Bill W

Chapter 32 – Gramps, Pops, and Barry Devin and I talked it over on Sunday and decided that we didn’t want Barry to end up sitting alone at the next game, so we drove over to his apartment to make sure that he was going to sit with us. We weren’t sure how Jer was reacting to Barry making him take Brock and Art back to the dorms sooner than he wanted to leave, so it’s possible that Jer isn’t planning on sitting with Barry either. In that case, we wanted to make sure Barry was planning to jo

Yes, I encountered some similar situations when I was in England. I was staying with a host family that had a daughter around ten and a son around eight. One day the boy came up to me and asked, in all sincerity, if I had a rubber he could use. To my mind, he was asking me to give him a condom and I couldn't understand why an eight-year-old would need one , so I just told him I didn't have one he could use. Later, it was explained to me that in the UK a rubber is an pencil eraser. Another day, I saw him playing in some dirt with his cars and he sitting on the dirt some of the time, laying in the dirt at other times, and he was also crawling in the dirt as he moved the toys along. Needless to say, his clothes were quit filthy, so I told him that he'd probably have to change his clothes and wash up before he'd be allowed to have high tea, because his pants and shirt were a mess. After I said this, he looked at me and started crying. When I asked his mother why he did that, she went to see what was wrong. When she returned, she explained that in the UK pants are the undergarment and trousers are the outer garment and her son thought I was going to have him undress outside, where everyone could see him, while I had someone get him a clean pair of pants, trousers, and shirt.

Didn't you know? That's the cheerful Grim Reaper. He's happy to be collecting souls and the confetti is the record of all the good and bad things you'd done in life, since it's not needed any longer

To put it simply, 'you're full of cheer' and not a 'Debbie downer'.

I hate to admit it, but there are certain things that I pick up on whenever I read something or listen to people say something incorrectly. These were things that my English teachers drummed into me when I was younger and when they're used incorrectly it's like someone 'running their fingernails over a blackboard/chalkboard.' (For you younger members, look that phrase up on Google.) 1. Whenever people say "Can I help you?" My English teachers would always say, using 'can' means are you physically able to do something, while using 'may' is that you're asking permission. Growing up in the 1950s, we often played a game called, "Mother, may I?" If you asked the person a question, you would have to say may I, or you would be refused permission, such as "Mother may I take five steps forward?" or "Mother, may I open the box?" When you say "May I help you?" to someone, you are asking permission to help them, not if you're physically able to help them. 2. Misusing less and fewer. Fewer is used with things that can be counted. "I have fewer quarters than Mary." However, "I have less money than Mary," because money is a general term and you're usually talking about amounts, not actually counting. "I have fifty dollars less than Mary." 3. There are other pairs that have become closer together in meaning throughout the 20th century, such as the use of farther and further. Farther is generally talking about a physical distance that you can measure, where further is used to describe a figurative distance. For example: "The farther I walked the more tired I became." or "We can discuss that further the next time we talk." 4. Another pair that has become nearly interchangeable than in the past is whole and entire. Whole means that nothing has been omitted or taken away. For example, "I want the whole apple, not just a slice." My teachers used to explain that you use entire when you want to emphasize or formalize the completeness or perfection to which nothing else can be added. "She wrote the entire novel in just seven days." That's my soapbox spiel for today.

But mostly Watson.

Thank you, Dr. Watson, since that was one of his favorite expressions in the Sherlock Holmes stories.

Jovial - just think of Santa Claus' nature, and I don't mean the giving of presents.

Now there's an emotion I haven't felt in a while.

I didn't mean to offend anyone. My comment was merely made with tongue-in-cheek - a jest or tease.

Looks like gay male couples prefer to go where the nightlife if the best for partying, while lesbians prefer to go where there are artistic endeavors, such as museums, theaters for live performances, and classical concerts, which are often found on or near college campuses. No surprise here.

It doesn't surprise me that the UK would have an assortment of different types of trains that have run the rails there over the past couple of centuries. Most, however, are probably museum exhibits now, so I was surprised to learn that there are still steam locomotives in operation and run on a regular basis. Thank you for pointing this out. I found it very interesting.

Welcome back, Freddy. You obviously couldn't resist returning to this wonderful place and being part of this incredible family.

Yes, welcome to GA. You'll not only find lots of stories here that are from many different genres and written by many different authors. I'm sure you'll be able to find a great many stories that you'll enjoy. Happy reading!

Don't you mean Myrthfully?

Yes, Art and Brock sealed their own fate by their actions, so we won't feel sorry for them. I'm glad you enjoyed how the gang thwarted the robbery, but they had a definite advantage. Besides their ability, they were obviously more intelligent than the robbers as well.

I was thinking that Devin and Mac might just rent the house to them for a semester, but then I decided against that. Even though they would definitely get under Louella's skin, they'd probably trash the house as well, so scrub that idea. I'll have to consider the 'rich aunt' scenario though.

I'm not sure if Barry would be suspicious about Devin and Mac. Maybe he's just grateful that they are his friends.

As far as the technique that Gramps and Pops taught the boys, it probably didn't have anything to do with being a skinwalker, although it may have been a technique used by the Navajo or a skill Gramps and Pops had picked up over the years. It's hard to say which, however. As far as Barry's relationship with his other friends, I think the chapter title at the top of today's posting says it all - friends no more.

I'm sure that Art and Brock would be anxious to thank you for sparing them, it they'd ever met Louella.

Actually, I have to blame the oral surgery I had and the medication I'm taking for the late posting. I fell asleep at the computer last night (Monday) and when I woke up before midnight, I got into bed intending to take a short nap and didn't wake up until just before I post the chapter this morning. This time Louella wasn't to blame, unless she was somehow related to my oral surgeon.

I'm glad that you found that distraction method successful, I'm just saddened to learn that you found yourself in a similar situation. As far as Barry's other friends, they were modeled on guys I knew (vaguely) when I was in college - many eons ago.

Chapter 31 – Friends No More “I’m afraid you’ve picked on the wrong people to rob,” Pops calmly stated as he faced the two robbers pointing hand guns at them. “And you’re going to regret this.” “I don’t think so. What are you two old geezers gonna do to stop us?” one of them asked as he shoved the barrel of the gun into Pops’ chest. “Give us your wallets and phones now!” the other gunman said as he shoved the barrel of his gun into Gramp’s chest. Gramps and Pops quickly

Thanks, Al. That's exactly what he is. Just a random character that happened to be where the boys were. Maybe he was looking for a handout or hoping to steal something out of the SUV, but nothing more than that. I've found that people like that are attracted to younger people whom they believe are naive, or older people whom they are hoping are suffering from a mild form of dementia.

Did you ever consider that he might have just been a guy looking to rob them, which wouldn't have had anything to do with being a skinwalker? Maybe he was just hoping to steal their SUV or looking for something he could sell for a little cash. I think sometime you guys expect every incidental character will become involved in the story. Sometimes they're just what they seem in the first place.