‘real’ Robert Frost that I had heard stories about. One of those with Oates at Bread Loaf that summer was John Ciardi. Her description of him was pretty good too; though I meant him some twelve or so years later there was a mischievous and naughty character floating around in his mind too. Oates listed some biographies about Frost at the end of her story to reinforce the fiction, which was quite cleverly written. For the first three pages or so I thought it nonfiction – very well written. Every time I see mention of Bread Loaf I think back on how Mrs. Cleora Fuller one of the English professors at Otterbein wanted me to go to Bread Loaf one summer. She thought I had talent that needed some creative nurturing, one of the few besides Dr. Coulter that felt so. I remember Bread Loaf as a positive; that I could have gone there as Mrs. Fuller had. The only course I had her for was Advanced Poetry. I earned an A and had fun all the way through the course. I loved that class. (1523)

         You were checking out Bread Loaf on Wikipedia Offline but feel awkward about dropping any selections in here. I’ll choice a couple of paragraphs as the concept of your attending the conference was enough to give you added confidence in your pursuit of literature and writing in those earlier days. – Amorella

** **

Bread Loaf Writers' Conference

The Bread Loaf Writers' Conference is a writers’ conference held every summer at the Bread Loaf Inn, near Bread Loaf Mountain, east of Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1926, it has been called by The New Yorker "the oldest and most prestigious writers’ conference in the country." Bread Loaf is sponsored by Middlebury College and at its inception was closely associated with Robert Frost, who attended a total of 29 sessions. (Frost lived in nearby Ripton.)

Noted authors who have been associated with the conference over the years include James Brown, John Ciardi, Bernard DeVoto, Robert Frost, John Gardner, Richard Gehman, Donald Hall, John Irving, Shirely Jackson, Barry Lopez, Robie Macauley, Carson McCullers, Norman Mailer, Toni Morrison, Linda Pastan, May Sarton, Anne Sexton, Eudora Welty, and Richard Yates.

From Wikipedia Offline

** **

         1945 hours. Earlier I attempted to find more information on Professor of English, Cleora Fuller, but I could not. I do know she graduated from Middlebury College – she was in her late sixties or early seventies when I had her for class.

         Carol made your Grandma Schick’s and her Grandma Cook’s recipe for meatloaf for supper (along with asparagus). Family recipes are among the best from your point of view. You also put most of the names and important locations of family and friends into the car’s navigation system late this afternoon. You had to call Kim to get the address of the condo in Madeira Beach. When you asked she immediately rattled it off. She remembers addresses and telephone numbers from thirty years ago. She also told you to see the new film, Gravity – she rated it a 4/5 out of 5 and reminded you on how much she thought about being an astronaut in her younger days. – Amorella

         Kim is my favorite daughter.

         Today hasn’t really been conducive to writing. Perhaps tomorrow before and after you and Carol work on the north lot house plantings. Post. Later, dude. - Amorella

         2008 hours. I was glancing over what posts people looked at today and such a coincidence, one was “The Legendary Gabriel” posted 4 September 2009 and here is a selection:

** **

“The Legendary Gabriel”

Amorella here. This is an early autumn photograph of a quite serene Gabriel in a quite serene and dignified place, Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati. The raising of the trumpet, and ancient symbol of the call Homeward. 

What this photo reminds orndorff of is a 1960 episode of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone titled, “A Passage for Trumpet” starring Jack Klugman and John Anderson. Richard remembers the episode but not the details, which have been quickly provided by Google.

A quick history here. Orndorff wanted to take a class from Serling when he was teaching at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, but he never had the chance. One of his teacher’s at Otterbein suggested he spend a summer at the Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College in Vermont but he didn’t have the economic opportunity, so later, he made me up instead. And, I made up ‘the other side’.

I thought since he liked the humor of turning a person inside out by showing the unconscious mind first I would continue it through the process of showing up in a two-dimensional sort of place dead. Length and width with no depth. A stretched heartansoulanmind – this is funny. Alone and laid out flat to dry, so to speak. It sound cruel, but then so does the birth process. Besides, after an individual gets to understand herorhimself better sheorhe is more comfortable with old friends and family who are there to Meet and Greet.

Now, in my story, individuals can stay in their comfort zone as long as they wish, but most want to move on. Moving on means more Meets and Greets. The whole species is there so what else is there to do? Besides, being human is, in part, being social, at least with a few others. People can’t define themselves alone. They have to have comparisons and contrasts. Attractions of personality still attract and people are interesting and there is plenty of time, as it were, to listen to each other’s stories about how life was and why, at least from their own standpoints. The individual human spirit still grows. Self-learning still takes place. Compassion, sympathy and consideration are what a human being is and the three aspects are what sheorhe continues to be. Simply put, that’s it. [Amorella]

You didn’t mention “HeavenOrHellBothOrNeither” which is in the books.

That’s a subset of being laid out to dry. Honestly working out one’s life can be the variety of HeavenOrHellBothOrNeither. Individuals still have their Free Will to do what they want relative to the existential conditions they find themselves in. What else would one realistically expect? - [Amorella]

This post death concept doesn’t come out in the books. I don’t know whether I like this idea, Amorella.

That’s tough, orndorff. I thought you would find some humor in it. - [Amorella]

Some of the concept is flat out funny, but it doesn’t seem fair to leave it all up to the individual.

That’s what friends and sometimes family are for. Although this is not mentioned as such in the books, it does fit in the criteria of the three volumes. - [Amorella]

I really wasn’t expecting this.

Famous post death last words, so to speak. Fortunately in my sense of the books your humor goes with you. Humor and friends help, just as they help the living. In here people are built to adapt for a reason. - [Amorella]

Enough on this topic. Very unexpected, Amorella. This is somewhat embarrassing.

Embarrassment is not the topic for tomorrow. Let’s go with ‘humor’ as the topic. - [Amorella]

It is not funny to discuss humor.

Cheer up, orndorff. This is not a college class. It costs nothing. You are too set in your ways, too stogy. I think you are just upset because I didn’t write what you thought I was going to write. Too bad. Live with it, kid. – Amorella. 

Posted - 4 September 2009 - Encounters in Mind

** **

         You dropped in the whole post. Where’s the selection? – Amorella

         I didn’t know where to cut it.

         Why did you leave Gabriel out? – Amorella

         I don’t know.

         Well, drop the photo in where it belongs and we’ll call it a day. – Amorella

         Why is the photograph so important; it has nothing to do with Professor Fuller?

         But it does, boy. Add and post. - Amorella

Notes - not much choice / ch. word frequencies / weak vocabulary?

        Shortly after noon. You have finished the corrections and Word statistics for chapters one through four. You have your StoryMill statistics to do as well. Carol is watering the grass and you have to put the plants you bought yesterday into the ground sometime today. Otherwise, it is a good, pleasant day (windows are presently open) so far. – Amorella

         1215 hours. I am not sure what to put down with the StoryMill. I don’t think I did anything to the first chapter other than it gives me a word count per word. It is a good way to check if I am using the same words too much. This has been more work than I expected. I had forgotten to include Brothers 2 in the final drafts of both Word and Page. There are still errors corrected on Word and not on Page. I have to get them both on iCloud so I can sync the material.

         It is easier if you do this as you go along than try to come back and tinker or re-work. We are not going to continue until everything is up to par and in sync. – Amorella

         This doesn’t give me much choice.

         It is not supposed to. Take a break and post. - Amorella

         Late mostly sunny afternoon. You are behind the local Miami University building on north Cox Road facing northeast in the shade at VOA Park. Carol is on page 196 of Woods’ Bel-Air Dead. You worked on StoryMill software and copied ‘Word Frequencies’ for each chapter. – You stopped at Smashburgers for supper before coming home as dusk is beginning to settle in. – Amorella

         1803 hours. I have done what needs to be done for the moment. However, I am not sure what the Word Frequency means.

         Don’t worry about the nouns as much as verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Let’s make a list.

         Chapter One – dead -13; living – 12; mother – 11; into – 6; or – 4; have – 4; entangled – 4; those – 4; between – 4; who – 3; thought – 3.

         Chapter Two – have – 23; dead -21; what – 12; thought – 12; do – 12; out – 11; one – 11; here – 9; than – 9; living – 9; who – 9; up – 9; down – 9; would – 9; all – 9; into – 8; so – 8; more – 8; got – 7; those – 6; where – 6; added – 6; commented – 4; think – 4; that’s – 4; asked – 4; don’t – 4; snickered – 3; look – 3; remote – 3; created – 3; early – 3; quickly – 3; came – 3; touch – 3;  make – 3; I’m – 3; it’s – 3; seemingly – 3; always – 3.

         Chapter Three – dead – 17; up – 16; have – 15; who – 15; into – 14; one – 14; do – 13; or – 13; our – 12; both – 11; such – 8; between – 8; has – 8; two – 8; still – 7; go – 7; these – 7; living – 7; thought – 7; always – 7; own – 6; those – 6; once – 6; some – 6; used – 6; want – 6; been – 6; more – 6; sat – 5; each – 5;  what – 5; see – 5; come – 5; it’s – 5; too – 5; how – 5; know – 4; can – 4; never – 4; here – 4;  am – 4; it’s -4; over – 4; if – 4; through – 4; sometimes – 3; without – 3; commented – 3; become – 3; believe – 3; did – 3; asked – 3; added – 3; abruptly – 3; little – 3; thinking – 3; because – 3; almost – 2; using – 2; though – 2

         Chapter Four – have – 20; one – 19; dead – 16; can – 13; time -13; mind – 13; what – 11; or – 11; could – 10; living – 10; up – 10; so – 10; who – 9; each – 9; while – 9; all – 9; into – 8; when – 8; do -8; over – 8; here – 7; four – 7; why – 7; like – 7; about – 7; thought – 7; once – 6; our – 6; out – 6; see – 6; first – 6; even – 6; would – 6; among – 6; old – 6; if – 6; how – 6; will - 5; something – 5; another – 5; within – 5; then – 5; been – 5; more – 5; take – 5; get – 5; any – 5; after – 5; both – 5; rose – 5; little – 5; same – 5; little – 5; those – 4; never – 4; between – 4; than – 4; some – 4; only – 4; did - 4; much – 4; too – 4; smiled – 4; off – 3; took – 3; saying – 3; am – 3; commented – 3; think – 3; become – 3; feel – 3; just -3; hear – 3; through – 3; give – 3.

         What do you think, boy? – Amorella

         1854 hours. I think I have a weak vocabulary. I am not seeing these words in context but it shows me laziness. I need to work on this.

         Let’s do this tomorrow. Keep in mind that casual dialogue is what it is; otherwise though we can work on it. - Amorella

         I did not write down all the words even repeated.

         Moderation is most always a virtue, young man. Post. - Amorella

Notes - a good busy day / Pouch 4 (final) completed

          Mid-afternoon. You are at your usual spot at Rose Hill Cemetery. Earlier you walked in Pine Hill Lakes Park. Ran errands and had a late lunch at Panera; a stop at Kroger’s and home before here. When you checked the mail you were surprised to see that Doug had sent you the book, Thinking in Numbers by Daniel Tammet. Last week you received a gift iBook, Akin to the Truth: A Memoir of Adoption and Identity by your former Indian Hill student, Paige Adams Strickland who kindly mentioned you as one of her teachers. You have decided to continue hers first then read Doug’s loaner. You also have statistics to work out for the last three chapters. Carol is on page 110 (and reading) of Woods’ book, Bel-Air Dead. Let’s go to Pouch 4. – Amorella

         1508 hours. I have (final) Pouch 4 ready.

***

Diplomatic Pouch 4 ©2013, rho (final) draft - GMG One

            By late mid-morning the next day Justin watched as Blake inspected the very slightly damaged Rolls-Royce turboprop Cessna P210N Silver Eagle. Pyl waited at the entrance to the Burke Lakefront terminal for Fran and her companion to arrive.

            Shortly after introductions and a walk to the east side of the terminal Justin stood next to the wire fence watching as Blake answering questions the women’s questions and pointing out various aspects of the Silver Eagle. Justin thought it odd that they would bring their U.S. passports to prove of identity when a driver’s license would do; and why do they want to buy this plane? Why are they willing to give so much for a refurbished old plane. I don't feel any safer flying in it. I'd feel better if it were a brand new Cessna, not so fancy, just newer. A thought crossed. Here it is, another sunny and relatively warm day in January, no wind, it feels like early April. I wonder if they are going to take it up. He continued his observations and private thoughts while leaning back on the fence with he arms crossed as if he were an airport inspector.

            Within an hour Justin felt some pangs for lunch and ready for a soda at the terminal when Pyl waved from down and across from the row of planes he had casually checked over as if they were a string of used cars.

            Pyl smiled profusely as he drew closer. "Blake won’t sell for a million and a half. Hart says she wants to take a ride anyway and she talked it up with Fran, so Fran asked Blake for a ride over to Put-in-Bay saying she'd give us a thousand dollars for the ride there and back because she loved flying in a Silver Eagle similar to the one her uncle had when she was a child. We are all going. It ought to be fun. Maybe even a picnic in the park. In January, can you believe this weather Justin?"

            He sighed. "I guess; but I could use a drink."

            Pyl hardly contained her excitement while saying, "Go get something and get me a candy bar and one for you too. We’ll get the plane checked out and ready." Memory flew her to the time Grandpa took Grandma and Blake and herself over to Put-in-Bay for an afternoon of fun and a plane ride too. Sometimes we stopped at Port Clinton and took a cab to Cedar Point, as kids we always had good times in the plane.

            Justin turned and rather pensively asked, "Pyl, what about the damaged wingtip?"

            She smiled reassuringly, "It'll be okay, Justin. Blake wrote out a report. We are getting it repaired next week. The plane is safe to fly." Why is Justin on edge when we are contemplating a flight; even when we were first dating he had an issue with safety issues. I wanted him to take lessons but he would have none of it. He’s just a conservative old soul in a young body, that’s what he says, but he never knows why. Opposites attract, I guess. That’s the old adage.

            Within the next hour the five took off from Burke Lakefront on the secondary runway, 6R/24L on their way to the South Bass Island. Blake turned from the controls once they were at ten thousand feet and commented, "The 3W2 Put-in-Bay airport is open for light traffic this time of year. It'll be fine, it's a nice strip."

            From the co-pilot seat Pyl spontaneously added, "This will be fun. We’ll see Perry's Monument and the town. We can rent a golf cart and take a quick tour, get something to eat then be on our way."

            Blake glanced back, "Our treat, ladies, you are quite generous with your payment. I’m glad you’re not too upset that I don’t want to sell the old girl – she’s been in the family too long."

            "We are glad to have you all along with us," replied Fran politely. "It is always nice to make new friends, even if we could not come to a deal. It is a delight to be flying in this wonderfully reconditioned Silver Eagle. The stories we could tell you about our younger days flying with Uncle Jack."

            "And you can fly us back, Fran, but if you don't mind, I'll sit co-pilot."

            "Fine with me," she said, and she looked at Hartolite with an excited smile and a mimicked, "Won't this be fun."

            Hart responded to the private sarcasm with her eyes and accented raised right eyebrow.

765 words

***

         The mowers are all silent. Rose Hill is a very pleasant cemetery. You have two turkey buzzards soaring above, in a nice winged composition, a juxtaposition of a silent winged black on blue.

         Some time later and you are at Natorp’s Landscaping and Carol is looking for an outdoor plant or two.

         1621 hours. I have finally adjusted the (final) drafts in one Word and one Page document. I am hopeful that I can find a way to put the word document on iCloud also, but if not at least it if one more piece of quarantine that this work will not be completely lost in some sort of personal catastrophe.

         You are a bit overdramatic, orndorff. However, the whole concept allows you to be more comfortable, so what’s the harm. In order to better do the stats you’ll need your iPad, which is at home. Why don’t you take the time to work on the car’s Navigation Manual for a more thoroughly understanding of its workings. – Amorella

         1727 hours. We have Carol’s plants in place and will proceed with their addition to the north side tomorrow. Tonight, we have pizza from Papa John. Homer and his crew make the best large Papa John half veggie, half works in the world as far as we are concerned. Can’t wait.

         Later, orndorff. Post.  - Amorella

Notes - work ethic / backed up / a car study / Stats to work on

         Another very late morning. You have been reading two new reviews of the Honda Accord Hybrid and the tale is told of much better mileage just as predicted and that most everything is excellent, again as predicted. One of the main differences between the Avalon and Accord is ‘luxury’ as the Honda does not ride like an Avalon and the other is the Avalon has a 14 cubic foot trunk while the Honda (as you would have it equipped) has a 12.3 cubic foot trunk. You have no doubts that you would get eight to ten more miles per gallon in the Honda, but you think the better ride and bigger trunk help balance that out. – Amorella

         1148 hours. One can’t have everything sheorhe necessarily wants on a car. Well, most of us can’t. Neither article spoke on when the new Hondas would actually be available for the general public.  It makes no difference now anyway. I’m still happy with Carol’s choice. The trunk size was a major factor and it is rather refreshing to be driving something than a Honda for a change. Now we have a choice parked in the garage. Today we have some chores and more errands but eventually I will work on Pouch 4 and another (final) chapter will be completed. It is interesting to proof chapters from so far back, and it is easier to see a variety of errors and or constructions that need clarity because the eyes are not fresh to the words.

         Carol is writing checks for bills and later you will head out for lunch and errands. As far as Carol’s car is concerned, under the circumstances it appears she made a good choice. What more can you expect from the world environment you find yourself living in? – Amorella

         I attribute our life circumstance partly on good fortune, but mostly it is from Carol’s lifelong work ethic.

         Really? Who would have thought you would consider anything differently? Post. - Amorella

         1507 hours. Late lunch at Penn Station on Tylersville and now we are in Kenwood at Carol’s eye doctor for a minor glasses repair, then to Natorp’s. – 1617 hours. Kroger’s for new ‘Private Select’ cookies, which are on sale. Natorp’s is waiting until tomorrow.

         You are parked in the usual spot in Rose Hill Cemetery. Carol is on page 63 of Woods’ Bel-Air Dead. Let’s go to Pouch 4. – Amorella

         2146 hours. I am working on Pouch 4 after cleaning up my related documents and updating my (final) Page file onto iCloud. At least everything is newly backed up.

         You both finished the left over turkey soup for supper and watched this week’s “Castle” and “NCIS” as well as ABC and NBC news. You are also keeping close track of the car’s tech specifics on the average miles per gallon with last night’s fill up to see how close the car technology is to the real life division of the number of gallons used into the number of actual miles driven. You are assuming that the car technology is exaggerating the miles per gallon, but you want to know by what percent and you will continue this bit of detective work until you find an average. While you are at it don’t forget to update you GMG.STATS on the chapters, you have only done one and you have almost finished four. This is all for tonight young man. Post. - Amorella

Notes - to Westerville and back

          You and Carol were busy with chores and errands in the morning, left for Westerville and arrived at Cathy and Tod’s then drove to “Best Breakfast and Lunch” for lunch. Each had an excellent sandwich and chips or onion rings. When you four were ready to leave the restaurant Fritz stopped by to say hello. He was sitting at a table at the other end and neither knew the other was there. Nice surprise. You spent the rest of the afternoon at Cathy and Tod’s then drove to Polaris to find the Apple Store had no phones for Verizon. Kim and Paul will buy your phone when it comes in; when they do your iPhone 4 will not work so you will drive up the next day or two to retrieve it, hopefully before the Florida trip. You had supper at Olive Garden at Polaris with Kim, Paul and the boys. While there you saw Jack Cook (Carol’s cousin) who stopped by to say hello. While eating Owen told Carol that he has learned what to do if a bad person comes into the school. He said you hide where possible and duck way down and say nothing. – Amorella

         2228 hours. That was okay with me. We had to duck down under our chairs and wait for a very horrible noise before we turned into ash after ‘the bomb’ hit. “Duck and cover.”  Who were they kidding? Whenever we had those drills I thought of how the Londoners survived the German Luftwaffe. I saw on history films that those who survived better were underground. Being on the first or second floor of a school didn’t seem to enterprising. Later I realized the teachers were just making us feel good before we fried like bacon. Such was the world. At least with bullets you have a chance so it is good he is learning such things. Both boys were full of hugs for Grandma and Papa. They are good boys and making progress. We had a pleasant dinner. Brennan only threw one crayon across the room. Owen was lively but also a little gentleman at the restaurant. Afterwards, at Kim’s request, we headed to Westerville and sat out at the corner of State and College eating Graeter’s ice creams in cups. I liked that very much. I had stood where Owen and Brennan were standing when I was three years old too. I liked the concept because Kim and Carol had also stood on that corner when they were three years old too. It was a nice little event that signified little except in the heart. Funny how such momentarily happenings sometimes are. Upon returning to Mason we filled up the fuel tank for the second time. Both together got us 34 miles per gallon for some 700 miles. Perhaps it will get better, but it is much better than the 24 we would have probably got with the old Honda, and the ride is so much more comfortable and quiet.

         You forgot to take your MacAir but it would have made very little difference. Post. – Amorella

Notes - (final) Grandma 4 completed

         You had a busy morning running errands air for the tires as it is cooler, to the vet’s to find Spooky no longer have roundworms and you bought a tail pipe end piece and attached it to the car; then you mowed most of the lawn with Carol helping by mowing the north and southwest sides. The new grass is also coming up well for which you both are delighted. You had a late lunch at Potbelly’s in Kenwood. Carol drove in and you drove back. Presently you are sitting in the shade facing west in the centermost section of Rose Hill Cemetery. Carol is beginning Chapter Six of Stuart Woods’ Bel-Air Dead. It is a fine autumn afternoon with lawnmowers running in the distance. Tomorrow you are going to Westerville to have lunch out with Cathy and Tod and you will no doubt stop to see Kim, Paul and the boys after and perhaps staying overnight and returning Friday. Plans for David and Marsha fell through until mid November after your return from Florida.

         1547 hours. It will be nice when we can roll down the car windows. We are supposed to wait a minimum of a week for the tint to set. The new radar detector works fine even with all the windows tinted. It is certainly more sensitive than our old one was. I like the way the GPS works – it remembers false X band locations so as not to sound the alarm. I don’t remember what the [X K Ka V 8] wavelength frequencies bands are though one is a 360-degree laser beam. It doesn’t really make too much difference since when I hear a signal and slow down if need be. I can really check this out tomorrow. I’m sure we are going to be making more trips to the Columbus area. A hybrid is much, much cheaper than selling and buying a new house no question about it, and we enjoy the drive. Carol is on page 53. I really need to be doing some proofing on Grandma 4.

         You are home working on Grandma 4 and were interrupted by a call from Kim who said she received her new iPhone so we can go to Polaris (Shopping) for one for myself. Thus, it works out that as you were going to Westerville tomorrow anyway you will meet Kim and the others at Polaris between five thirty and six for dinner, then pick up your phone and either then come home or stay overnight. Excitement is building for that iPhone. – Amorella

         1720 hours. The fun part is that we were already coming up. Kim and Paul have an appointment with a financial officer tomorrow afternoon, so maybe we can stop and see Aunt Patsy and Uncle Ernie as well as Cathy and Tod.

         Of course this ‘working out’ has a dark construction also that flashed as you put the phone down with Kim. Here it is –

“This is going to work out well, unless of course, it doesn’t. For instance we could cause a terrible accident on the freeway and four or ten people are killed but not us or Carol could die and not me. There are all kinds of terrible variables that can be considered – the point is what appears to be good at the moment may not be. I always think back to John Kennedy winning the Presidential election in 1960. The good times of victory were for naught within less than full three years in leadership. Real life.”

         1730 hours. It is a sad thought but it rolled out almost before I put the phone back on the hook.

         Post. - Amorella

         2158 hours. We watched last week’s “Elementary”, a fun and entertaining show. I finished Grandma 4.

         So you did. Here it is. Drop in and post. – Amorella

***

Grandma Story 4 ©2013 rho, (final) draft for GMG One

            This is Grandma. I caught the passion leak away on this particularly contrary heartansoulanmind. Wexer has since disappeared among the Dead and no one who notices knows what happened to him. When his once special woman's friend discerned his utter lack of spiritual being she was surprised to find herself more at peace.

            Wexer enjoyed debating most people, his spirit thrilled on a confrontation like a pyromaniac's eyes bored into a roaring blaze. Once deadanliving, and finding but one friend (she never disagreed) among the Dead he became profoundly bored. His whiplash-and-biting-spirit-of-a-tongue fell into great desperation. Wexer finally decided it was time to have a singular great internal debate between his heart and mind, something he would have never thought to do in life. Wexer knew the in's and out's of grammar and logic in his native language. He believed himself sharper and cleverer. His slippery and restless spirit concluded, 'I have never lost a debate and there is no way I can lose this one as heart and mind are both my own.'

            The debate between his heart and mind focused on his singular woman friend who had always agreed with him. Wexer's mind had become convinced that his friend was pretending to agree, that she could not possibly agree with all his arguments for or against one passion or another. Wexer's heart, on the other hand, debated that the woman friend, his only friend among the Dead, did not disagree with him because she loved him so terribly much. The deeper Wexer's spirit whipped its arguments the less resolve Wexer discovered he had in coming to a conclusion as to which was the winner, his heart or his mind.

Grandma sashays in doing a little calypso dance in her bare feet, throws her hands over her head, twirls, and claps three times. She smiles like the glow of a tropical sunset and whispered a secret, “I just love these little freedom stories.”  What won, Wexer's mind or heart? Why did he disappear even among the Dead? Why did his woman friend become more at peace with herself after Wexer's spirit, his heartansoulanmind, disappeared from the scene? What do you think happens when heart and mind battle to a stalemate? Hint: you can only answer this with heartansoulanmind.

I have one more dead man's short story here. This one balances out the first.

Another ancestor, a shaman of about seven thousand years ago in the area of the Black Sea, stood by the fire one cloudy dark night in summer and said, “I have a new story. This is about a man who can be in two places at once while he is still alive. He can be standing here like me, telling a story, and,” he pointed to his north, “be in the nearby woods telling a story at the same time. How do you think he accomplishes this?”

            This invites the listener to give herorhis own plausibility and the shaman discovered he could be enormously entertaining while being instructive; an unsolvable mystery no one could decipher to everyone’s satisfaction. “How is it possible for a person to be telling the same story in more than one place at the same time?”

            This story was so popular that shamans throughout the world were soon asking the question to their neighbors along the major world trade routes had been set into motion because people wanted goods from far away places. People wanted something valuable to keep for security, for peace of mind, and for the pleasure of having material goods they did not already have. Storytelling helped pass the time on the journeys from Asia to Europe and Europe to Africa and from Africa to Asia. Some of the stories even migrated to the Americas.

            This particular storyteller created a mysterious set of written characters that allowed the carving of the story line onto a tree. Other tribe members were taught to read the runes, so it was possible for someone to be reading the story in one place while it was being told at the same time in another place entirely. Few could believe such a marvelous invention, but they soon discovered belief wasn’t a part of the equation. Below is a representative translation of what the shaman wrote.

A, B, C, D, E, F, G

Now the characters you can see

H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P

Each as individual as you or me

Q, R, S, T, U, and V

Allow each us to remain free

W, X, Y, and Z

The beginning and the end carved on a tree.

You see, from Grandma’s tongue, tooth and gum

Some unfamiliar runes this way come.

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