Cole Parker

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

Trab, that was really good! I loved that. I didn't reallize it was a story till you told me so at the end. You had me sucked in right and proper. Good job, man! C

Are we suggesting that attitudes have hardened these days? That one reason communication doesn't seem as effective as in the past is that neither party is as flexible as it should be, that views are often set in stone, and proponents of those veiws are increasingly more intractable? I'm often left feeling that way these days. Debates becoming shouting matches, with the participants quickly deciding that the duscussion is pointless becasue no one is listening to what's being said. They have their opinion, and by god, they're right and they don't want anything to deter them from thinking the way they do. We have some really thorny issues facing us as a country these days, issues that could be helped by all sides being allowed to explain their thinking in detail, and all sides actually listening to the arguments, thinking about them, seeing if something couldn't be agreed upon. But look at the debates on abortion, and homelessness, and illegal aliens, and wiretapping, and gun control, and on and on. These issues don't need to be polarizing, but they've become that. You're with me or against me, and if you're against me, I don't want to listen to what you have to say. I dont know just how long we've been moving in this direction, but it's hard to quibble about the fact we have. We could use a good dose of a return to manners, to calmness, to real thinking and real communication to help on these and so many other issues. All our rhetoric does now is wedge us further apart. Now helpful at all. C

Wibby: Whatever possessed you to take on Colin? Bad move, brother. Bad, bad, bad. Death wish, maybe? C

Douglas' Here's Looking at You, Kid finished today. What a marvelous piece of writing! I enjoyed every word of it. His unique voice and style, which we witnessed in Gang of Five, was on display again, and felt every bit as good here as it did there. He draws you into his scene adroitly and totally. You become a part of it, and develop a great empathy with his well drawn and lifelike characters. I was sorry to see this one end, but like knowing it's there for me to return to when I'm looking to reread a romanic, erotic and luminous piece of writing. Well done indeed, Doug. C

How appropirate, the Orang suggesting more postassium.Everyone knows a chief source of postassium is bananas.C

Soyey to hear than, Trab. C

It would appear they accepted your suggestion and the money and indeed added more flour to their product. But just how long can $20 last them? You may have to be sending them this amount weekly to insure the quality lasts. You probaby shouldn't be eating wheat products anyway. Soy, sir. The whole world's turning to soy. C

About the only thing weirder that that concoction, Trab, is that Colin, who eats healthy food and watches his diet like no teen I've ever known, suggested the alternative that primed you to sicken us with your artery-clogger. Congealed pork grease mixed with syrup? You are kidding, aren't you? And I comlained about Colin's standards! If this Forum ever has a food column, you two are banned. C

Peanut butter and bacon? Peanut butter and bacon? Peanut butter and bacon? Some people have absolutely no standards at all. C

I'm going to have to get a fan to cool me down when I'm reading you're guys' posts. Wheeeew! C