lifes out takes 4

8/13/2019 Lifes Out Takes 4

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Nothing But A Miracle

Life's Outtakes Year 4ByDaris Howard

52 Humorous And Inspirational Stories

Copyright 2010

byDaris Howard

Smaswords EditionCopying any part o this boo!" without written permission" is

stri#tly prohibited$%or more inormation go to&publishinginspiration$#om

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Tale Of !ontents

"# Trying To Outs$art The !orn Bandits

%# &ournal Of A ardner At Har(est Ti$e

)# To !atch A *accoon4# To !atch A !heater

+# ,ho -s A *eal Hero

.# The /nknown 0tudent

1# Disa22earing Lids And Bo3 To2s

# Halloween Haunts

5# Old !lunker

"6# A *ose And A Letter

""# A Not70o78riendly *i(alry

"%# Thankfulness 8or 8reedo$s ,e Take 8or ranted

")# 0tanding /2 Against -n9ustices

"4# Tatiana's :sca2e"+# The !ost Of Doing The *ight Thing

".# Nothing Less Than A Miracle

"1# Y%;


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44# The 8ar$ And *anch 0tore

4+# A *eally -$2ortant !an 0ale

4.# etting !hildren To ,eed A arden

41# The /ni@ue Daddy Daughter Date

4# A Nice=


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Trying To Outs$art The !orn Bandits

I lo+e autumn time$ *he lea+es are gold and red" and the smell o grain dust ills the air

rom the #ombines wor!ing their way slowly up and down the ields ull o ripe grain$ ,ut thereis one reason abo+e all that I lo+e all - the #orn in my garden is ready to be eaten$ *here is nothing .uite li!e wal!ing into a #orn pat#h and inding a big" at ear$ I pull thehus! open slightly so I #an #he#! it" and" when I ind the !ernels yellow and at" I twist it romthe sto#!" while my mouth waters at the thought o eating it$ *hough it ta!es only a short time" itseems li!e ore+er beore I #an get it shu#!ed and into a pot o boiling water$ Ater only a ew minutes" I pull it out" piping hot rom its warm bath" slather it with ri#h"#reamy butter and salt" and bite into the sunshiny la+or it holds$

,ut it isn/t always that easy$ Sometimes there are +armints that lay #laim to my #orn beoreI get a #han#e to har+est it$ *hese mas!ed bandits #ome in the dar! o the night" and oten stripe+erything o that has the slightest yellow hue$ I am" o #ourse" tal!ing about ra##oons" not my

neighbors$ (ast year I lost about three .uarters o my pat#h to the night raiders" so I was determined thatI would be ready this year$

All o my neighbors had ad+i#e or me$ ohn" who used to wor! or a #lassi#al musi#station" #laimed that i I put a radio out there playing #ountry western musi#" it would dri+e themaway$ He said to ma!e sure not to play #lassi#al musi#" or they would ust enoy the musi# whilethey dined$ ,ut"3 he told me" no one" not e+en a ra##oon" #an !eep their appetite whilelistening to #ountry western$3 4hy"3 he #ontinued" ater those ra##oons ha+e listened to that rubbish about how sadsomeone is be#ause his dog ran away and his wie #ame ba#!" they will ne+er want to +isit your#orn pat#h again$3

I !now that some o my #hildren li!e #ountry western musi#" and" perhaps" my neighbor hada ew preudi#es" but I de#ided it was worth a try$

Sin#e we don/t ha+e any air #onditioning" we ha+e to lea+e the windows #ra#!ed open sothat we #an sleep$ *he #ool night breee is pleasant" e6#ept when it brings #ountry musi#loating in with it$ I don/t !now i the ra##oons lost their appetite or not" but I do !now I#ouldn/t sleep$ ,esides" i it stopped them at all" it was only or a short time$ Either thera##oons got used to it" or they learned to tune it out li!e ohn says he does$ 7onetheless" my#orn #ontinued to disappear along with my sleep$

I thought" perhaps" opera would ha+e the same ee#t on the ra##oons$ 4hen I listen to it" Itend to lose my appetite" and I thought it might be easier to sleep through$ It was a#tually worse$It would be playing along" and I would ust be drowsing o to sleep" when someone would start

bellowing li!e a bull" and I/d pop to alert" ne+er able to sleep again$ It seemed to ha+e the sameee#t on the ra##oons$ *hey ate less and tore up more$ I thin! it irritated them$ I thin! it irritated someone else" too" be#ause it suddenly went .uiet in the middle o thenight" and" the ne6t morning" my old radio loo!ed li!e it had been smashed with a baseball bat$ Imay be wrong" but I don/t thin! ra##oons #arry baseball bats$


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&ournal Of A ardener At Har(est Ti$e

August 18 - Dear Diary" it is that time o year again when the lea+es are turning red" and

e+eryone is wor!ing at a hurried pa#e" trying to get their har+est in$ 9y #orn is ust starting toshow signs o ripening$ 9y neighbor didn/t plant any #orn$ He said only an idiot would plant#orn be#ause the ra##oons will ust get it all" and he/ll" instead" buy his at the armer/s mar!et$ Itold him a person ust has to be smarter than the ra##oons is all" and no one would #at#h mebuying #orn at the armer/s mar!et when I #an grow it mysel$ I #an/t wait or that irst ear"dripping in butter and salt$ I #an/t write anymore be#ause it/s ma!ing me hungry$ August 20- I was ust ready to eat my irst ears o #orn today" and I ound out that the ra##oons had hit mypat#h$ *hey had ta!en e+erything that was ripe" about two doen ears$ I ha+e plenty more" soI/m not worried" but I plan to put an end to it$ Some o my neighbors ha+e been #omplaining thattheir #orn pat#hes ha+e been hit" and they ha+e lost e+ery ear$ Some o them ha+e been trappingor shooting the ra##oons$ I #an/t belie+e they/d be so mean$ *hey are su#h #ute little animals$

4e had a mother ra##oon #ome to our house to eat #at ood out o our #at dish$ She #alled in apurring sound or her babies to oin her$ It was so #ute$ I #ould ne+er hurt one$ *here are betterways$ A person ust has to be smarter than the ra##oons" is all I #an say$ August 21 - I went to the arm and ran#h store" and bought an ele#tri# en#e #harger" somewire" and some posts with insulators$ It #ost me about :200$ *he girl at the #he#!out as!ed i Iwas ha+ing trouble with #ows or a horses or something$ 4hen I told her it was or my ra##oons"she laughed and as!ed" 4hat is it or" really;3 I thin! she igured I was planning on #orrallingthem and branding them" or something$ I/m still not sure she belie+ed me when I said it was to!eep them out o my #orn$ August 22 - I lost some more #orn last night beore I got my en#e up$ I spent all day todayputting it up" #learing around the #orn" planting posts and all$ 9y neighbor #ame to see what I

was doing$ #ourse" there is none ripe right now" but Ithin! my en#e must be wor!ing$ I didn/t tou#h it to ind out$ I/m not sure how a person goesabout #he#!ing i an ele#tri# en#e is wor!ing$ 9y neighbor suggested I ust wire it to 220 andry their little hides$ I told him ra##oons were #ute little animals$ 9y aim was not to hurt them"but to ma!e them !now that they aren/t wel#ome$ I #an/t belie+e anybody would #onsider hurting

su#h #ute animals$ August 25 - I got hit again$ I ust had a ew ears starting to ripen" and the urry little #ritters#ame$ *hey too! another #ouple doen ears" but I still ha+e lots$ *hey are .uite smart$ *heypushed some o my potatoes o+er and shorted out the en#e$ ,ut I dug out the row o potatoes#losest to the en#e so they #an/t do it again$ 9y neighbor brought o+er some #orn he bought atthe armer/s mar!et$ He had su#h a smug loo! on his a#e that I wouldn/t ha+e ta!en it" e6#eptthat I didn/t ha+e any that was ripe that hadn/t been eaten" so I did ust this on#e$ August 28 - I got hit by the thie+in/" no-good bandits again$ 4hy didn/t 7oah throw them


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o+erboard when he had a #han#e; I !now why ?od put mas!s on the rottin/" miserable" little#ritters$ He wanted to hide their identities$ *hey dug under my en#e this time$ I unplugged itand started illing in the holes$ >ne o my !ids didn/t !now that I was out there" saw the #ordunplugged" and de#ided to be helpul$ I #an tell you that the en#e wor!s$ I had ust sprin!ledmy #orn and" when I tou#hed the en#e" with the wet lea+es all around me" I lit up li!e a

Christmas tree #o+ered with %ourth > uly spar!lers$ I thin! I aged 10 years in an instant$ >nemore episode li!e that and I/ll be old enough to retire$ I/m #onsidering #onne#ting my @00 ampwelder to the wire and welding their thie+in/ little ba#!sides to the en#e$ August 2 - I i6ed them this time$ I put #inder blo#!s all the way around my #orn under thewire so they #an/t dig under$ It #ost a lot and too! me rom B&00 in the morning until midnight Ilost 5 pounds in sweat" but I guess I showed them a thing or two$ August 2 - *he ra##oons igured out how to unplug the ele#tri# en#e$

August =0 - ,ought #orn at the armer/s mar!et$


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To !atch A *accoon

September 1 - Dear Diary" the ra##oons may ha+e igured out how to get past the ele#tri#

en#e I put up around my #orn" but" as long as I still ha+e #orn to deend" I will beat them$ I wentto the sporting goods store and bought a li+e animal trap$ I #an/t wait to see one o them inthere$ *hat will tea#h them$ *hey #an/t outsmart me$ September 2 - 9ore o my #orn was gone" and I didn/t #at#h anything$ 4hy should they gointo the trap or #orn when they #an ta!e plenty o my garden or ree; I ha+e to bait the trapwith something they want more than #orn" and I !now ust the thing$ I remember the motherra##oon bringing her babies onto our por#h to eat #at ood$ I will bait it with #at ood$ September = - I got up early to #he#! the trap$ 9y neighbor was out #alling her #at$ As Iwent to #he#! the trap" she as!ed i I had seen %luy$ I told her I was sorry" but I hadn/t$A#tually" I/m ne+er sorry when I don/t see her big" at urball$ He a#ts all riendly to her" buttoward e+eryone else he unsheaths his swit#hblade #laws$ He/s a nasty little beast" and I ha+e the

s#ars to pro+e it$ 4hen I got to my trap" guess who was in it; I must admit" I was tempted tota!e him ar up into the woods and release him into the wild" but" beore I #ould do anything" myneighbor spotted him in my trap$ She a##used me o deliberately trying to #at#h him$ I remindedher that he was on my property" stealing my #at ood$ She got all huy and yelled some +eryunlady li!e things at me until all o the neighbors had pretty mu#h #ome to ind out what washappening$ She said she would ne+er spea! to me again$ 9y wie said it probably didn/t helpneighborly relations or me to tell her that was the ni#est thing she has said to me in a long time$ September @ - I was tilling up part o my garden today" and got a bone stu#! in the tiller$*he stupid dogs roam the neighborhood burying their bones in my garden" but the worthlessthings #an/t e+en !eep the ra##oons out o my #orn$ I/+e about had it$ I/m going to sit out therenear the pat#h with my wrist ro#!et" and when I hear the beggars" I/m going to pop them with a

ro#!$ September 5 - I had to ta!e a bath in tomato ui#e$ 4ho/d e+er ha+e guessed that ra##oonshire body guards; At least" that/s all I #an igure$ I heard the rustling in my #orn pat#h" andumped up with my lashlight" ready to #at#h the thie+es red handed$ I #ame a#e to a#e withone o the biggest s!un!s I/+e e+er seen$ I ba#!pedaled as ast as I #ould" as he swung the#annon end toward me$ ,e#ause o my .ui#! rea#tion" I was barely hit" but it was still enoughthat my wie doesn/t really want me sleeping in the house$ 7ote& tomato ui#e doesn/t help thesmell one bit$ It ust ma!es a person smell li!e s!un! pia" whi#h is not appetiing in the least$ September B - Another neighbor inormed me that ra##oons li!e marshmallows$ He says noother animal li!es them" so" i I bait the traps with marshmallows" I should #at#h the ra##oonsinstead o the neighbor/s #at$ Hopeully it will wor! this time$

September 8 - I thin!" as the saying goes" i I didn/t ha+e bad lu#!" I wouldn/t ha+e any lu#!at all$ I snu#! out to the trap" a+oiding my neighbor" ust in #ase I #aptured %luy again$ *hat#at must be the stupidest #at in the world$ 7ot only was he in my trap again" but he was in therewith the s!un!$ How he and the s!un! got in there together is beyond me$ *he s!un! sprayedthe area so hea+y it hung o+er e+erything li!e an early morning og$ I tried to release thembeore my neighbor #ould see I had #aptured her stupid #at again" but I #ouldn/t get too near the#age$ I had ust managed to ind a pole long enough to trigger the lat#h" when she dis#o+eredus$ Ater she used a ew #olorul ade#ti+es to des#ribe me" I reminded her she was brea!ing her


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promise not to spea! to me$ *hat/s when she loudly pro#laimed she deinitely would ne+er spea!to me again$ I thin! I made her mad when I told her that that was the ni#est present anyone hase+er gi+en me" be#ause she !i#!ed dirt at me$ I probably should go apologie$ I suppose I/m stilllu#!ier than she is" sin#e the s!un! soa!ed her stupid #at" and I eel sorry or her ha+ing to li+ewith that smelly thing$ I/d ta!e her some #orn" but the ra##oons #leaned o the last o my

pat#h$ 'erhaps I should ma!e her some brownies$ September - %orget the brownies$ *he neighbor won/t let her #at in the house now that hestin!s so bad" so he has ta!en up residen#e under our por#h$ Stupid" worthless #at$


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To !atch A !heater

As all rolls around and s#hool starts" I oten thin! o #lassi# stories in tea#hing$ >ne that

#omes to mind o##urred many years ago in our department$ Al #ame storming into ourdepartment early in the semester$ *here was a young man in his #lass who was obno6ious andarrogant$ *he young man would tal! ba#! in #lass" ma!e snide #omments" and was ust plaindisrupti+e$ *o ma!e matters worse" Al had ust gi+en his irst e6am" and he was sure the young man had#heated$ Howe+er" there was no solid e+iden#e" no smo!ing gun that would ma!e it so he #ouldsend his name in to the administrati+e oi#e or dis#ipline$ *here was ust some #onspi#uoussigns$ Ea#h o the problems had been wor!ed in a ashion similar to those seated ne6t to him"mista!es in#luded$ 4hat made Al e+en angrier was that" on these hand-graded e6ams" the young man hadenough wor! right to get ea#h problem #orre#t$ And" without stronger e+iden#e" Al !new he was

going to ha+e to gi+e the young man a s#ore that he didn/t deser+e$Al umed about it" but there was nothing he #ould do$ At least" nothing he #ould do yet$ He

was determined to #at#h this young man$ ,ut" as the semester wore on" no e+iden#e e+erappeared to ma!e it possible or Al to guarantee dis#ipline or #heating$ In addition" the youngman be#ome more belligerent and seemed to be thumbing his nose at Al" as i daring him to#at#h him in the a#t$ Al stopped by my oi#e one day" our or i+e tests in hand$ >ne test belonged to the youngman that he was sure was #heatingF the others belonged to those who sat near him$ Ea#hproblem the young man had done mat#hed one o the other tests" with the e6a#t same stepss!ipped$ ,ut the steps that were s!ipped were too +aried or a single person to ha+e done the teston their own$

Howe+er" the young man had made little meaningless #hanges here and there that did notae#t the problem$ He had also a!ed useless wor! and then #rossed it out to ma!e it loo! li!ethe inal attempt was one o many and his own$ And" sin#e his e6am didn/t mat#h any othere6am totally" he would surely #ontest any a##usation o impropriety$ *o the rest o use6perien#ed tea#hers" it was .uite ob+ious Al was #orre#t in assuming there was #heating goingon" but it would be hard to pro+e$ Al didn/t want to ma!e the a##usation only to ha+e it dropped$ He !new that would ust gi+ethe young man more reason to smir! at him$ He #alled the administrati+e oi#e that handleda#ademi# dis#ipline$ *hey inormed him that they had re#ei+ed #omplaints about this parti#ularyoung man rom almost e+ery tea#her he had had$ ,ut no tea#her had e+er been able to supplyenough e+iden#e" and the young man had always reuted what was gi+en$ *hey said he be#ame

more smug about it ea#h time they #alled him in" and they wished some tea#her would be able topro+ide the indisputable e+iden#e that they needed$ As the inal approa#hed" Al de#ided he would be that tea#her$ He #reated his inal" and thenspent many hours #reating another one that was almost identi#al$ ,ut the se#ond one" whi#h wasalmost indis#ernibly dierent" was su#h that i a person did the problems the same as the regulare6am" it would be ob+ious" and would also be wrong$ As Al headed o to his #lass on the day o the inal e6am" he grinned$ I/ll #at#h him nowor sureG3


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4e all waited e6pe#tantly or the result" but" when he returned rom his #lass" he wasanything but e6uberant$ 4hen we as!ed how it went" he shoo! his head$ I handed out all o thetests" putting them upside down in ront o ea#h student$ I was #areul to put the #hanged one inront o the suspe#ted young man$ I had ust barely told them to turn the tests o+er and start"when the #ampus poli#e #ame in and arrested the young man" and too! him away$ He didn/t e+en

get a #han#e to ta!e the testG3 Al too! a deep breath" trying to hold ba#! his rustration$ I spent hours ma!ing that e6trae6am" and they ha+e the ner+e to arrest him beore I #an #at#h himG 4hat did they thin! theywere doing;G *hey should ha+e let him ta!e the test and then arrested himG3 Al ne+er saw the young man again" and" due to pri+a#y laws" we ne+er ound out the reasonor his arrest$ ,ut Al always !ept the test ready" ust in #ase$


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,ho -s A *eal Hero

I heard that a young teenaged boy had gotten in trouble at s#hool the other day" and his name

hit home to me$ *his was not his irst oense" or he has been in trouble o and on or a ewyears$ +er the ne6t year I learned alot about him$ He was" in many ways" a orgotten #hild$ His dad was too busy to ha+e mu#htime or their amily" and his mother only wanted a daughter$ I wat#hed as his sister was doted on and re#ei+ed anything she wanted" while his wants andneeds were simply ignored$ A group o us neighbors tal!ed about what we #ould do to help thisstruggling" lonesome young boy$ 4here he was home alone ea#h e+ening" e+eryone startedwat#hing out or him$ >ne lady in parti#ular" Denise" in+ited him to #ome to her house aters#hool with her own sons" and to stay there" until his parents #ame to pi#! him up$ I he wasn/t athis own home when I #ame to get him or #ub s#outs" I would !now to loo! or him at hers$

He seemed to loo! orward to #ub meeting ea#h wee!$ 4e built bird houses" ra!ed lea+esor older people" learned #ub s#out mottos" made pinewood derby #ars" went to museums" andmany other things$ 9y wie always had treats or the boys when we were done$ Sin#e Stephen had no one home to go to" we let him hang around our house" ater the otherboys went home" until his parents #ame to get him$ 4hen it was the nights o the pa#! meetings"either I pi#!ed him up" or one o the other parents did" but his own parents were usually#onspi#uously absent$ *he time arri+ed that we started wor!ing on the #itienship pin$ 4e +isited the oi#e o thelo#al mayor" tal!ed to a s#hool board member" and learned some o the responsibilities o being a#itien$ As a inal #on#lusion" ea#h boy had to write a paper about their hero$ It was not to be some

i#titious person or some mo+ie star" but someone they truly !new and admired or what they didand how they li+ed$

*he wee! they brought them ba#!" we had some un a#ti+ities and played some games$Ater the boys had all gone home" I sat down to read their hero papers$ E+ery boy" with thee6#eption o Stephen" had written about their ather or mother$ ,ut Stephen/s hero was Denise$ I read as he des#ribed why$ $$$,e#ause she #ares aboutme$ And e+ery day she listens to me" when I #ome o+er ater s#hool" and she doesn/t tell me togo away and lea+e her alone$ She treats me li!e I/m important" and not li!e I annoy her$ And


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she ma!es the best bread and #oo!ies$$$3 4hen I shared this with Denise" she seemed surprised$ I didn/t really do that mu#h$3 7ot long ater Stephen was too old or #ub s#outs" he and his amily mo+ed away$ He nolonger had a pla#e to go to ater s#hool$ He ound less than desirable riends that would a##epthim" and soon he was in lots o trouble$

I ran into his mother one day" and we tal!ed about him$ I always !new he/d end up introuble"3 she told me$ He was always that way$3 7ot always" I thought to mysel$ ,ut she loo!ed puled when I said" 9aybe all he reallyneeded was a hero li!e he had when he was here$3


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The /nknown 0tudent

In many obs" the employees gather around the water #ooler to +isit$ In our department" we

gather around the se#retary/s des!$ It has been the same at e+ery uni+ersity where I ha+e taught$>ur dis#ussions oten #enter around the amusing things the students do$ At one uni+ersity Iwor!ed at" the se#retary" Deanne" told an interesting story$

She had wor!ed in the #ashiers/ oi#e or a time$ She said that" one day" she re#ei+ed a #allrom a ather who was a little bit #on#erned$ He said that his daughter had inormed him that hestill owed more than :1200 o her tuition$

He said that he was sure he had paid it already" and as!ed Deanne to #he#!$ Deanne as!edhis name to tra#! the payment$ >h"3 he said" it wouldn/t be listed under my nameF it would be listed under hers$ I alwayswrite the #he#!s to her" and then she pays what she owes$ *hat tea#hes a #hild responsibility"you !now$3

>!ay"3 Deanne as!ed" what is your daughter/s name;3 Deanne #he#!ed the list o students still owing tuition" but she did not ind any namemat#hing what the man had gi+en her or his daughter$ Deanne inormed him o that$ He seemed .uite relie+ed$ b+iously" I would !now i she were there"3 the man laughed$ I mean" ater all" I ha+epaid or her to go there or three years" and she is in the middle o her unior year$ 9aybe youshould re#he#! it$3 Deanne elt a bit perple6ed$ 4ill you spell it or me;3 *he ather spelled it out" and it was the same way Deanne had typed it in$ Sir"3 sheinormed him" the only a##ount I show under that name has not been a#ti+e or three years$ *heonly payment on the a##ount is an appli#ation ee o :20$ It shows that the student was a##epted"but we show no re#ord o her e+er #oming to s#hool$ She has ne+er registered or any #lass or


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anything$3 *he ather was .uiet or some time" until Deanne as!ed i he was still on the line$ 4hen hedid spea!" his +oi#e was .uiet and tense$ Can I #he#! on her home address;3 I #an not tell you the address due to pri+a#y"3 Deanne replied" but i you tell me youraddress" I #an tell you i it is the same$3

*he man told her his address" and Deanne +eriied that it was also the home address o theyoung lady listed$


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Disa22earing Lids And Bo3 To2s

Around our house" you #an orget about inding a ug o mil! that has a lid on it$ (i!ewise"

you would be hard pressed to ind a bo6 o #ereal that is not missing its bo6 top$ Don/t e+en getme started on soup #an labels$ *he s#hools #olle#t su#h things$ I a #hild brings them in" they #an earn money or theirs#hool$ 7ow" I am all or supporting the s#hool$ In a#t" I promote it$ Howe+er" the s#hooloers in#enti+es to the #hildren in the way o drawings or pries i they bring their bo6 tops"mil! ug lids" and soup #an labels to s#hool$ *hat means that my two grade-s#hool-age #hildrenare in #ompetition to see who #an get them irst" e+en i that means not waiting until the#ontainer is empty$

I don/t mind retrie+ing a bo6 o #ereal rom the pantry" only to ind the bo6 tops gone$ *heystill ha+e stay-resh plasti# bags or the #ereal$ ,ut the mil! is another matter$ 4hen my littlesttries to get mil! or hersel out o the ridge" she has a tenden#y to tilt the ug$ A ug with no lid

#an be a disaster$ *o ma!e matters worse" we store all sorts o ruits and +egetables in the ridge"and" when the lid is o o the mil!" it tends to pi#! up the taste o the things around it$

I/m a big an o #ho#olate mil!" but lemon mil!" orange mil!" potato mil!" and #arrot mil! I#an li+e without$ 9y wie and my #hildren tend to draw the line at onion mil!$ I don/t !nowwhy$ *o me" it always brings ba#! memories o spring$ 4hen we would turn our #ows out topasture or the irst time ater a long winter" they always headed straight or the wild onions thatgrew in abundan#e at that time o year$ *he #ows always returned hea+ily laden with la#tate oonion$ It was strong enough to almost ma!e a person #ry when he mil!ed it out$ I got used to ito+er the years" but my amily wrin!les up their noses at it and won/t tou#h the stu$ I supposethat is o!ay$ It sa+es on the ood bill$ ,ut I put my oot down on labelless soup #ans$ *hat is be#ause" one night" my wie was out

o town +isiting relati+es" and it ell to me to ma!e dinner$ I didn/t want to strain my alreadylimited #ulinary talents" so I thought I would ust ma!e soup$ 4hen I entered our pantry" mu#hto my surprise" I ound massi+e amounts o shiny sil+er #ans with no labels$ Soup #ans labelshad be#ome one o the +alued #ommodities or the s#hool/s prie drawings$

%or a amily our sie" we need at least our #ans$ I de#ided it was a good night or surprisesoup - the surprise being what we would ind in ea#h unlabeled #an$ 4e opened two #ans otomato" one #an o #hi#!en noodle" and one #an o some !ind o hamburger stu$ I mi6ed themtogether and +oila" we had surprise something or other$ 9y #hildren reused to reer to it assoup$ In a#t" they reused to eat it altogether$ *omato" #hi#!en noodle" and stu3 ma!e anugly mi6ture$ E+en worse" one o my #hildren igured out that the last #an was really a #an odog ood that had a##identally lost its label$ > #ourse" she waited to announ#e this dis#o+ery

until I had #ho!ed down a ew bites$ 4e ga+e it to our dog" but we #ouldn/t e+en get him to eat it without holding a gun on him$ ,eat by a s#hool system rom whi#h I ound mysel helpless" I de#ided it was time to ta!ethe amily out or hamburgers$ As I was sitting in the hamburger booth" eeling li!e a ailure o a#oo!" and .uestioning my paternal #apabilities" my littlest daughter slid in ne6t to me" both handsull o %ren#h ries$


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The Halloween Haunt

A group o my students gathered in my #ollege math #lass a ew minutes early" and

dis#ussed the up#oming Halloween night$ I ha+e an idea"3 Susan said$ (et/s ea#h de#orate our apartments li!e some haunted house"or something" and" then" we #an go rom apartment to apartment$3 How should we de#orate them;3 anet as!ed$ >hG >hG >hG I !nowG3 Da+id said" raising his hand$

*he rest o the group laughed$


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4ell" that/s a good idea"3 Da+id said$ ,ut it would all depend on how s#ary the tea#her#ould be$ 4ho #ould we get;3


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The Old !lunker

9y riend laughed as I boun#ed into his yard in my old +an$ It boun#ed or about 20

se#onds ater I #ame to a stop$ *he sho#!s on it were worn" and I had #onsidered getting themrepaired$ ,ut my !ids eel it is the greatest +an in the world be#ause it boun#es down the road$A se#ond reason is that it is so old that the pri#e o the sho#!s is about ten times what the +an isworth$ 9y riend laughed as I stepped out o the +an$


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+isiting light houses$ *he amily memories #reated during those two wee!s will last ore+er" asprobably will the smell o the mil!$ >n another +a#ation" we tried to #o+er up that smell o the mil! with a redwood airreshener$ 4e pur#hased it at an o+erpri#ed git shop near a giant tree in the redwoods$ ,ut ithardly helped at all$

As I thought o the many memories this old +an #ontains" and #ontinued to +isit with myriend" I thought about someone ta!ing it and pouring a li.uid into the heart o its engine to stopit ore+er$ I don/t thin! I #ould let that happen$ I suppose" or now" I will ust ha+e to let the pigeons be the ones to #ontinue to put a depositon a new +an$


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A *ose And A Letter

As eterans Day #ame around" I thought about a letter rom a soldier that be#ame signii#ant

in my lie$ *he story goes ba#! many years$Arden was a lamboyant" boisterous" li+ely man$ He was un lo+ing and the lie o e+ery

party he attended$ He was also a arm boy" growing up mil!ing #ows" hauling hay" eeding pigs"and doing anything else that #ame with arm wor!$ He wor!ed hard" but he was ne+er too busyto ha+e a so#ial lie$

)a#hel was about as opposite as she #ould be$ Her parents were in the mer#antile business"and mu#h more edu#ated$ She grew up in a +ery #ultured amily$ She lo+ed to read and learn$She was .uiet and reser+ed$ *hey were introdu#ed by a mutual a#.uaintan#e" and a #ourtship ollowed$ ,ut their timetogether was #ut short when Arden was #alled up or military ser+i#e in Europe in 11$ ,eorelea+ing" he as!ed )a#hel i she would write to him$ )a#hel was relu#tant to #ommit to it$ She

realied how dierent they were rom ea#h other" and she wasn/t sure their relationship #ould bean enduring one$

Arden persisted" and )a#hel" though non#ommittal" agreed to at least #onsider writing$ Atertraining" Arden immediately ound himsel ighting with the Allied or#es against ?ermany asthey mar#hed their way a#ross Europe$ *his was a war o great atro#ity" as man/s inhumanity to man was boundless$ 9any diedrom gas in the tren#hes$ 7ewer" deadlier" and more ormidable weapons were ormulated tota!e the li+es o others$ *he army was only partly me#hanied" and horses and dogs were part othe battles$ 4ounded animals lay among dying soldiers" both #alling in their own way or relierom their suering$ At home" )a#hel wor!ed to help her amily$ She also +olunteered as a nurse to help in the

war eort$ Along with the news o the war in Europe #ame letters rom Arden" letters she #ouldnot bring hersel to answer$ *hen" one day" a spe#ial letter was deli+ered personally by Arden/s younger brother$ It wasshort and su##in#t" and a rose #ame with it$ It was not addressed to )a#hel" but to )a#hel/smother$ *hey opened the note and read& Dear 9rs$ Dye" I #an/t imagine why )a#hel has not written unless she has died$ *hereore"I sent this rose as a to!en o my lo+e or her" in hopes you will !indly put it on her gra+e$Sin#erely" Arden Hale$3 Ater a good laugh" )a#hel too! pen in hand" and wrote him a letter$ She #ontinued toanswer his letters as Allied or#es began to push the ?ermans ba#!$ >n 7o+ember 10th" Arden" along with one other soldier" had been gi+en a re#onnaissan#e

assignment to go into a small +alley and loo! or enemy soldiers$ *here had been tal! o anarmisti#e" and hope o being home or Christmas$ ,ut there had been rumors beore" all o whi#hhad aded li!e a mirage" so Arden didn/t put too mu#h sto#! in this new report$ As night ell" the#old was intense$ It was Arden/s turn to stand guard" letting his #ompanion try to sleep$ As the#old in#reased" he realied they were li!ely to reee to death$ He de#ided he would rather dierom a bullet than rom the #old$

)emembering his e6perien#e as a arm boy" he roused his roen" sleepy #ompanion" biddinghim to ollow him$ *he man dragged himsel along behind Arden" as he sear#hed or what he


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wanted$ %inally" he ound it$ An old #orral ull o #ow manure$ He piled up some airly reshmanure and straw" then #o+ered it with boards and anything else he #ould ind$ *hey laid on it toawait the dawn$ It may not ha+e been pleasant" but the heat rom the rotting manure !ept themwarm enough to sur+i+e$

*hey stayed there until late into the morning" waiting or the sun to warm the +alley$ As

they were about ready to #ontinue on with their assigned mission" a sound #ould be heardgrowing louder and louder$ It was ust ater the ele+enth hour on the ele+enth day o 7o+ember"and it was #hur#h bells pealing out a#ross the +alley rom e+ery dire#tion$

Jnowing something e6#iting must ha+e happened" and hoping it was the end o the war"they made their way ba#! to the main #ontingent$ *o their great oy" they ound the war hadindeed been de#lared to be o+er$ *hey were smelly rom their night in the #ow yard" but theywere ali+e and happy$ )a#hel was there to wel#ome Arden on his return home$ *he rose he had sent had long sin#eaded" but the letter remained$ And not long ater he #ame home" they be#ame 9r$ and 9rs$Hale$

I ust #all them ?randpa and ?randma$


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A Not70o78riendly *i(alry

4hen my oi#e phone rang" I answered it to ind the #hairman o the C$I$S$ Computer

Inormation Systems department on the other end o the line$ He was +ery upset$ !ay" tell me$3 I won/t get in trouble" will I;3 I it isn/t a horrible thing" we will try to do what we #an to i6 the problem" and also dowhat we #an to a+oid a punishment$3 He loo!ed at the loor as he spo!e$ 4ell" we ha#!ed into the print .ueues in the C$I$S$department" and made it so they added two e6tra pages to e+erything that was printed romthem$3


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And what did these pages say;3 I as!ed" earing that they might be something proane or+ulgar$ 4ell" the irst one said" 4hat does a C$I$S$ maor say i they e+er get a ob atergraduation;/3 And what did the se#ond one say;/

He loo!ed up with an embarrassed grin$ Hello" wel#ome to 9#Donalds$ 9ay I ta!e yourorder;3


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Thankfulness 8or 8reedo$s ,e

*a!e %or ?ranted

I had been studying )ussian or a #ouple o years at #ollege" and" though I still #ould notspea! it luently" I was as#inated by the #ountry" the #ulture" and the people$ During this time Imet a ew people rom )ussia$ >ne lady had ust gained her #itienship in the Knited States$ As *han!sgi+ing #ame around" I as!ed *atiana to tell me what she was most grateul or$She retrie+ed a large" old boo! that had beautiul de#orati+e designs and letters on the #o+er$She patted it and said she wanted to tell me a story$ As she spo!e" her big brown eyes illed with tears$ She tal!ed about when she was a younggirl" si6 years old" li+ing in )ussia$ *he go+ernment de#ided to ma!e a #on#erted eort to ridthe #ountry o what the leaders #alled the s#ourge o religion$ *hey #ame to the s#hools andtal!ed to the #hildren about how e+il religion was$ *hey told the #hildren that" i they wanted tobe good #hildren" they must tell the go+ernment leaders i they !new o anyone that did religious

things$ *hey then brought out a ,ible" as well as other religious boo!s$ *hey showed them to the#hildren and told them that those boo!s were e+il" and i anyone read rom them" that that personwas also e+il" and the #hildren needed to tell their tea#hers so the tea#hers #ould tell thego+ernment$ *atiana said the ,ible was almost e6a#tly li!e the one her grandmother had$ She said shehad almost told them right then and there" but de#ided not to$ Howe+er" that night" as hergrandmother pulled out her ,ible to read to the amily" as she always did" *atiana told about themen #oming to her s#hool$ ?randmother" the men told us that this is an e+il boo!$ *hey saidwe must tell them i we !now anyone that reads it$ I you read rom it anymore" I/m going totellG3

*atiana said her ?randmother started to #ry" but she wrapped the beautiul old ,ible in ablan!et and hid it away$ *atiana said she heard her grandmother #ry long into the night$ *atianahad planned to tell her tea#her that her grandmother had that ,ible" but beore she #ould"something else happened$ Some o the #hildren that had told about relati+es that had ,ibles orother religious things" wat#hed as the J$?$,$ #ame and too! away parents" grandparents" aunts"and un#les$

*he #hildren hadn/t !nown they would be ta!en away$ *atiana/s best riend li+ed right ne6tdoor" and the +ery night *atiana/s grandmother had put the ,ible away or the last time" *atianaheard banging on the neighbor/s door" ollowed by s#reaming and yelling$ *he ne6t day" herriend" eyes red and still #rying" told her that they had ta!en her grandmother away$ Her riendsaid that her amily was all angry with her" and that her ather said that the men would ta!e her

grandmother and send her to a #amp in Siberia" where she would surely die$*atiana elt horrible" !nowing that she had almost done the same thing to her own

grandmother$ Her riend ne+er did see her grandmother again" and she be#ame .uiet andwithdrawn" and was distrustul o e+eryone$ *atiana tried to apologie to her own grandmother" but i her grandmother e+er pulled the,ible out again" it was ne+er while *atiana was around$ Howe+er" ust beore her grandmotherdied" *atiana #ame home rom #ollege or a short +isit" and the old woman #ame to her$ Shehanded her something wrapped in a blan!et" and told her that it was now hers to #herish or


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destroy" as she desired$ 4ithout e+en unwrapping it" *atiana !new it was the ,ible$ She than!ed her grandmother"and said she would truly #herish it and prote#t it$ (ater" *atiana was or#ed to lee )ussia$ Her husband had been senten#ed to wor! in some#oal mines be#ause he deended a man in his military unit who was being abused o+er his

religious belies$ She made her way to %inland" and rom there to the Knited States" and" thoughshe #ould ta!e little with her" she too! the ,ible" hidden deep in her simple belongings$ As she inished her story" *atiana handed the beautiul boo! to me and smiled$ 7ow I readit e+ery day" and I don/t ha+e to worry about who sees me$3 As I ran my hands o+er the word LMNOMP ,eebleeya on its #o+er" I #ould only guess howmu#h she had ris!ed to bring it here$

7ow" e+ery time I sit down to read the ,ible with my amily" I thin! o *atiana and her)ussian ,ible" and it helps me to #onsider the many reedoms I am grateul or that I usually ta!eso mu#h or granted$


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0tanding /2 Against -n9ustices

Kri was the son o pri+ilege" with his ather being a member o the elite in the )ussian

Communist party$ His ather was a good man" and had used his position to try to help those o+erwhom he had power$ Kri/s ather did not belie+e in ?od" but taught his #hildren that doing goodwas ust the right way to li+e$ *hough Kri was allowed many opportunities that others were not" simply be#ause o hisather/s position" he was determined to earn his own honors$ He wor!ed hard in s#hool andre#ei+ed good grades" and won a s#holarship to the Kni+ersity o 9os#ow$ *here he studied tobe an engineer$ 4hile at the uni+ersity" he met a beautiul young lady by the name o *atiana$ She wasrom a small +illage and a poor amily" but her high grades and hard wor! had also earned her as#holarship$ She" too" was studying engineering$ *heir lo+e blossomed" and Kri as!ed her tomarry him$ *atiana said that she had to !now something beore she would gi+e him her answer$

,a#! at her apartment" she handed him a boo! wrapped in an old blan!et$ 4hen Kri unwrappedit" he ound a beautiul old ,ible$ *atiana wanted to !now what Kri/s eelings were about religion and those who belie+ed in?od$ Kri said he didn/t belie+e in ?od himsel" but his ather had always taught him to respe#tthe belies o others$ *atiana wanted to !now i he would always allow her to belie+e and to!eep her ,ible" whi#h she e6plained was an important git rom her grandmother$ 4hen Kri toldher that he would" she happily agreed to marry him$ *heir ne6t si6 years together at the Kni+ersity were happy ones$ *hey had two #hildren" and*atiana inished her degree and started wor!ing while Kri inished his do#torate$ 4hen he wasdone" be#ause o his ather/s position" he was re.uired to ill only two years o ser+i#e in themilitary" instead o the regular our" and he also went in as an oi#er$ 4hile he was gone"

*atiana too! their two #hildren and went ba#! to li+e with her parents$ *hat was when the trouble began$ Kri ound something in the military he #ould not stand$He ound that the men who belie+ed in ?od were not only ridi#uled" but were demeaned" abused"beaten" and !illed$ As an oi#er" he was told that it was the goal to either get them to denoun#e?od and religion" or abuse them" or in some other way or#e them to run away" so that they #ouldbe shot as dee#tors$ At the thought o his own wie/s belie in ?od" Kri reused to obey thisorder$ In addition" he saw in those +ery ew men who would not renoun#e their belie in ?od" awonderul goodness$ His reusal to obey these orders brought Kri a reprimand" but nothing more" be#ause o hisather/s position$ Howe+er" the day #ame that a good man" almost beaten to death" was told torun a#ross an open ield" bareoot and bleeding$ He did as ordered" and" then" the #ommanding

oi#er had the man #aptured and put on trial" as i he had deserted$ Kri angrily deended theman" and was thereore put into the military prison$ 4hen he learned o the man/s e6e#ution" he+owed that he would do all he #ould to ight this inusti#e$ As his ight brought him into #onli#t with those higher and higher in the go+ernment"*atiana lost her ob" and she and their #hildren started re#ei+ing death threats and humiliation$Kri told *atiana she needed to lea+e the #ountry$ E+en though e+erything she did wass#rutinied" she was able to lea+e on the pretense o a +a#ation to %inland$ ,ut she was only ableto ta!e one #hild with her" being or#ed to lea+e the oldest in the #are o her parents$


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Kri/s ather did all he #ould to deend his son" but" e+entually" those higher up than Kri/sather senten#ed Kri to 10 years hard labor in the #oal mines$ Kri/s ather had been able to !eephis son rom being !illed" but #ould not eliminate the senten#e$ ,ut this senten#e wor!ed into Kri/s hands$ He ound that the .uota imposed on their mine#ould be illed in ust a #ouple o hours o hard wor!" and then he and the other miners #ould use

the rest o their time deep in the ground to plot ways to ight the inusti#es or whi#h they hadbeen senten#ed$ Kri gal+anied the miners into a stri!e that #rippled the #ountry and humiliatedthe )ussian go+ernment" bringing the attention o the world to the repressions the go+ernment#laimed didn/t e6ist$ *he stri!e #ontinued until the go+ernment agreed to #orre#t mu#h o theintoleran#e the people suered$ As the mines started ba#! up" there were those who wanted to dispose o Kri$ ,ut theydidn/t dare !ill him or ear o the miners/ ba#!lash$ Instead" they negotiated with him to lea+ethe #ountry and ne+er return$ He agreed" only i he was allowed to ta!e his si6 year old daughterthat *atiana had had to lea+e behind$ *he Knited States a##epted him" and he soon ound himsel in a new #ountry that oeredhim reedoms he had ne+er beore imagined$ Howe+er" his trials were still not o+er$ His s!ills

were inade.uate or engineering obs here" and he had to ta!e minimum wage obs$ E+en moreimportantly" while struggling as a single ather" he set out to ind *atiana and his baby son" whoseemed to ha+e disappeared without a tra#e$


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30/148

,y the time she landed in Idaho to meet up with the amily that would be ta!ing #are o herand her son" her head was reeling$ *he host amily was !ind" but she missed Kri" she missed herhome" and she elt somewhat lost and #onused trying to adapt to a new #ulture and a new way olie$ She had ta!en years o English" but studying it and using it are +ery dierent$ ,ut what she ound stranger than anything else was the reedoms e+eryone too! or granted$

She #ould still remember the day that her host amily was tal!ing about politi#s$ E+en thoughshe didn/t understand all that they were saying" she did !now that the ather o the amily was#riti#iing some o the de#isions made by politi#al leaders$ She earully .uestioned whether hemight not get in trouble or saying su#h things$ *hey !indly tried to help her understand that itwas allowed in the Knited States$ She was still rightened or a long time" and" e+ery time shesaw a poli#e oi#er" she trembled$ ,ut ater a while" she began to realie it truly is dierenthere$ 4ord o the #oal miners/ stri!e in )ussia was limited in the outside world" but" news inally#ame that the )ussian go+ernment had a#!nowledged some inusti#es and agreed to ma!e#hanges$ ,ut then" all word o Kri and the ight he had led disappeared rom the news$ 4hathad happened to him; She #ouldn/t #onta#t him or anyone rom her home or ear o alerting the

authorities as to where she was" putting Kri/s lie in peril$ She wondered i she would e+er seeKri and her daughter again$


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The !ost Of Doing The *ight Thing

Ater the #oal mine stri!es" the )ussian go+ernment wanted to dispose o Kri so he #ouldn/t

#ause urther problems or them$ *hey dis#ussed !illing him" but Kri/s ather" a member o theCommunist inner #ir#les" was able to #on+in#e them that !illing his son would only anger theminers" and perhaps bring urther stri!es$ Instead" though his heart a#hed at the thought" to sa+e his son" Kri/s ather #on+in#ed themthat the best option would be to ha+e Kri deported$ It was with a hea+y heart that he bore thenews to Kri" !nowing he might ne+er see him again$ 4hen he told Kri that he was to be strippedo his )ussian #itienship and sent away" it was a tough moment or both o them$ *his deportation re.uired them to ind a #ountry that would a##ept him$ *he Knited Statesgo+ernment e6pressed a willingness" and se#ret negotiations between the heads o state pro#uredhim that opportunity$ Kri bal!ed slightly" insisting he be able to ta!e his daughter" whom*atiana had been or#ed to lea+e behind$ He was also #on#erned that retribution might be ta!en

against *atiana/s amily$ His ather assured him that he himsel would ma!e sure that they wereprote#ted$ It too! a bit o time or the Knited States go+ernment to allow the +isa or Kri/s daughter"but" e+entually" the day #ame that e+erything was ready$ Kri hugged *atiana/s amily goodbye"promising to do e+erything he #ould to ind her and their young son" and reunite with them$ *hen his ather dro+e him to the airport$ It was with great emotion that Kri hugged hisather goodbye$ *o !eep Kri and his daughter sae rom )ussian agents" the Knited Statesgo+ernment de#ided to eliminate the tra#es o where they were sending him" so Kri and his atherwor!ed out a means whereby Kri would se#retly #onta#t him in ten years to see i it was sae to#ommuni#ate$ As they said their inal goodbyes" Kri/s ather e6pressed his lo+e or his son" andtold him he was proud o him or standing up or what he elt was right at su#h great #ost$

Kri and his daughter were then es#orted to the plane by Knited States agents" and" as theirplane lited o o the runway" Kri #ould see his ather standing alone on the tarma#" wa+ing$Kri/s heart was hea+y" !nowing his ather had stood so strong or him at the peril o his own lieand position through those past #ouple o years$ He also !new he would ne+er be allowed againon )ussian soil" and strained as long as he #ould to see his ather" !nowing it might be the lasttime he did$

*o urther prote#t Kri and his daughter" the Knited States go+ernment de#ided to send themto as obs#ure o a pla#e as they possibly #ould$ Idaho was #hosen" and" as their plane ban!edo+er the endless potato ields o the Sna!e )i+er plain" Kri thought he had ne+er seen su#h adesolate pla#e in his entire lie$ *he rural lie was +ery oreign to him$ *hough *atiana had grown up in a small" agri#ultural

+illage" he himsel had grown up in the heart o 9os#ow$ He was used to massi+e amounts opeople" subway systems" smog" and noise$ Instead o a #ity" the amily that the State Departmentound to sponsor him li+ed in an area where #ows outnumbered humans by thirty to one$ Inaddition" most people didn/t e+en !now what a subway was" and i he hit#hed a ride on anything"it would li!ely be a tra#tor or a arm tru#!$ Kri/s +isa allowed him to wor!" but when he applied or obs as an engineer" or whi#h hehad a degree" he ound his training did not mat#h any openings in that ield$ *here was ago+ernment resear#h a#ility in the area" but his status didn/t allow him to wor! there$


32/148

He was a##epted into Idaho State Kni+ersity" and began the arduous tas! o starting o+er inthe edu#ation pro#ess while he wor!ed at minimum wage sto#!ing shel+es at a gro#ery store$ Healso a#ed the #hallenge o being a single ather$ ,ut the hardest part o all was that his thoughtso home and his eelings about inding his wie and son were o+erwhelmingly #onsuming hisenergy$

As he sear#hed or them" he be#ame dis#ouraged" but +owed he wouldn/t gi+e up$ He hadmade a promise to *atiana/s parents" and his own heart wouldn/t let him .uit$ ,ut it was as i*atiana and his son had disappeared rom o the a#e o the earth$ He was determined to sear#hor them his whole lie i he had to$ Still" he wondered i he would e+er see them again" as e+eryattempt he made to ind them led to a dead end$


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Nothing Less Than A Miracle

Kri was deported rom )ussia and was stripped o his #itienship or leading the #oal mine

stri!es$ He had ought against the inusti#es the people had suered" espe#ially the perse#utionand murder o those who belie+ed in ?od" and he now had to pay a pri#e$ *he Knited Statesa##epted him" but he was able to ta!e nothing with him" e6#ept his si6-year-old daughter$ Asproblems had mounted" he had told his wie" *atiana" to ta!e their small son and lea+e )ussiaor their own saety" and they ust seemed to ha+e disappeared$ He +owed he would ind them" and sear#hed" while beginning the pro#ess o redoing hisedu#ation to .ualiy him or wor! here$ He had grown up as a son o a Communist 'arty leaderwith pri+ilege and money" but he now ound himsel wor!ing at minimum wage" struggling tounderstand English" and growing more and more dis#ouraged e+ery day$ He #ouldn/t go to the )ussian go+ernment in his sear#h" or they #ouldn/t !now where hewas$ He #ould not #onta#t the %inish go+ernment" or his own amily" or ear o eopardiing the

saety o himsel and his daughter$ His only option was to wor! through the Knited States StateDepartment$ *hey #onta#ted the %inish go+ernment in his behal" but they #laimed that they!new nothing o *atiana/s whereabouts$

Kri had no way o !nowing that his wie and son had been brought se#retly to the KnitedStates" and" or some reason" be#ause o the bureau#ra#y and se#re#y within the StateDepartment" they #ouldn/t seem to put it together either$ *his let Kri eeling li!e he wasgrasping at straws$ >n#e in a while he would get his hopes up only to ha+e them dashed whenthe State Department hit another dead end$ As lead ater lead seemed to melt away" Kri be#ame more and more dis#ouraged$ He wasstruggling in his #lasses be#ause his English was so impere#t$ He spent many hours sto#!inggro#ery store shel+es ust to ha+e enough money or himsel and his daughter to sur+i+e$ As

Christmas approa#hed" and it had been two years sin#e he had seen his wie and son" hisloneliness and homesi#!ness in#reased$ *hough he had deended those who belie+ed in ?od" Krihimsel didn/t belie+e$ He had always enoyed the wonderul spirit he had elt in their home as*atiana" who did belie+e" had de#orated and #elebrated the season$ Kri had tried unsu##essully to hide his dis#ouragement rom his daughter" who was ma!ingadustments o her own to a new s#hool and a new lie$ ,ut he realied he hadn/t been able to theday she tal!ed to him about it$ Don/t worry" Daddy$ 4e/ll be with 9omma or Christmas$ 9omma always says thatChristmas is the time o mira#les" and I/+e been praying or a mira#le so we #an ind them$3 Kri smiled at his daughter/s aith in what her mother had taught her" but he was araid shewould get her hopes up only to ha+e them #rushed$ He tried to be realisti# with her" but nothing

he said #ould diminish her aith that ?od was going to bring her mother to them or Christmas$Kri truly !new that only a mira#le #ould bring them together" and said" that i it happened" he#ould not help but belie+e$ He had no way o !nowing that *atiana also prayed e+ery day ortheir reunion" e+en as he ound himsel saying in his heart" ?od" i you do e6ist" please loo! atwhat I ha+e tried to do or those that belie+e in you" and bring my wie and son to me$3 ,ut heelt it would do little good" or he was sure they were still a hal a world away" i they were ali+eat all$

As Kri rea#hed the depths o despair" one o his !ind proessors" !nowing o his


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dis#ouragement" in+ited him to a Christmas E+e party$ A )ussian lady li+es with some riendso mine" and I #ould in+ite her" and the two o you #ould tal! in )ussian$ And you/d be wel#ometo bring your daughter$3 Kri !indly de#lined$ I am married" and the only )ussian person I want to tal! to is mywie$3

*he proessor understood" and said no more$ ,ut" or some reason" Kri strongly elt heshould go$ Still" when the day #ame" he almost didn/t$ He inally de#ided to go" eeling it wouldbe good or his daughter$ 4hen Kri arri+ed at the party" his proessor said he would introdu#e him to the )ussianwoman" and pointed her out a#ross the room$ Kri loo!ed to see a woman with a young boy inher arms$ As she turned and their eyes met" they both gasped$ Kri let a wide-eyed proessor" ashe and *atiana ran into ea#h others/ arms$ *he proessor was sho#!ed to ind out that the )ussian woman that had been staying withhis riends was *atiana$ A oyul reunion o##urred as Kri and *atiana learned how ea#h hadseparately been brought to the same small town in Idaho" and had been li+ing only a ew milesapart$

$ As Kri and *atiana inished telling me their stories" I !new" as they !new" that theirreunion was truly nothing less than a mira#le$ And" ater all" mira#les are what Christmas is allabout$


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Y%; ur meeting ended with some #ross words between the original networ! administrator andthe two new ones$ Ater the two new men let" the original one turned to me and angrily as!ed"So" are you here to ta!e o+er my ob" too;3 I smiled and told him that I had no desire to ta!e his ob" and was ust hired by the s#hooldistri#t to help him or a #ouple o wee!ends to do whate+er he wanted$ I as!ed him i there wasanything that rustrated him$ He was still suspi#ious" but told me that" ea#h all" he had to type ine+ery single username or the students and administrators" a total o about ="000" and ea#h too!about @5 se#onds to do$ I #al#ulated that it would ta!e almost a ull wor! wee!$ ,y the end o the day" I had written a program that would pull the data rom the databaseand #reate ea#h a##ount automati#ally$ Ater the testing phase" when the program ran or realand #ompleted the tas! in minutes" he smiled broadly at me" and his animosity disappeared$ He

then re.uested one more thing$ He said people didn/t always download their email" and theser+er would ill up$ Is there anyway to delete messages that are" say" o+er =0 days old;3 *hat is where I really shine$3 I told him$ I had #reated a similar program at the #ollege" so I downloaded it$ It too! another Saturdayto adust it to their system and test it$ I made it so he #ould set it up with any length o time hewanted$ He was +ery pleased" and" although we had only wor!ed two Saturdays together" heshoo! my hand when I let" and said he elt that I was one o his best riends$


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with the date errors$ ery ew problems materialied" but on anuary 2" 2000" I re#ei+ed a #all$It was this same networ! administrator$ He as!ed me i the program that #leared out the emailwas


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,hat 0tudents !o$$unicate

Sometimes I get interesting letters" emails" and phone #alls rom students$ I thought I/d share

some o them here$ I don/t thin! they really need any e6planation" other than to say that I#hanged the names or anonymity" the spelling and pun#tuation errors are their own" and some Ihad to pare down a bit$

QQQQQQQQQQ

Dear 'roessor Howard" I would really li!e to be a physi#ist$ I lo+e physi#s$ ,ut I ha+e aslight problem$ I hate math$


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midnight:

Hi 'roessor Howard$ *his is ,randon rom your 11&00 9onday" 4ednesday" %riday #lass$I !now you said that we had to ta!e our test by 4ednesday" and I want you to !now that I tried$,ut do you !now that the test #enter #loses at 10&00 '9; 7o one told me this" and so I ust wentto ta!e my test beore the end o the day" and it was already #losed$ I thin! you need to ma!e

sure we !now these things$ So" as you see" it wasn/t my ault that I didn/t ta!e it by then be#auseI did try to ta!e it li!e you said$ 'lease let me !now what to do$ ,randon$ ,y the way" whereare you; I #he#!ed your s#hedule and it says you aren/t in #lass right now$ Aren/t you supposedto be in your oi#e when you aren/t in #lass;

QQQQQQQQQQ

Dear 'roessor Howard" I was registered or your College Algebra #lass that meets 9onday"4ednesday" %riday at 11&00" but I hate math" and I de#ided you weren/t a +ery good tea#her" so Idropped it$ I tried @ other #lasses" and igured that those tea#hers were e+en worse than you are$I tried to add you #lass again" but now the #omputer tells me it is ull$ I was wondering i you#ould add me in$

QQQQQQQQQQ Dear 'roessor Howard" I want you to !now that I bombed the College Algebra e6am$ Istudied hard or it" too" and I !now the material ba#!ward and orward$ I thin! you had a lot otri#!y .uestions$ 9y roommate that is in the #lass with me did well" and he said that all o the.uestions were right out o the homewor!$ 4hat/s up with that; Isn/t that !ind o a tri#!y thingto do; Are you ust trying to see i we did the homewor!" or are you trying to see what we really!now;


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A 0hocking :32erience

*he tea#her o our me#hani#s #lass held up the #ondenser in one hand as he spo!e$ 4henthis thing rea#hes ull #harge" it #uts the ele#tri# signal a#ross the #oil" and the +oltage umps toaround @0"000 +olts$ (et me pass this around so e+eryone #an loo! at it$3 4ith that" he tossed it to (enny" who was sitting in the ront row$ 4hen (enny #aught it" helet out a s#ream and lipped o+er ba#!ward" alling out o his #hair onto the loor$ >ur tea#her roared with laughter$ *hat is another lesson you #an learn$ *he #ondenserpa#!s a pretty good #harge" but it only releases it i you tou#h both ends$3 *he tea#her then e6pounded how e+en the @0"000 +olts won/t !ill a person" though it would"as he said" $$$ma!e a person/s eyes light up3$ >ur tea#her o!ed about how (enny/s eyes had deinitely done that" e+en as (enny was stillpanting rom the sho#! he had re#ei+ed$ ,ut our tea#her had deinitely pi#!ed on the wrong

person or his o!e" be#ause (enny wasn/t one to ust let something li!e that go by$It was only a ew days later that the inter#om blared into our room re.uesting that our

tea#her #ome to the oi#e$ He had no sooner stepped rom the #lassroom than (enny wasmarshaling the or#es or his re+enge atta#!$ (enny wasn/t anything i he wasn/t persuasi+e" and beore long e+en those who wererelu#tant about his plan had oined in$ Still thin!ing about how our tea#her had mentioned thatthe #oil" though not deadly" produ#ed @0"000 +olts" his idea was really .uite simple$ 4e had engines that were mounted on mo+able platorms or tea#hing purposes and or#ompetitions in troubleshooting$ 4e would ust roll one into the #lassroom up near the door"#onne#t a wire rom the #oil to the door!nob" and wait or our unsuspe#ting tea#her to return$ (enny organied a group to get the engineF that was my group$ >thers were assigned to

mo+e des!s to ma!e a path" someone was sent ater a #opper wire$ It wasn/t i+e minutes beoree+erything was in pla#e$ And it wasn/t a minute too soon" as ohn announ#ed that our tea#herwas #oming$

ohn had been gi+en the assignment o loo!out be#ause he was the tallest" and there wasonly one small window in the whole room that a#ed in the dire#tion o the main building$ It washigh abo+e the head o all" and e+en ohn #ould barely see out o it when standing on his tip toeson top o a des!$ E+en then" he #ould only see the top o our tea#her/s head through it$ He/s #oming"3 ohn announ#ed$ He/s almost here$3 As our tea#her got near the door" he mo+ed beyond ohn/s +iew" and our only option was towat#h or the mo+ement o the door !nob$ All eyes were i6ed steadastly on it" with thee6#eption o *om" who was standing at the ready near the !ey to the engine$ It was his ob to

#ran! it to send the ateul #urrent to meet its unsuspe#ting +i#tim$ (enny had his eyes an#hored on the door !nob" hand in the air li!e a starter at a tra#! meet$Suddenly" the door !nob started to turn$ (enny/s arm dropped li!e a iring piston as he yelled"7owG3 *om turned the !ey" and the engine #ran!ed$ E+erything happened within a se#ond" andinstantly" rom outside the door" there was an ear shattering s#ream$ I #ould ust imagine thepower o the olt that had passed through our tea#her" sin#e the ground outside the door was deepin watery slush" adding to poten#y o the +oltage$


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4e had no sooner heard the s#ream than *om let go o the !ey" and (enny" bellowing withlaughter" er!ed the door open$ E+eryone #rowded around or a loo!$ It appeared that ourtea#her had been blown #lear o o the step" be#ause he was lying a#e-down in the snow dritust beyond the slush puddle$ *he only thing that would ha+e been better"3 (enny said" through his laughter" is i we

#ould ha+e seen his eyes light up$3 ,ut indeed" we did see his eyes light up$ Howe+er" when he rolled o+er" it wasn/t ourtea#her at all" but a big" e6-army drill sergeant administrator" and it wasn/t happiness that lit hiseyes up" be#ause he deinitely wasn/t smiling$


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A 0hocking


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I don/t thin! that would be legal"3 I replied$ Do you thin! he #ares;3 Sam as!ed in a worried tone$ Indeed" a person sometimes wondered$ *ed/s punishment rom #hewing toba##o was stillresh on our minds$ >ur tea#her had gi+en him the #hoi#e o swallowing it" and thus destroyingthe e+iden#e" or #alling his parents and going to the prin#ipal$ *ed was still green rom his

#hoi#e" as the toba##o still wor!ed its #harm" and it had been two wee!s$ He should ha+e #alledhis parents$ ,ut it did mira#ulously #ure his toba##o habit$ Suddenly" the moment o truth arri+ed as our tea#her too! a breath to spea! to us$ ,ut" as hedid" his a#e #hanged rom that o the grim reaper into a huge grin$ I don/t !now i you !nowthis" but he whom you played your little pran! on is my relati+e$ I ha+e wanted to do somethingli!e that to him or" I don/t !now how longG3 4e all breathed a sigh o relie" or there was to be no punishment that day$


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!o$2uter litches and rade


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She too! a deep breath" as i she were trying to #ontrol her irritation with me$ 'roessorHoward" we ha+e #ertain rules and pro#edures$ 4e #an/t ust go #hanging a grade without theproper paperwor! to show +alid #ause$


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Ther$ostats= Heaters= and Air7!onditioners

>ne o my #olleagues stepped inside the door o my oi#e$ Do you mind i I #ome in and

get warm;3 I turned to see that he was bundled up in his winter #oat with a sweater underneath$ I ustsmiled and motioned him in$ I pushed a #hair in his dire#tion" and he sat down$ As the Internet Administrator" I had amillion things to do" but I needed a brea! now and then$ Soon" another #olleague oined us" andthen a third$


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#olleagues were mu#h happier" as their rooms were warm and #oy$ 9ine suddenly elt li!e asauna$ *he ser+ers were putting out their normal heat" and the air +ent was now blowing hot airas well$ 9y #olleagues were less than sympatheti#" eeling that their dis#omort all winter hadbeen my ault$


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Those Awkward &unior High Years

unior high s#hool has got to be the worst time o a person/s lie" and" in parti#ular" the

eighth grade has to be the most traumati# time o all$ *hat aw!ward year in unior high was a!into sitting under a drill in a dentist/s #hair with no pain !iller$ %or me" it was espe#iallyagoniing$ 4hen I was in se+enth grade" I was a normal height and weight and airly good inmy athleti# ability$ ,ut something happened to me during those summer months between myse+enth and eighth grade years$ 9ostly" I noti#ed that I #ouldn/t seem to get enough ood to eat$?ranted" we wor!ed hard on the arm" hauling hay and #hanging pipe" but" e+en though I dran! agallon or two o mil! per day" and ate an e.ui+alent amount o meat and potatoes" it seemed Iwas still always hungry$ I didn/t thin! too mu#h about it" other than to assume it was all #aused by wor!$ ,ut by theend o summer I elt strange" and I was so aw!ward I #ould trip o+er my own shadow$ Alongwith that" my pants all loo!ed li!e !ni#!ers$ It all be#ame #lear why I elt that way when s#hool

started again in the all$ I ound ellow students loo!ing up to me" when I had loo!ed up at thembeore$ 4hen I say they loo!ed up to me" I mean in the literal sense$ 4hen my '$E$ tea#hermeasured my height and went to mar! it on my #hart" he gasped$ *hat #an/t be trueG A##ordingto this" you grew i+e and a hal in#hes o+er the three months o summer$3 He measured me ahal a doen times beore he would belie+e it and mar!ed it down$ I may ha+e grown taller" but not all o me had in#reased at the same rate$ 9y sel#oniden#e had been let ar behind" and would ta!e years to #at#h up$ 9y shoe sie hadin#reased three sies" and my eet ne+er seemed to want to #ooperate with the rest o me" alwaysha+ing their own agenda$ 9ore than on#e in gym #lass I would be #oming down the #ourt with abas!etball only to tumble o+er my own eet" sprawling onto the loor to the laughter o the otherstudents$ >r I might go or a loose ball that was heading out o bounds" only to pummel mysel

headlong into the blea#hers$Sometimes I heard the words Clumsy3 in reeren#e to mysel" but seldom when the person

thought I would hear it due to my in#reased sie$ ,ut then #ame something that I dreaded mosto all$ It started when the tea#her announ#ed that we would be pra#ti#ing dan#ing in '$E$ inpreparation or the alentine/s Day dan#e$ I already elt inept in my so#ial s!ills when it #ame tomembers o the emale gender" and the thought that my !lutiness would soon push mypopularity rating o the bottom end o the so#ial s#ale gripped my heart with great trepidation$ Ithought o staying home rom s#hool" but the dan#ing was going to #arry on or a whole month$*here was +ery little option but to tough it out$

4e were only the ourth dan#e into the irst #lass period" and my ourth dan#e partner waslimping away rom me" as the others had beore her" when the girls/ tea#her announ#ed we would

be dan#ing the rest o the dan#es in our sto#!ing eet$ I don/t !now i it was to ta!e pity on me"or i it was to prote#t her girls/ eet rom my big wor! boots" but either way" I noti#ed she wasloo!ing dire#tly at me when she made the announ#ement$ *hough the girls ared mu#h better without my big shoes to #rush their toes" it also made memu#h more aware o my mista!es" as I #ould eel more a#utely when I made a misstep andstepped on their eet$ 4e #ontinued to pra#ti#e" and then #ame what I was sure would be theworst day o my entire lie" the day o the alentine/s dan#e$ It was the day we were e6pe#ted to#hoose partners instead o being assigned$ *he girls/ tea#her announ#ed that anyone who didn/t


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#hoose a partner would ha+e one #hosen or them" and then she announ#ed that the girls wouldget irst #hoi#e$ As the girls made a mad dash to as! someone they would preer" rather than be assignedsomeone they would not want" I was sure that I soon would be the only boy let sitting on theblea#hers$ 'retty soon" almost all the boys had been #hosen$ I was loo!ing down" so I didn/t

ha+e a#e the e+ents unolding around me" when I thought I heard someone say my name$I loo!ed up into the eyes o a beautiul young lady that went to the same #hur#h I did$ Shewas one o the most beautiul" gra#eul" and ni#est girls in the s#hool" and one with whom I hadbeen riends sin#e we were small$ I was so sure she #ouldn/t be tal!ing to me that she had to as!me a se#ond time beore I responded$ As I timidly too! her hand to es#ort her to the dan#e loor"I said" I don/t dan#e +ery well$3 She smiled her beautiul smile and replied$ *hat doesn/t matter$ I would rather dan#e withyou than any other boy$3


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Boy 0cout 0now !a(es And To$ 0awyer

I #ouldn/t get o wor! until almost 5&00 '$9$" and" sin#e it was %ebruary" that meant I

#ouldn/t get my s#out troop to the #ampsite until ater dar!$ 4e had prepared e+erything we#ould on the *uesday beore" so it was pretty mu#h ust a matter o loading up and heading onour way$ ,y the time we arri+ed at the #amp site" all o the other troops were already there$*hey all had their tents set up" and we learned we were the only troop that planned to dig snow#a+es$ As my s#outs set about digging" I started dinner$ I had planned ahead and had e+erythingor aitas" so" all I had to do was heat it up$

As I wor!ed" many boys rom the other troops" as well as some leaders" #ame o+er to teaseus about digging snow #a+es$ I tried to ignore them$ Ater e+erything was #oo!ing" I went to #he#! on my s#outs/ progress$ I ound all were busydigging" with the e6#eption o ?ordy and his partner$ ?ordy"3 I e6#laimed" why aren/t youdigging your snow #a+e;G3

?ordy ust rolled his eyes$ ,e#ause" i a person is smart" he #an ind better ways$3 I thought he was inerring that we should ha+e put up tents" but I was wrong$ As I was aboutto .uestion him urther" a small s#out rom another troop #ame wandering by" and started teasing?ordy about still needing to dig his snow #a+e$


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me" but somehow" I elt I probably ought to dig my own$As I #alled all o my s#outs to dinner" many o them #ame stumbling o+er to the ire"

e6hausted rom their hard wor!$ ?ordy" o #ourse" played up how tired he was$ 7o one in ourtroop" besides ?ordy" his #a+e partner" and mysel" had seen what had happened" and the otherswere thereore ta!en in by his theatri#s$

*he boys ate their aitas$ I had made hot s#ones with raspberry am or honey butter ordessert" and they soon sli#!ed them up$ As we inished or the night" I told them I was proud othem or the good ob they had done$ ,ut all o them loo!ed at me with an6ious e6pressionswhen I told them I did ha+e one maor #on#ern$ I/m sure they all wondered i I elt their snow#a+es were unsae$ 4hat is your #on#ern;3 9ort as!ed$ I grinned$ It/s ust that I/m araid that ?ordy might grow up to be only hal a man$3


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,inter !a$2 0ur(i(al

9y s#outs had +oted to sleep in snow #a+es at the Jlondi!e Derby" so we had spent a #ouple

o our meetings re+iewing saety and sur+i+al te#hni.ues$ ,e#ause I got o wor! late" it was dar! by the time we loaded into the +ehi#les to head onour way$ As we tra+eled" I turned on the radio to see i I #ould get a weather report$ *heweatherman predi#ted #lear s!ies or the night" with the temperatures in the +alleys dropping tominus 20 degrees %ahrenheit" or lower$ I !new the mountains would be #older still$ ,y the time the #a+es were dug and the boys were ed and sliding into their sleeping bags"the one thermometer in the #amp was ho+ering around minus =0" and e+en the water in theinsulated #oolers was slushy$ *he #old did ha+e one ad+antageF we didn/t ha+e to worry aboutthe boys being up playing pran!s all night$ Ater the boys were all in bed" my assistant and I still had to dig our own snow #a+e" but"e+entually" we" too" slid into our sleeping bags" totally e6hausted$

*he ne6t morning" the noise in the #amp started early$ During the night" a dense og hadrolled through$ It wasn/t enough to hold in any heat" but it was enough to #oat e+erything withmoisture$ *he moisture had penetrated e+erything" and then roen$ 4hile we were warm" dry"and #omortable in our snow #a+es" the other troops that had slept in tents were roen" and hadwa!ened early to try to warm themsel+es$ *o add to that" all o the wood in the #amp was sothi#!ly #oated with i#e that no one #ould get a ire started$ 4e #ould hear the s#outs rom the other troops #alling to us to #ome out o our snow #a+es"but my s#outs seemed relu#tant to lea+e their warm beds$ E+en I didn/t ha+e a great desire to getdressed and go out into the #old$ Howe+er" as my stoma#h began to grumble" I !new that hungerwas the one thing that would dri+e my s#outs out" and I de#ided I better get up and startbrea!ast$

As I stepped out o my snow #a+e into the biting #old" and started putting a ire together" ayoung s#out rom another troop was soon at my side$ It won/t do you any good to try to start aire" mister$ 4e/+e tried all morning" and so ha+e the other troops" and no one has been able toget one going$

I assured him I would" but he ust went away" sha!ing his head$ ?ordy" who had wat#hedthe whole thing through a small hole rom the warmth o his sleeping bag" as!ed me how Iplanned to do it$ ?ordy" do you remember the irst rules o sur+i+al that I taught you;3 Sure"3 he answered$ Stay #alm" pause to thin!" and don/t be araid to use e+ery meansa+ailable to you$3 *hat/s right$ I thin! too many people here are thin!ing only as s#outsF only trying to start a

ire with normal means$3 4ith that" I sta#!ed a pile o irewood on top o our propane burner$ I lit it and had to let itburn or .uite some time beore the i#e on the wood had melted and the wood had dried#ompletely$ %inally" when it was burning thoroughly" I too! some leather glo+es and set theburning pile in the ire pit$ I sta#!ed more wood on the propane burner and heated it until it wasdry" and then I added it to the ire$ Soon" the ire was roaring and hot$ It didn/t ta!e long beore most o the s#outs in the #amp were standing around it" drin!ingtheir hot #ho#olate$ I #an/t belie+e you got a ire started"3 one s#out said$ 4e tried and tried"


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but #ouldn/t get any where$3


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ha+e ne+er gone beyond" push yoursel a little harder than you ha+e e+er pushed yoursel beore"and pull ust a little more out o yoursel than you thought you were #apable o" then" in allreality" you ha+e won" be#ause you ha+e beaten the opponent that is you$3 As I thought about my le#ture to younger wrestlers" the man loo!ed me in the eye and#ontinued$ As powerul a wrestler as you ha+e been on the mat" what has truly mar!ed you as a

#hampion to me and 9el is not how you wrestled" but how you a#ted when the mat#h was o+er$9el said that" e+en when he lost to you" you always made him eel li!e he was still a winner$3 As I read the obituary" and remembered my #han#e meeting with this man" I thought abouthow his words ha+e stu#! with me my whole lie$

And I hope that" when my lie/s inal mat#h is o+er" and others are reading my obituary" noone will eel I was less than what I should ha+e been in what really mattered - helping thosearound me eel li!e #hampions$


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An :3citing 8irst !hild

,uster #ould hardly #ontain his e6#itement when he #alled$ *he ultrasound shows it is

going to be a boyG3 +er the ne6t ew months I got to hear e+ery detail$ I heard about him seeing the heart beaton the ultrasound$ I heard how ast the heart rate was when they listened to it on the monitor$

>ne day" he e+en brought o+er an ultrasound pi#ture$ Don/t you thin! he loo!s li!e me;3 ,uster as!ed proudly$

I loo!ed at what appeared to be an o+al in a smudge mar!$


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,ut you ha+e toG3 the nurse said in a pani#!ed +oi#e$ 4here else #ould he be;G3 Jate motioned or the nurse not to worry" but to hang up the phone and hand it to her$ Shedeterminedly dialed her own home number$ Ater a brie moment" she spo!e into the re#ei+er$,uster" you get ba#! here with the baby" and I mean nowG3 4hen ,uster told me the last part o the story" he grinned sheepishly$ I guess I got ust a

little too e6#ited$3 I laughed$ 9aybe ust a little$3


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A >ery #ourse" some say it always has" so

maybe I should ust say it was more than usual$ *he reason or this was that e+ery wee!" whenmy wie" Donna" and I arri+ed at the #hur#h nursery we were in #harge o" the toy #abinet waswide open" and the toys were strewn rom one end o the room to the other$

4e li!ed to !eep a bit o a handle on things" allowing ea#h #hild to get out one or two toys ata time$ *hey had to put one ba#! in order to get a new one$ *he #abinet wasn/t easy to get into" either" so we assumed that some parent was opening itor the #hildren$ I addressed the issue o the #abinet with the parents" but ea#h one #laimed theyhadn/t done it$ I de#ided something had to be done$ I bought a #ombination lo#! and lo#!ed thedoor$ > #ourse" I had to gi+e the #ombination to a ew other people that needed to get into it$ *he irst wee! ater we put the lo#! on" we #ame and happily ound the door still lo#!ed$,ut the +ery ne6t wee!" it was open again" and toys were s#attered all o+er$ In rustration I went

to e+eryone I had gi+en the lo#! #ombination to" and ea#h #laimed they hadn/t opened it norgi+en it to anyone else$

I assumed I must not ha+e lo#!ed it well" so I was +ery #areul to ma!e sure it was wellse#ured that wee!$ Howe+er" the ne6t wee!" the toy #abinet was open again and toys illed theroom on#e more$ I was so rustrated that I elt li!e nailing the #abinet shut and orgetting abouttoys" altogether$

,ut something happened that wee! that helped me understand the e6tent o the problem$4e gathered up all the toys" e6#ept the ew with whi#h ea#h #hild was playing" and put themaway$ %or some reason" in my lustered state" I lo#!ed the #abinet again$ 4hen I realied what Ihad done" I de#ided to ust lea+e it lo#!ed until we were ready to swit#h toys$ 4hen a little girl #ame to me and wanted to trade her toy or another" beore I #ould do

anything" a little boy named S#otty said he/d help her$ He was three years old going on twenty"and had a +o#abulary o an English proessor$ He also always tried be helpul$ I ust smiled"!nowing he wouldn/t be able to get into the #abinet$ As we were heading o+er to do the toye6#hange" another little girl started to #ry" so I s#ooped her into my arms to #omort her$ 4henshe went o to play again" I turned ba#! to the toy #upboard" and" to my dismay" it was open$ I !new I had lo#!ed it" but S#otty was busily pulling out toy ater toy$ I !new it wasimpossible or a three-year-old to open a lo#!$ 9y mind began to whirl$ I let S#otty and thelittle girl ea#h ha+e a new toy" put the others ba#!" and lo#!ed it up$ 4hen S#otty +olunteered to help someone else trade toys" I simply sat ba#! and wat#hed$He wal!ed o+er to the #abinet and started spinning the dials on the lo#!$ In ust a moment" hepopped it open" and swung the #abinet open wide$

I gasped$ S#otty" how did you learn to open that;3 I wat#hed you$3

4hen his mother #ame to pi#! him up ater #hur#h" I told her about it" and as!ed her i he!new his numbers$ She said she didn/t thin! so" but was sure that he re#ognied symbols oe+ery !ind$

I said maybe I would get a !eyed lo#!$ She laughed$ 4e tried that" and he igured out howto pi#! e+ery one we/+e pur#hased$ *hat/s why all o our lo#!s are up high" though he still indsways to get to them$3


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I was sho#!ed" and as!ed i there was anything else he did that I should !now about$9illions o things$ %or e6ample" my husband had an old #lo#! and #ouldn/t igure out what

was wrong with it" so he ga+e it to S#otty to tear apart to !eep him busy$ S#otty wor!ed steadily"and had pie#es laid out all o+er$ 9y husband was annoyed with the mess" but I didn/t pay anyattention" as S#otty #ontinued to tin!er with it all day$ 4hen my husband #ame home" we were

both surprised to ind the #lo#! put ba#! together$ ,ut an e+en bigger sho#! was that it haswor!ed e+er sin#eG3 She inished with a laugh$ So good lu#! !eeping him out o the #abinet$ And" i you igurea way" you let me !now$3 ,ut I ne+er did$


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The Lo(e of a Deter$ined !hild

S#otty was three years old" almost our" and by ar the most pre#o#ious #hild I ha+e e+er

met$ He was in the nursery that my wie and I dire#ted at the #hur#h we attended$ His +ery bestriend was a spun!y little girl named Annie" who was also in our nursery$ S#otty/s mother wasAnnie/s babysitter" so Annie and S#otty played together almost e+ery day$

*hey would argue at timesF in a#t" .uite oten$ *he biggest #ause o irritation between themwas that S#otty" despite his enormous +o#abulary" had a #ommon #hildhood lisp$ Annie didn/tha+e near as big a +o#abulary" but her words were impe##able$ >ne day" as I passed out treats tothe #hildren" S#otty #ommented that he really wi!ed 4ie Sa+ers3$ Annie was disgusted$ *hey aren/t wie sa+ersG *hey are (ie Sa+ersG3 I said 4ie Sa+ersG3 S#otty shot ba#!$ ui#!ly an argument ensued" and" as they got louder" I had to" as I oten did" pull them ontomy lap and ha+e a little dis#ussion with them to get them to #alm down$ *he interesting thing

was that" although S#otty and Annie would argue with ea#h other" S#otty didn/t let anyone elsebother her$ I they did" he was immediately there to deend her$

*hat/s why" the day that Annie/s parents announ#ed to us that they would be mo+ing" I !newthat" as mu#h as I/d miss our eisty little Annie" S#otty would miss her e+en more$ ,ut I don/tthin! any o us realied how mu#h$ ,eore the day arri+ed" their parents tried to e6plain to both o them about Annie mo+ingaway$ 4hen Sunday #ame" and Annie was gone" S#otty was .uiet and moped around thenursery$ 4hen I tal!ed to him" I realied that S#otty hadn/t totally understood what hadhappened" be#ause he as!ed me how long it would be until Annie #ame ba#!$ I didn/t !now whatto say" so I simply told him he/d ha+e to as! his mother$ His mother must ha+e tried to e6plain to him that Annie wasn/t #oming ba#!" be#ause the

+ery ne6t day" when I #alled home to tal! to my wie" Donna" she suddenly said" I/+e got to goGS#otty ust lew by here on his big wheelG3 Donna went out to inter#ept him$ *here he was" with no shoes" and his so#!s were halwayo o his eet" lopping away$ It was in the #ool days o spring" yet he had no #oat and waswearing shorts$ She #alled ater him" and he stopped$ 4hen she #aught up to him" she as!edhim where he was going$ He loo!ed at her with a determined rown$ *hey too! my woman to Cowiornia" and I/mgowing to get her ba#!G3 He then turned his big wheel and headed with dogged determination down the street beoreshe #ould stop him$ Donna rushed in and #alled his mother$ His mother said" 'lease !eep aneye on him and I/ll be right o+erG3

Donna ran outside" and though she #ouldn/t #at#h him" she headed in the dire#tion he hadgone$ As she made her way .ui#!ly down the street" she inally was able to spot him$ He hadrea#hed the end" almost a mile rom our house" and was at busy interse#tion$ (u#!ily" he wassmart enough not to ride into it" and" instead" when he saw Donna he rode ba#! to meet her$ He stopped his big wheel and loo!ed up at her with tears in his eyes$ Can you tew mewhere Cowiornia is; I #an/t ind it$3 She !indly !nelt down beside him$ S#otty" Caliornia is so ar away that it would ta!e daysto get there in a #ar$ It is so ar that it is +irtually impossible to ride all the way there on a big


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wheel$3 *ears started lowing down his a#e$ *hen" how/m I gowing to get Annie ba#!;3 She hugged him$ I don/t !now$3 ust then" S#otty/s mother arri+ed$ She !indly tal!ed to him and tried to help himunderstand" but" as she inished" she understood e+en more how deep S#otty/s and Annie/s

riendship was$ She pulled her little son into her arms and she spo!e to him$ I thin! it is timewe go home and ind out a little girl/s phone number so you #an #all and tal! to her$3 And that/s ust what they did" that day" and at least on#e per wee! ater that$


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No reater Lo(e

9y wie" Donna" and I oten learned a lot about the amilies o the #hildren in our nursery

rom them" perhaps more than we e6pe#ted$ >ne amily that had 10 #hildren seemed to bepere#t on the sura#e$ *he mother did a lot o wor! in the #ommunity" and re#ei+ed a lot opraise and awards" e+en being >utstanding 9other$

*hey had two little girls in our nursery" and they always #ame dressed in pretty dresses withtheir hair pere#tly #urled li!e little 9iss Ameri#as$ ,ut" one day" we realied that all was notwell$ It started when the older girl was dropped o at nursery" but we were told by the motherthat the younger one wouldn/t be there that day$ Howe+er" about 20 minutes later" an elderly man brought her in and s#olded us or lettingher es#ape3$ 4e tried to tell him she had ne+er been dropped o" but he wouldn/t listen$ He saidhe had ound her lying in a big snow drit" #rying" and he was urious with us$ Ater he .uit yelling at me and let" I too! little *erry onto my lap$ Her a#e was soa!ed

with tears" her dress was wrin!led" dirty" unbuttoned" and on ba#!wards$ She had no so#!s" onlysandals" and I #ould tell she was burning up with a e+er" e+en as her eet were i#e #old$ I as!edher older sister about it$ She ust shrugged$ She was si#!" so 9omma ust had us lea+e herhome in her #rib$3 4ho stayed with her;3 7obody$ 4e all #ame to #hur#h$3 I gasped$ I #ouldn/t belie+e anyone would lea+e a two-year-old home alone" espe#ially oneburning up with a e+er$ I as!ed *erry what had happened$ She ust said" E+weeone gone$4ant #ome nursery$3 I elt my stoma#h and heart wren#h as I realied they truly had let her$ She had oundhersel alone" and had tried to put her dress on hersel" and wal!ed through the snow to #ome to

#hur#h$*he mother #ame in" all smiles" to pi#! up the older girl$ 4hen she turned to lea+e" I as!ed"

4hat about *erry;3 >h" *erry/s not here this$$$3

Her smile aded as she turned to see *erry in my arms$ She .ui#!ly too! her rom me andrushed o$ (ittle #hildren don/t hide things" and we soon ound out that the #hildren were otenlet alone" or that their mother would pull her older girls out o s#hool to wat#h the younger ones"until the teenaged daughters were beginning to get in trouble or too many absen#es$ *ime went by" and we ended up mo+ing$


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#oming that she #ouldn/t see" and he yelled to her$ 4hen she didn/t mo+e" he ran and sho+ed herout o the road" and he was !illed$ She told us urther that we wouldn/t see *erry nor her sister either$ As more things #ame outater the a##ident" the amily was embarrassed and mo+ed away$ As we #ried" I thought o Annie" the sweet little girl that S#otty had been su#h good riends

with and whom he had !ept in tou#h with rom the time she mo+ed away at three years old$ Ias!ed how she had ta!en it$ S#otty/s mother #ho!ed ba#! her tears so she #ould spea!$ *hat/s the strangest part o all$4e had ust barely ound out about the a##ident oursel+es when Annie/s mother #alled and as!edus what had happened to S#otty$ She said Annie had ust #ome to her and said" 9om" S#ottyust #ame to +isit me and wanted me to !now that he is ine and said or me not to #ry or him$/3 And e+en though we #ried" we elt a surety that he was indeed i

lifes out takes 4

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