670 lines
38 KiB
Plaintext
670 lines
38 KiB
Plaintext
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1 If you are in need of help, you need but ask...
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2 ************************* INSTALLED: 3 MAY 85 **********************
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3 Welcome to BWMS (BackWater Message System) Mike Day System operator
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4 ************************************************************
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5 GENERAL DISCLAIMER: BWMS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INFORMATION
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6 PLACED ON THIS SYSTEM.
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7 BWMS was created as an electronic bill board. BWMS is a privately owned
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8 and operated system which is currently open for use by the general public.
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9 No restrictions are placed on the use of the system. As the system is
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10 privately owned, I retain the right to remove any and all messages which
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11 I may find offensive. Because of the limited size of the system, it will be
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12 periodically purged of messages. (only 629 lines of data can be saved)
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13 To leave a message, type 'ENTER' and use ctrl/C or break to get out of the
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14 ENTER mode. The message is automatically stored. If after entering the
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15 message you find you made a mistake, use the replace command to replace
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16 the line. To exit from the system, type 'OFF' then hang up.
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17 Type 'HELP' to see other commands that are available on the system.
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18 ************************************************************
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19
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20 ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
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21 Another day, another disk, and for the first time in a long, long time
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22 I find myself -- guess where?
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23 Emotions have been running high for a while. How about another round of
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24 "treat someone nice"? It's not really too hard -- we've done it before and
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25 could do it again. Ignore the ASCII graphix, the sly cuts and innuendos,
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26 and try to find someone to compliment for something. We'll always have those
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27 who try to make themselves look big by cutting everyone else down. It's lots
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28 more useful to make both yourself and another larger by giving someone else
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29 a hand up. One person can only do so much. Give another a hand and you share
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30 in his/her success.
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31
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32 /\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/
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33 I wasn't sure if the glass sheet, that was placed before me and
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34 the world, was of my invention or was some trap fate had left hoping to
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35 ensnare me in. It could be fate playing a hand in my life, trying to place
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36 barriers between my goal and I. The achievement of all my desires and hopes
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37 could be no more than fragments of a broken dream I'm trying to knit together.
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38 It wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that my efforts are futile attempts at
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39 the bearing of life, my effort displays no significance in the final truth,
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40 I play no hand in the craftmanship of my destiny. It would be as if the drawn
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41 consequences of my actions are nothing in comparsion to the vastness of
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42 everything beyond this body. It may not even be an evil force working against
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43 me. It'd be no more than the universal laws that bar no exception, recognizing
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44 no cruelty.
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45 Equally so, it could be an unknown enemy of mine. A person wishing
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46 power over another. I'm the subject of their superiority. They gain their
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47 strength and confidence through my prevailing weakness.
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48 The barrier could be of my own creation. Like a child who has a
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49 mental block against learning certain things. Why would one want to inhibit
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50 themselves? It comes from memories and influences from the past. The mental
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51 blocks usually form as protection against pain or to shield the negativity
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52 projected from others. Like everything else hidden in the crags of memory,
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53 they are never forgotten, even when they're long out of use.
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54 /\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/ eidolaz \\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\
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55
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56 for those of you that have ultima II and are looking everyware for some-
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57 thing called the ring. look no farther as you can recall there is a towne
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58 called new sanantionel if you look by the aromery you can find two doors
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59 well unlock them then there should be a sign that says atree look under it
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60 and there should be a man. well offer him 500 gp. with offer cmd. and he
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61 will say earn the ring if you do not have farther antos blessing with can be
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62 found
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63
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64 This is a test, this is only a upad
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65 test. Please excuse the wasted liner,
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66 btt I `ad to check the timing...
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67
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68
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69 This is a test, this isnly a upload
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70 test. Please excuse the wasted lines,
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71 but I had to check the timing...
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72
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73
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74 This is a test, this is only a upload
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75 test. Please excuse the wasted lines,
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76 but I had to check the timing...
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77
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78
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79 {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
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80 THE RUBBER PLANT
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81
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82 The rubber plant, which I call it (though perhaps it isn't)
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83 Sways top-heavy towards the window light.
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84 Vacant nodules mark based leaves, dried up and snapped off.
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85 It makes me wonder about the previous year.
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86 Here, this empty hole marks the leaf which had
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87 Surrendered its life after the first argument with my new love.
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88 We bought the plant the day we moved into the apartment.
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89 I remember her reflection 4 leaves later;
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90 "Everytime we are negative our plant loses another one."
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91 "No," I countered. "Its simply not in the right spot."
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92 Ahhh, rubber plant. You graph the memory well.
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93 1, 2, 3, 4...8! 8 vacant sites
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94 Signifying 8 heated fights.
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95 Now she's moved on to Europe and I sit here alone
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96 Before you rubber plant. 1, 2, 3, 4...
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97 The irony! 8 again. 8 leaves remaining.
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98 Each one a bit tainted with the fringed yellowing and browning
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99 Of threatened irritation. But you've endured.
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100 8 majestic broad leaves crowding the peak of your lean stalk,
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101 Perhaps awaiting my next love.
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102 {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{NEW POET}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
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103
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104 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*Guru of Bliss*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
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105 or by any other name...
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106 piper: as we used to say; that WAS right-on. Anyone can find fault. Easiest
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107 thing there is. No challange to it at all. Finding something good to say is
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108 always worth the effort though not always rewarded immediatly.
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109 That old 'paradox' about 'fate' vs 'free will' seams to have arisen once
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110 more from its all too shallow grave. My two cents worth on that is neither
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111 fish nor foul. Destiny is always influenced, never controled and almost never
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112 totaly beyond some sort of affectability.
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113 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
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114 ===========================================================================
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115 THE BUMBLING BIGFOOT IS BACK...I SEE THAT SOMEONE OUT IN THE VAST
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116 WILDERNESS STILL HAS SOME IMAGINATIVE THOUGHTS FLOWING LATELY...
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117 THE NEW POET SEEMS TO BE DOING GOOD TODAY OR HAVE I DRANK TOO MUCH
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118 OUT OF MY NEVER EMPTY TANKARD? NO MATTER, I STILL THINK IT IS GOOD
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119 FOR THE HEART TO READ SUCH WRITING OUT OF ONE TOME OF THOUGHT...
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120 TILL ANOTHER WRITING STIRS MY CONSCIOUS AWAKE...MAY THE GAMES
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121 NEVER END...
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122 ===========================================BIGFOOT=========================
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123 [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/]
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124 Another vote for User Friendly Month. Do we get one per-personality? If
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125 so there are a couple out there with a strong voting block.
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126 [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] [/] A METALIC VOTER [/] [/]
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127
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128 ===========================================================================
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129 TWAS A LONG JOUNERY TO END, A QUEST TO FIND A SAFE HAVEN FOR ONE MIND...
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130 IT SEEMED TO BE ETERNITY SINCE I FOUND PEACE AND TRANQUILITY FOR MY
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131 THOUGHTS...NAY MY THOUGHTS TOLD ME TO SEEK A QUIET SETTING, A SYLVAN
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132 SETTING WHERE THE WATER WAS PURE AND WOULD WASH AWAY THE EVILNESS AND
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133 FILTH ONE COULD COLLECT TRAVELING THE CROSSROADS OF SPACE AND TIME...
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134 ONCE, I HAD HEARD OF A PLACE, A FAR AND DISTANT LAND, A LAND WHERE
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135 FRIENDLYNESS AND PEACE WERE THE MAJOR PREREQUISITE FOR LIFE...AS I
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136 TRAVELED TOWARD THIS FABLED CITY I HAVE SEEN THE EVILS CAST OUT AS
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137 THEY DEEM TO ENTER AND CAUSE STRIFE, NAY THEY SEEM TO HAVE PROBLEMS
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138 AS OTHER CITIES, BUT HARK, TO MY EYES DO I BEHOLD! THE SYLVAN SETTING
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139 WAS A ILLUSION! I AM IN A DESERT TERRAIN, SIFTING DUNES, CAMELS AND
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140 GREAT WELLS...SEEMING TO BE THIRSTY I APPROACH THE WELL TO REDEEM MY
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141 THIRST BUT A ALERT GUARD BECOMES AWARE OF MY PRESENCE...'HOLD THERE
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142 TALL ONE'...IN MY MIND I SEE THROUGH HIS EYES...A TALL AND HAIRY BEAST,
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143 CLEAN BUT ROUGH AROUND THE EDGES, WARM EYES AND GENTLE MANNER BUT STILL
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144 A BEAST. CAN HE NOT SEE THAT I MEAN NOW HARM? I DO NOT MOVE SO TO NOT
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145 ATTRACT VIOLENCE FROM THE GUARD AT THE GATE. ..HE STARES DEEP INTO MY
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146 EYES AND FINDS THAT I MEAN NO HARM, ALLOWING ME TO DRINK DEEP AT THE
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147 WELL...THE WATER IS LIKE A FINE WINE, SOOTHING AND REFRESHING, FLOATING
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148 THE BAD MEMORIES AWAY LIKE AUTUMN LEAVES IN A WINTER STREAM...AAAAHHHH!!!
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149 GRASPING THE MAGIN TANKARD I STRIDE INTO THE MARKETPLACE, FILLED WITH
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150 A MULTITUDE OF VARIED PEOPLE, EACH IN TURN ABOUT THIER BUSINESS...
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151 LEANING AGAINST A MUD WALL, I PONDER WHAT WILL BECOME OF ME IN THIS
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152 STRANGE AND EXCITING CITY, A CITY OF NO NAME AS OF YET...WILL A PASSERBY
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153 REVEAL THIS TO ME...I DON'T KNOW...I DEEM TO CLOSE MY EYES AND REST
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154 WILL PONDERING THIS...
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155 ==========================================================================
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156 ============================== BIGFOOT ==================================
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157 ==========================================================================
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158
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159 =================================}===========================================
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160 I SHALL ENDEAVOR TO REWRITE THIS INTO TANIS WHERE IT BELONGS...
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161
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=================<====================================BIGFOOT================
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162
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163
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164 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (try to explain...)
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165 The minutes that passed before the Guardian would speak his words to
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166 the boy had elapsed into what felt like hours, even days. They were not
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167 easy words for he did not like having to explain his follies in the
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168 presence of a crowd, no matter how inconsequential their numbers.
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169 "Sire, is my voice heard to you?" he asked of the young Master West.
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170 His words carried only faintly in the air of the late afternoon. After he
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171 made his way to the boys side he knelt to ease his pain having since
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172 withdrawn te shaft from his side. Francis helped his brother to sit up so
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173 as to hear what it was that the Guardian had to say, but said nothing
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174 himself. Master West only nodded in responce.
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175 "What I have to say may mean little to you, but it needs to be told."
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176 In the Guardians hesitation he tried to take in a deep breath while comp-
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177 osing his thoughts and was quickly reminded of the pain in doing so.
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178 "For to understand what I have asked is to know that I have asked for the
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179 impossible. A wise person would know the difference between what is and
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180 what is not possible, and would not attempt to chase after that which is
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181 impossible... I am not such a person."
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182 Awullsu's shoulders raised as a person about to speak, but the Guardian
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183 halted her words with the slow wave of his hand. "Oh, I may be knowing
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184 in some manners that were before my years, but the aspects that would be
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185 apparent are those of which I lack." As these words were being spoken the
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186 young Master West released a small gasp, his body shivering in the shallow
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187 breeze. As quickly he could, the Guardian removed the soiled cloak from
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188 about his shoulders and wrapped the boy in it while shaking his head.
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189 "Such simple things as the consideration of others... Forgive me."
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190 ^^^^^
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191 It doesn't take the alchemist to ask, but I also would like to return
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192 to another of those warm and happy days of non-hostility.
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193 ^^^^^
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194 I think the story I have put in (above) has been siting around for too
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195 long without having been posted. (Something like 112?)
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196 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ --->the Guardian 124:03
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197
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198 -+- -+- -+- -+- -+- -+- -+- -+- -+- -+-
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199 -+- Paper moon and cottonball clouds -+-
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200 -+- Why I come here I don't know -+-
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201 -+- The halls are empty but classrooms not so -+-
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202 -+- Another night I'll take another pass -+-
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203 -+- A dog walks by with a happy face -+-
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204 -+- An attempt to make me smile -+-
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205 -+- Well I guess it worked -+-
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206 -+- An outstanding achievment from a simple mind -+-
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207 -+- I came looking for a cat in truth -+-
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208 -+- Electric black and shy strikingly calm -+-
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209 -+- Once again I leave without a word -+-
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210 -+- I think I just might leave another note -+-
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211 -+- -+- -+- -+- -+- -+- -+- -+- -+- -+-
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212 -+- If I could get some sort of instructions -+-
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213 -+- I might finally meet you. -+-
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214 -+- Or should I ask...? -+-
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215 -+- -+- -+- -+- -+- -+- -+- -+- -+- -+-
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216 -+- I think I'll try to forget that I was foolish -+-
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217 -+- enough to put my foot in my mouth the way I did.-+-
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218 -+- Even my apologies have no bearing, and are not -+-
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219 -+- understood. The meaning has been lost. -+-
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220 -+- -+- -+- -JUGGLER- -+- -goodbye- -+- -+-
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221
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222 ONE OF YOUR MESSAGES SAID TO COMPLIMENT PEOPLE, BUT I WOULD HAVE COMPLIMENTED
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223 YOU EVEN IF IT HADN'T SAID TO. THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND BBS THAT I HAVE CALLED,
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224 AND IT IS GREAT!!! MY NAME IS JOHN NEUHARTH, AND YOU CAN CALL ME AT (503)-
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225 636-4663.
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226
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227
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228
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229 \`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\
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230 After another pause the man a the head of the table looked over the material
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231 covering the dark surface before him.
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232 "How much time does this represent?" He asked.
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233 There were glances between the other three men. They had known one another
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234 for a long time, and it took only a moment for a pecking order to be estab-
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235 lished.
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236 The answer came from the man on the right. Adverage height, average build.
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237 The only thing that made him unusual was his continual habit of checking a
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238 small silver pocket watch that he kept in his vest pocket. He was just return-
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239 ing it the fine chain making almost sounds against the low rumble of the fan,
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240 as he spoke. "A little more than three weeks. Sir." The 'sir' had been added
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241 a bit to late, as if at first it may have been overlooked. He looked at his
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242 cigarette pack laying on the table, but made no move in its direction.
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243 There was a flicker of expression from the head of the table. Unreadable.
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244 The answer continued "The three of us, Mooreheade, MacDonald, and I were in
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245 charge of the different teams. Mine actually started a week earlier, right
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246 after the first incedent."
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247 There was a grim smile from the head of the table. "Incedent? Is that what
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248 happened? An incident?". Suddenly there was a look of fury in his eyes and he
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249 leaned forward in his chair. "Did you know any of the people killed?"
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250 "No sir. Bill, I mean William Booth the previous section head felt it would
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251 be better to get people who could keep this all in perspective. Not get person-
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252 ally involved, I mean.
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253 "And you agree with that choice?"
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254 "I, I'm not sure sir."
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255 "Your not sure? Or is it that you just don't know how I will react to your
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256 opinion?"
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257 There was no answer to that. Again silence filled the room.
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258 \`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\` the runner \`\`\`\`\`\`\
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259 12321232123212321232123212321232123212321232123212321232123212321232123212321232
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260 I used to be a dinosaur. I mean, you'd think that the body of the largest
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261 beast ever to walk the face of the earth would have a better destination than
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262 this chick's floor. And I thought all those years in the desert with Arabs kill-
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263 ing eachother over me weere bad.And that week in the melting pot, I really
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264 thought I was going to die.
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265 I'm a noble soul, I should have been a record- a Handle or Vivaldi. Yeah! But
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266 wouldn't you know it? I'm a garbage can!
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267 12321232123212321232123212321232123212321232123/First Person/1232123212321232123
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268 !_+_!_+_!_+_!_+_!_+_!_+_!_+_!_+_!_+_!_+_!_+_!_+_!_+_!_+_!_+_!_+_!_+_!_+_!_+_!
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269 Here's one for the truth is stranger that fiction department.
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270
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271 Last night I had three bald women in my bathroom.
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272
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273 I knew nobody would believe it. I had to say it anyway.
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274 {*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}!!!isis!!!{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}
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275
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The memories faded and Arthur again awoke to his surroundings. A
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276
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slight breeze wafted through his hair, and the smells of soil, grass
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277
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and trees filled his nostrils. The air was warm; a fine day in late
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278
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spring, judging from the angle of the sun. His heightened senses
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279
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were filled with it; birds singing, animals scurrying, hopping,
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280
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insects chirping and buzzing. A curious ant crawled up his arm and
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281
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expressed surprise at the greeting it received from Arthur.
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282
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Apparently the word had not yet reached the most distant workers that
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283
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Arthur was now about. Being industrious, however, the ant did not
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284
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spend much time but hurried on his way. Arthur was learning to focus
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285
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his thoughts; a thing he had not had to do in the quiet of the earth.
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286
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As Arthur revelled in the sights and sounds of his new world, he
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287
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began to sense anxiety amongst the creatures about him. Far off on
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288
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the horizon, a strange object was approaching in midair. Arthur
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289
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shrank in fear at the monster until he heard the "voice" of the
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290
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kindly old tree at his back. The tree explained that this was an
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291
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object that held men and took them places they wished to go. Once,
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292
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when it was a sapling, the tree had taken a trip in such an object to
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293
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be planted in its new home. Men had called the object a ship, but
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294
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the tree could attach no meaning to that word before the ride. It
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295
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had felt a gentle sense of movement for awhile, then the doors opened
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296
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on to a place entirely different than that which it had left. The
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297
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tree failed to grasp the full extent of its journey until it observed
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298
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the ship leap into the air on its departure.
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299
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To Arthur, this object bore no resemblance to the ships of his
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300
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youth; large wooden boats with slaves or sails, or both, that
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301
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floated on the water, not the air. This thing looked more like a
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302
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bird as it flew through the air. The sound it made could only be
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303
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compared to the pounding surf; a thunderous movement of air. Even
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304
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with the soothing words of the tree behind him, Arthur found it hard
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305
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to let go of the fear this "ship" wrought in him. It was then that
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306
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the full impact of his situation showed itself; he was sitting,
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307
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naked, in a foreign world he knew nothing of. If men could build
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308
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such as he had just seen, how could he impress them with the small
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309
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tricks Merlin had showed him!
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310
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Arthur's mind reeled in despair. His first impulse was to sink
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311
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back into the earth and live again as one with the soil. The
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312
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crystals had accepted him as one of their own, and had taught him
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313
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many wonderful things. Just then, the tree, as though it could read
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314
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his thoughts, began to rumble with a strong reply.
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315
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"Arthur, you are their only hope, and they are yours."
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316 {*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}!!!isis!!!{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}
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317 _^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_
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318 "BLACKOUT" EPISODE 2
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319 After what seemed like an eternity, he turned off the bell. "well thats that"
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320 He said. She then heard a thud from the other side of the elevator.
|
||
321 Had he fainted? "Just making myself comfortable on the floor." He
|
||
322 looked at his watch using the dim watch light. "Damm," he said, "there
|
||
323 goes the 7:28 to Forest Grove. My wife's gonna be furious."
|
||
324 She suddenly felt foolish standing erect in the dark and she gingerly
|
||
325 lowered herself onto the floor. The vinyl felt good, cool against her
|
||
326 bare legs, for the air conditioning had died with the lights. She took
|
||
327 off her shoes, placed them atop herbriefcase. Catiously. SHe was totally
|
||
328 disoriented. They exchanges a few sentences. She was worried they might
|
||
329 suffocate.
|
||
330 "No," he sounded authoritive. "there's air coming in. These things
|
||
331 have to be ventilated--by law."
|
||
332 "You an engineer?"
|
||
333 "Bond salesman."
|
||
334 "I'm in mutual funds."
|
||
335 That subject seemed exhaused, and they spent the next minute in silence
|
||
336 Then....
|
||
337 "Listen," his disembodied voice floated over to her. "I'm starved.
|
||
338 You wouldn't by any chance have something to eat on you."
|
||
339 "I think I've gat a Hershey bar."
|
||
340 "Do you mind?" he asked. "We could go halvesies."
|
||
341 "It's all yours." She fished around in her bag, found it, then groped
|
||
342 in the dark for his fingers, slid the bar carefully into awaiting palm"Thanks" h
|
||
343 foil. The chocolate smelled pungent. All her senses had been sharpened
|
||
344 by the darkness.
|
||
345 "Hey...umm. You don't happed to have the outher kind do you? The
|
||
346 kind that has the almonds in it."
|
||
347 "Where do you think you are?!" she snapped "In the A & P?" And
|
||
348 suddenly they both burst out laughing.
|
||
349 "Well, here we are," he said. "So what do you want to do till the
|
||
350 mounties come?"
|
||
351 Vicky considered. "We could play ward games. Ghost, maybe...or how
|
||
352 about twenty questions?"
|
||
353 He was quiet for a moment. Then he said,
|
||
354 *Let'sdo it.*
|
||
355
|
||
356 _^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^
|
||
357 So there some mistakes.....everyone are allow some....
|
||
358 Marc.
|
||
359 _^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^
|
||
360
|
||
361 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
|
||
362 Salazar shifted uncomfortably in his seat as Rommel's Lear jet taxied
|
||
363 for take-off. Across from him sat the secretary, Anna. The old geezer
|
||
364 insisted that she come along. Salazar couldn't figure out why, but not
|
||
365 much in this case made sense, anyway.
|
||
366 "Have you heard from that Albanian yet?" Anna interrupted Salazar's
|
||
367 chain of thought.
|
||
368 "Er... no, not yet. But then Mohammed tends to do things in his own
|
||
369 way... in his own time. My office will contact us when he checks in.
|
||
370 What's in the box?" Salazar nodded his head at a large wooden crate
|
||
371 sitting at the rear of the passenger compartment.
|
||
372 "Just something we may need at our distination."
|
||
373 "What is our distination, by the way?" The conversation paused at the
|
||
374 Lear's jets screamed in preperation for take-off. Salazar's stomach
|
||
375 twitched at the aircraft thundered down the runway and lifted into the sky.
|
||
376 He wondered how he had gotten himself into this mess with a middle-aged
|
||
377 bleached blonde secretary as a partner.
|
||
378 "Oh, we'll get to that in a second," Anna said. "Here... hold this
|
||
379 will you." Salazar did a double-take as a platinum blonde wig landed in
|
||
380 his lap.
|
||
381 * *
|
||
382 On the other side of the world, Wassir closed his eyes in resignation
|
||
383 as the helicopter hurdled toward a desolate Afghan mountainside. The
|
||
384 Albanian wanted to die in battle, not like this... so far from home.
|
||
385 "I think I've got it," Ming said. Mohammed felt the descent stop.
|
||
386 He opened his eyes. They hovered a scant distance from the earth. Ming
|
||
387 labored at the controls. The helicopter began to weave through a field of
|
||
388 large boulders, skimming along the floor of the mountain pass.
|
||
389 "Er... can't you take it up a bit? We are very close to the ground."
|
||
390 Mohammed asked nervously.
|
||
391 "Hey, they didn't teach me how to climb very well. I must have missed
|
||
392 a lesson." Ming said, "Don't worry, I'll get us to Pakistan. No problem."
|
||
393 "There is one problem, my friend. I have a terrible affliction known
|
||
394 as motion sickness." Mohammed's face was a sickly shade of green.
|
||
395 "Wait! Not here.... Oh no!"
|
||
396
|
||
397
|
||
398 A few hours later, the helicopter handed at a Pakistani military base
|
||
399 outside of Peshawar. Mohammed kissed the earth as they stepped from the
|
||
400 copter.
|
||
401 "Look at me... this is terrible." Ming said. His clothes were
|
||
402 covered with.... er something.
|
||
403 "Serves you right. Montgomery Wards Flying School, indeed."
|
||
404 Both men curiously studied several jeeps heading in their direction.
|
||
405 The jeeps squealed to a stop before them. Armed men jumped out and pointed
|
||
406 weapons at our pair.
|
||
407 "Hey, wait a minute. We're good guys," Ming said.
|
||
408 "We are very aware of who you are." A Pakistani major said, "You will
|
||
409 come with us, and please no problems. These are difficult times and my men
|
||
410 have no sense of humor. Someone wants to speak with you."
|
||
411 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Valinor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
|
||
412
|
||
413 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
|
||
414 Piper: Sorry I've not begun my fascinating tale of space and intrigue, but
|
||
415 I'm having upload problems. Should get it up by Monday or Tuesday. Anyway,
|
||
416 as I was saying, it seems there was a man who worked for Transcom...
|
||
417 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 Walrus 000
|
||
418 And so I look out upon the barren, wasted landscape that has been
|
||
419 my home for so many years. Tears meander down my face and splatter on
|
||
420 And so I look out upon the barren, wasted landscape that has been
|
||
421 my home for so many years. Tears meander down my face and splatter on
|
||
422 the rotted wooden floor below me. A hot gust of acrid wind greets my
|
||
423 face and I fall away from the window gasping. The creature that I call
|
||
424 my dog half oozes, half crawls over to me. I look at my own rradiation-
|
||
425 blistered arms and ask myself:
|
||
426 WHY CAN'T THE WORLD BE PEACEFUL??
|
||
427 WHY DOES MAN CRAVE DESTRUCTION??
|
||
428 And I roll over on the floor, dead.
|
||
429
|
||
430
|
||
431 MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB, ITS FLEECE WAS WHITE AS SNOW AND EVERYWHERE THAT
|
||
432 MARY WENT THE LAMB WAS SURE TO GO.
|
||
433 ONE DAY THE LAMB FOLLOWED HER TO SCHOOL AND MARY WAS EXPELLED.
|
||
434
|
||
435 DUMPTY-HUMPTY SAT ON A WALL DUMPTY-HUMPTY WAS KNOCKED DOWN
|
||
436 ALL THE SYSOPS DOGS AND ALL HIS MEMBERS DUMPTY-HUMPTY BACK TOGETHER AGAIN
|
||
437 ('SNIFF')
|
||
438
|
||
439
|
||
440
|
||
441 THATS ALL FOLKS
|
||
442 ...........................................................................
|
||
443 Marc: good story so far! One minor point- (for your information, not as
|
||
444 criticism). The alarm Bell & any mechanical ventilation are ELECTRICAL...
|
||
445 Of course, most people have no idea how many things depend on
|
||
446 electricity. Even people who should know better take things for granted..
|
||
447 Like the engineer who, when the 'Great Blackout' hit the Northeast,
|
||
448 proudly walked over to the emergency generating plant that the hospital
|
||
449 he worked for had just had installed the month before & pushed the start
|
||
450 button. Nothing happened. Seems that the generator had an ELECTRIC fuel
|
||
451 pump..... oooops...
|
||
452 _________________________________Leonard___________________________________
|
||
453
|
||
454 It's as if sometimes everyone in the world is out to get you. I desperately
|
||
455 need a tutor in advanced algebra. Anyone? Sophomores in high school are
|
||
456 any of you? Are we alone on this planet reallly, or is there one single
|
||
457 computer running our lives? Questions, questions, questions. That is the
|
||
458 entire life. When do the answers come? Or do they? What is my purpose in
|
||
459 life?? I want a dress to wear and a chalet in the Austrian alps. I want tyo
|
||
460 sing. I was in Oklahoma! Just closed last week. Terribly fun ,yes. Prom
|
||
461 night tonight, home alone, can any relate? Oh well. Thats life. C'est la
|
||
462 vie. So ist das Leben. Tschuss, Tschuss,meine Damen und Herrn. Bis bald.
|
||
463 ========================================================================
|
||
464 TIS A LOVELY WALK DOWN THE BOULEVARD OF DREAMS AS I MEANDER THRU THE
|
||
465 THRONG OF HAPPY SOULS STROLLING ABOUT THE SHOPS AND BAZAARS ON THE MARKET-
|
||
466 PLACE...IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE THE MYRIAD OF INNS, TAVERNS AND OTHER
|
||
467 SUCH ESTABLISHMENTS THAT LAY BEFORE MY EYES...AS I WALK A APPROACH THE
|
||
468 DOORS OF AN INN WHICH EMINATES SWEET SMELLS OF DRINK AND SONG...SUCH AS
|
||
469 I HAVE RARELY FELT IN A RATHER LONG TIME. AS I ENTER THE PORTAL A WAVE
|
||
470 OF EMONTION WASHES OVER MY MIND...MANY ADVENTURES FLOW PAST AS I BASK IN
|
||
471 THE WAVES...THE BAR TENDER SIGNALS FOR ME TO SEAT MYSELF SO THAT OTHERS
|
||
472 MAY ENTER OR LEAVE (AS MY SIZE PROHIBITS THIS IN THE DOORWAY) "THERE IS
|
||
473 ROOM HERE FOR ALL, EVEN MOUNTAIN APES SUCH AS YOU..." HE SAYS IN A
|
||
474 FREINDLY MANNER...I SMILE AS A SIT IN A LARGE WELL WORN SEAT WHICH HAS
|
||
475 SEEN MANY YEARS OF USE. HE LEAVES ME AND RETURNS TO POURING ALE AND BEER
|
||
476 WILL I SIP DARK BEER OUT OF THE MAGIC TANKARD...IT SEEMS THAT APREHENSION,
|
||
477 NAY, MORE LIKE HOSILITY FLOATING IN THE SMOKE HOVING IN THE LARGE HALL
|
||
478 OF THE INN...TURNING TO SIGHT IT WITH MY INNER EYES I TRY BUT DO NOT
|
||
479 SUCCEED IN LOCATING IT. NO MATTER, IT SHALL BE CAST OUT WITH THE OTHER
|
||
480 TRASH IN THE MORNING I SUPPOSE. RETURNING TO MY DRINK I PONDER IF ANY
|
||
481 OTHER ADVENTURERS WILL MAKE MY ACQUAINTANCE...MAY THE TANKARD NEVER GO
|
||
482 DRY AND MAY THE THOUGHTS ALWAYS KEEP FLOWING...
|
||
483 ===============================BIGFOOT===================================
|
||
484
|
||
485 NOTE TO SYSOP OF BWMS: THANKS FOR ONCE AGAIN RETURNING THE SYSTEM TO
|
||
486 'ALL ALLOWED'. IT HELPS TO CORRECT BADLY ENTERED LINES. I THINK THAT
|
||
487 I SPEAK FOR MOST WHEN I SAY 'THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!!'. TIL THE NEXT
|
||
488 TANKARD OF PEACE OF TRANQUILITY...
|
||
489 ===================================BIGFOOT===============================
|
||
490
|
||
491 ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
|
||
492 "UNDER Financed: Part 4"
|
||
493 The "message received" indicator on the team's remote terminal glowed
|
||
494 softly, silently calling out to the operatives who had just unlocked the door.
|
||
495 "What'd I tell ya?", David said. "Piece o' cake."
|
||
496 "Hey, Tony," Elizabeth called back through the door at Arjusk. "I really
|
||
497 gotta hand it to you. You've picked a first-class establishment here.
|
||
498 Motel-6 always was one of my favorites."
|
||
499 "Elizabeth's right, first class here, Tony," David said as he collapsed
|
||
500 upon a bed with several large bags.
|
||
501 Arjusk knew that David's idea of a first-class motel was one without
|
||
502 roaches, and considered the compliment accordingly. He struggled with two
|
||
503 more bags, pulled them inside, then shut the door. The light upon the terminal
|
||
504 caught his eye. "Message in, Elizabeth. Could you get it, please?"
|
||
505 Operative Ryan set down her coat and approached the machine, pulling out
|
||
506 a rather odd-looking keycard from her pocket. Sliding the keycard along a
|
||
507 hidden slot caused the terminal to emit a short beep.
|
||
508 <Cipherfile stored in memory. Enter key:>
|
||
509 Elizabeth tapped out a long series of keys.
|
||
510 <Accepted. Deciphering file using key.>
|
||
511 <RYANELIZ, ARJUSKAN, PETERSON: Alert status now in effect. NET activity
|
||
512 detected in your area. New orders: transfer recovered funds to authorized
|
||
513 carrier, details follow. Locate NET agents and learn their business in the
|
||
514 San Fransisco area. Last sighting in the waterfront area. OHARAJOH out.>
|
||
515 [PURGE]
|
||
516 <File purged.>
|
||
517 [ACKNOWLEDGE: OHARAJOH]
|
||
518 <Sending Acknowledge....message sent.>
|
||
519 [MONITOR]
|
||
520 <Monitoring line.>
|
||
521 Arjusk and Peterson emitted a low whistle. "Care to tell me about that
|
||
522 foreboding again, Tony?" Elizabeth said.
|
||
523 "Is it really necessary?" he replied.
|
||
524 "I suppose not. When do you think we should start, guys?"
|
||
525 "Let's get a good night's sleep first, Elizabeth. The keys to your
|
||
526 room are on the table. David and I are sharing this one."
|
||
527 "I don't want to share a room with you; you steal all of the blankets,"
|
||
528 David whined.
|
||
529 "Shut up, David, just shut up."
|
||
530 [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[ UNDERGROUND [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[
|
||
531 /|\ Relationships are too hard to deal with. One minute you flying high on
|
||
532 the top of the world. The next minute you are wallowing without understand-
|
||
533 ing. It's like a cold slap. A sudden realization that things aren't perfect.
|
||
534 Like a hot air baloon. It always pops. You'll find the remains lying in the
|
||
535 street. Maybe they aren't worth it. Maybe solitude is the only answer.
|
||
536 Even alone. There are those depressing times. Alone there are never the
|
||
537 real depression. It's always steamed from people. The punch comes from
|
||
538 someone you care about and love. Your lungs explode. They burst when the
|
||
539 fist hits. Maybe giving up would be best. Giving up wouldn't work. Because
|
||
540 the hurt won't go away. It will invade the solitude. Things aren't perfect.
|
||
541 I just have to learn that. I have to remember that the slightest thing is
|
||
542 not meant for pain. They're not meant as punches. It still hurts. Even
|
||
543 when I can rationalize it. It still hurts. /|\
|
||
544 pppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
|
||
545 To the person needing a tutor in advanced algebra: If you seriously need
|
||
546 help, I'll be glad to try to help --the problem may be location. I
|
||
547 inhabit the mundane wilds of exurban Wilsonville. Let me know if you feel
|
||
548 inclined to converse further and we'll move to another bbs for private msgs.
|
||
549 pppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
|
||
550 <<:*********************************************************:>>
|
||
551
|
||
552 A VISIT FROM THE GRAND DRAGON MASTER
|
||
553
|
||
554
|
||
555 Dear Backwater Friends:
|
||
556
|
||
557 It seems a long time since I've managed a visit to the Inn. My
|
||
558 new job at Children's Services consumes a great deal of my time
|
||
559 and energy. I feel lucky if I manage to occassionally download
|
||
560 Backwater and scan it. Today I lucked out. I've actually got a
|
||
561 moment to chat.
|
||
562
|
||
563 I thought you might enjoy knowing about Frank. You remember ol'
|
||
564 Frank, don't you? Poor perverted Frank.
|
||
565
|
||
566 About two years ago I decided to try to get out of social
|
||
567 services work. I'd burned out on dealing with
|
||
568 arsonists, perverts, child molesters and their victums. I was
|
||
569 tired of tragedy. I was tired of violence. I was tired of the
|
||
570 constant stress of working with volatile and dangerous people.
|
||
571 I wanted to do something else. I wanted out.
|
||
572
|
||
573 I quit. I decided to make a full time effort of changing
|
||
574 careers. I was determined to get out of social services.
|
||
575
|
||
576 I was unemployed for a year and a half. It was a disaster.
|
||
577 This is a terrible economy to attempt changing careers in. I
|
||
578 had made a terrible miscalculation.
|
||
579
|
||
580 It was Backwater that saved my sanity. It gave me a creative
|
||
581 outlet to indulge my writing talents. It was my daily excape
|
||
582 from reality. It was stimulating to pit McKane Industries
|
||
583 against all comers. It kept my head together during a very
|
||
584 difficult time.
|
||
585
|
||
586 It became painfully obvious that there was no choice but to
|
||
587 return to social work. That was where my marketable skills
|
||
588 lay. But was I ready? I decided to use Backwater to put it to
|
||
589 the test.
|
||
590
|
||
591 Frank Jones was a character I created out of my experience
|
||
592 working with the victums of child molesters. I had Frank
|
||
593 display the thought processes and rationalizations I knew a
|
||
594 real molester might use. To entertain those of you who enjoy an
|
||
595 intellectual battle I made him intelligent.
|
||
596
|
||
597 Frank gave me a chance to re-examine the sleezy world I was
|
||
598 contemplating returning to. He got me to thinking about my old
|
||
599 career and helped me draw some conclusions. The bigest of those
|
||
600 conclusions being that I really do enjoy the challenge of
|
||
601 social work. It's the stress that blows me away.
|
||
602
|
||
603 I was seriously considering returning. Frank gave me the
|
||
604 opportunity to see if I was ready to return to the world where
|
||
605 the real Franks reside. I decided I was.
|
||
606
|
||
607 It's worked out well. My job at Children's Services is
|
||
608 interesting, challenging, and very satisfying. Sometimes I even
|
||
609 manage to have a bit of fun.
|
||
610
|
||
611 So in the long run everything worked out just fine. It was just
|
||
612 getting there that was so dreadful.
|
||
613
|
||
614 GRAND DRAGON MASTER
|
||
615 DRAGON HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL
|
||
616
|
||
617 <<:*********************************************************:>>
|
||
618
|
||
619 *****************************************
|
||
620
|
||
gee, i guess you could call that a success story, ehh?
|
||
621
|
||
********************kathyd******************************
|
||
622 at the bottom... what a thrill!!! kd
|
||
|
||
TOTAL NUMBER OF LINES = 622
|