Cole Parker

It's despicable that it happens, but it surely does. The system is surely broken. We need to put the welfare and education of our children, our most precious commodity, at the forefront of our thinking, and that is not currently happening. For all the good the PC movement was doing in this area, it has now been overcome by petty politics, ignorance, self-serving greed and cowardice. The child is being overlooked, dismissed as a voice too small to be heard. It's another is a long list of problems we as a society face that doesn't have an easy solution. Good men have to speak up and do something. That's a solution to many problems. There seem to be a dearth of these good men. C

That you wrote it at all is remarkable. What a wonderful change in outlook. Congratulations! C

Be sure to get some iced tea, jalepino cornbread and don't miss the buttermilk/lemon-pepper fried chicken. - JS Oh, wow! Jalapeno cornbread! That sounds wonderful. And the chicken! We in other parts of the country rarely see real fried chicken any longer. All the current worry about cholesterol has resulted in chicken that's grilled or broiled or baked, frequently with the skin removed. I've been in Georgia a couple of times over the years but haven't seen those two items on the menu there. Maybe I have to go, where, Alabama or Mississippi? It does sound worth it. C

This is why I led off my argument by stating the objective of many school boards and administrators today. Their objectives aren't the noble or ethical aims outlined here. Their objectives are to maintain the status quo and their jobs, and they do this not by shooting at lofty aspiriations for their constitutencies, but by keeping the nosie level muted. I've seen and read about it too often, and have first and knowlege of it in several places. They care about their positions, and feel the best way to keep them is to keep complaints sqaushed. They squash them by caving, in most instances, to the one who bitches the loudest. And I still maintain, such actions are basically cowardice. C

Most current school and school district administrations have one major goal in mind: to not make waves. They don't want parent complaints, and if they have them, they move heaven and earth to mollify any complainers. See the recent Oregon middle school play for confirmation of this, although this is simply one case; this practice is currently rampant across the country. If a school district feels it will get complaints for having GSA clubs in the schools, it won't have them. If they feel the general atmostphere does not support anti-discrimination politices protecting minorities, they will not have such policies in the schools, or simply not enforce them. What we need is some right-minded people with guts in our school and district administrations. I don't agree with Trab's suggestion that it's deliberate nonfeasance or stupidity that allows this to continue. I think it's cowardice. C

Don't put the soapbox too far away. You're dead nuts right on with what you said. C

When I see Taiwan, I immediately think 'a twain', because unfortuantely that's the way my mind works, and 'a twain' reminds me of 'the twain' and it sets me to remembering old Rudyard and him going on about East being East and West being West and never... but you know how that goes, and it doesn't say anything about North and South, which we were discussing, so actually you've got me so turned around and feeling so discombobulated even I'm whistling Dixie. Someone pass the blackeyed peas, please. C

Well, obviously, if you have to stand on one foot and whistle Dixie when setting them, they're Southern clocks, and so probably don't tell the correct time anyway, just the Southern version of the time, which is mixed up with fundamentalistic religious views and questionable stances on race relations and eating shellfish in non-R months and thinking the South won the war and all its generals were smarter than all the North's generals. I think your problem began when you came into possession of these clocks in the first place. You probaby should have foreseen the problem when you first read the directions on how to set them and saw the one foot dealie. Whistling wouldn't cause great concern, but my understanding is many Southerners drink to excess, probably so they can forget they live in the land of chiggers and water moccasins, and so the standing on one foot part would make the clock setting impossible for some, and downright dangerous for others, especially those who take a mind to set their clocks while positioning themselves precariously at the top the cellar stairs. Everyone knows the lurking dangers abiding in Southern cellars. That's where they keep Bubba chained up. My advice is to get rid of all those clocks. Buy some new ones, ones that were made in the North. They'll give you the correct time, you don't need to cut your stability in half while setting them, and knowing how to whisle or the words to Dixie is a matter of no consequence. I have no answers for the chiggers or moccasins. C

I must read more British stories than you do, because I didn't find anything terribly odd in it. I perhaps would have if I wasn't accustomed to reading stories set in that country. I really like British stories and writing. It somehow seems so much more civilized than much American writing. I think I probably should have been a Brit. Except I'm not sure they'd have accepted me. I'm too independent in spirit. Cole

I think it's Canadians who eat fries with gravy. Gravy! Well, they're Canadians. That explains it. C

Trab, obviously it's been way too long since you were in fourth grade. When they have to reach a word minimum they just do what comes naturally to them. They write very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very redundant sentences. C

Then you have our great thanks for telling us about it. C<g>

Pecman: The story already is at BoN. That's where I first stumbled onto it. It is an excellent story, more than you expect when you begin reading it. C

I'm still tyring to get used to a happy Jason. I've never seen this side before.I'm so pleased, guy. However long it lasts, which I hope is forever, you do have this feeling to remember.Go slowly. I think he's going to need a whole lot of support.C

You just gave it away, so I don't even have to read your note tomorrow.I do know that show, but it must not be in a song lyric. I know the lyrics, not the spoken parts.C

Des:I think you think we're all a lot more literary than we are. A lot more in touch with the Arts. That our erudition more closely matches your own than it really does.1964. I think that's about when Hello, Dolly came out. And Fiddler on the Roof. And Funny Girl. And probably several other less notable ones.But I don't know any of them well enough to know that line.Which I guess means I don't get to not sleep with you.C

There's so much I'd like to say here, but it would all come across as negative just when you want to feel positive. And I wouldn't mean it to be negative, just informative. So the best thing I can do is simply smile and say well done.Except I can't. I have to say one thing. I have to. I can't stop myself.Neither one of you will know the other, and the relationship does'nt have a snowball's chance in hell, until to both take the huge risk of getting to know each other entirely sober. Both of you, at the same time.Do you think either one of you would be able to risk it?Okay, I'll butt out now.C

Details? You want details? You forget to whom you write.Jason teases and twits us, informs only enough to beguile, takes us to the edge and leaves us there, panting.Then laughs off into the sunset, and departs while we wait beseechingly on the sidelines with our tongues hanging out.Our job is to get to know Mark in bits and pieces, always remotely, always the surface, never the essence.Like it or leave it. That's our Jason.C

Does this imply you will sleep with anyone providing the wrong answer?In that case, I guess Margaret Thatcher.C

Wow! C

Hmmmmm! I wonder if there's any sort of relationship between these two statements?C

Shouldn't you have a Dudey Doo Dah Trio? C

One simply knows the correspondent is ancient when he can quote lines from Tea for Two off the top of his head.CPS - And where the witty reposte I offered, early this morning?

It several of his books, James Herriott speaks about his battles clipping the nails of ferocious cats, and goes on somewhat in talking about his normal technique of wrapping the animals in a piece of shrouding, immobilizing them. What's I found memorable about this was his ultimate line, written in his usual self-deprecating style and hypothetically of someone else memorializing him: That Herriott, not the brightest vet I ever met, but he sure could wrap a cat.Many people agree, the best way to handle this chore is, take the cat to someone else and let them do it. Cats have the ability to distrust for the longest times when they feel they've been fooled or affronted. Better to let that animosity be directed elsewhere.Saves the knees, too.C

Trab, what's fucked up is you thinking you're his READER. Quite obviously, I'm his READER. Don't get ahead of yourself here.And Jason, that very last line says it all, doesn't it? I'd never make fun of you for that. You're simply letting the play run to it's natural end, whatever that may be. If it were predictable, people wouldn't be buying tickets.Thanks for letting us watch.C