Geron Kees

Don't want to give anything away. so will just smile and say, 'thank you'.

Thanks. I think people survive best when they do it together. We probably never know how good we can be, until we are pressed to see by the low points in life. And you can't get much lower than the crash of civilization.

Toad in the hole? Don't they make that with rump steak?

Man! You would both starve at a McDonalds, that's for sure!

Did I say that out loud?!? Well, I can't help it if I'm a noisy thinker!

That's okay, if you want to drive a bus. Just remember to take us all along on the next journey, and there will be no problem at all!

Yep. She was actually his father. Talk about a confused story line!

Did you read the Martin story where he accidentally killed off his own mother before he was born, and thus eradicated himself from existence? It really was a short tale.

I see Adam's birthday coming, and so maybe a resolution to this story. It's been a wonderful journey. You certainly do know how to drive a mean tour bus!

I don't think I could have had a much nicer compliment than that!

No, thank you for the insights. I didn't feel a need to explain every aspect of the story, nor would I want to. Some things mean different things to different readers. I do agree that young people in difficult situations age rapidly, at least internally. Anyone who has seen pictures of kids in the middle of war and seen the look in their eyes can testify to that. Fortunately, an end to the difficult period can often restore some of their youth, if not all of their trust. And, you're right about the tech. Even advanced technology is not perfect. Nor are the people that use advanced technology. The truth is, the more complex the process, the more likely it is that there will be unexpected surprises. I'm happy you enjoyed the tale. That was really what it was for, anyway.

Me, too. I made note of the other two tales. Thanks!

You have an oeuvre? Is that like a waffle maker? I'll go and look!

Ahhh! I love the almost proof aspect of stories like this one. The doubt will literally kill you! Wonderful preparation for Halloween and a night of creeps and terrors. Thanks so much for your effort!

Well, well...you have a flair for this kind of stuff. You do know that you don't have to wait for Halloween to write these things, right?

Simply ghoulish! And delightfully so! I love Halloween, and I love Halloween tales. Thank you for this one!

At just chapter two, I'd expect you to have questions. Hopefully, they will be answered at the right times for you, as you read on.

I like the way you interfaced this tale with your guys in Unbeaten. Expanding on that circle of friends will always be welcome. The more the merrier, right?

Hallo mijn vriend! Ja, laten we vriendelijk zijn voor onze andere vrienden hier en spreken in een taal die we allemaal delen. I lived outside of Damsko until I was nine years of age. I recall the Sint Maarten traditions well, and also the traditions of Sint Nicolaas. I still include Sinterklaas (but where did these green Piets come from??) among my favorite visitors each December 5th! I was home last December for the festivities, and my parents were home for Koningsdag this past April. I have lived in America for over forty years now, and I love the country and the people. Still, I am rooted in Nederlands, and will never forget! I am happy that you enjoyed the tale. It helps that you know the city and can follow as the boys move about. It was fun for me to write, too, as it was like visiting home again! There are three stories in this series now, and I hope to write more. So rich is the history of Nederlands that there is certainly more to write about! Bedankt voor het bezoeken! Come again any time.

Thanks for the pointers. I knew the ending would affect different people...differently. But I actually started with the end, and wrote the story to fit the facts. So discarding it would have seemed... But I can handle a 4.6, just so long as it's not out of 100. Thanks for commenting!

Well...I don't plan a sequel at this point, mostly because I have too many other projects in the works. But I guess I'll 'never say never', just to cover myself. Thanks for the kind words.

We can sit all day and make agreement on how much better things would be if they were only different than they are. If we could eradicate ONE trait from the human race, it should be the one where individuals place what they want above the welfare of everyone else. That would so change the course of life for everyone that the results would be staggering. But it ain't gonna happen, and if someone created a miracle serum that would wipe it from the genome, those who think always first of themselves would kill him and hide the serum forever.

Yes. Cures are amazingly absent in the medical industry, aren't they? The only things they seems able to cure are the things that no one cares about. Athlete's foot, anyone? And now...BED! Or I will be sleep-deprived at the office tomorrow!

I've heard that one, too. "Don't take Hexajerkadin if you are allergic to it. Taking Hexajerkadin when you are allergic to it may lead to allergic complications". Every pharmaceutical company must employ a team that names their drugs. They want to pick names that sound strong and confident, and especially those that will sound good with an ad jingle playing in the background. If drugs were legally required to be called by the names of their constituents, people would think twice about placing them in their bodies. "Say, doc, I've been especially lazy lately, and the old A1c is up a little. Think you can give me some trusty ol' rosiglitazone-glimepiride? Just until I get it back down a little?" Yuck.

Doctors have always been that way, too. Or, at least some of them. Some doctors believe that medications are necessary, especially when they need to treat symptoms instead of causes. Too many people won't make the effort to kill the cause, and are happy just killing the symptoms. We live in an overweight, under-exercised, sleep-deprived nation. No wonder big pharma is laughing.