Season Two Episode Thirty One

Benjamin Franklin
Harnessing lightning's power
Apple computer.

Dramatic entrance
Striking awe in everyone
Unforgettable.

Paper mache set
Grade five children's production
Dinosaurs in Cats.

Chocolate cake meltdown
Symbolic of my sister
If she was shorter.

Lumberjack breakfast
Making the cook earn his wage
Meal fit for men.

Chinatown shopping
Found rare and unique items
Friendly shop owners.

Season Two Episode Thirty

Bag full of rainbows
Left laying in the alley
Who will find this gift?

Dropped at the roadside
Seemingly thought forgotten
But by the owner.

Fortunate eagle
Focused eye finding salmon
Fish brings nourishment.

Nugget of goodness
Nutrition out the window
Not meant for adults.

Taco filled with love
Token gift from Mexico
Taste buds are happy.

Quarter filled tip jar
Qualifying bartender
Quick to fill orders.

Ant following ant
Acquiring blade of grass
Accomplished workers.

Season Two Episode Twenty Nine

Here's a story that I began to write before I played the game with a couple friends that same day! Also, if you don't know the game, see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland_Yard_(board_game) for details.

Dear diary, it’s currently 9:41, and I still have no trace of the target. I’ve narrowed his position to two locations: the eastern end of the city, and the southern end of the city. I figure the best way to track him down further is to go from house to house, explaining the situation and asking if they’ve seen the target recently. If this plan of action does not show progress within a week, I will come up with another one.
Today I will begin my search for the target in the southern end and work my way up east. But then, perhaps there is a chance the target might move to other parts of the city. It may be better, and more efficient to start in the east and work my way down south, especially since the police have the west end covered. Hm. If the police have the west end covered, certainly they’d be able to cover the northern part as well, and therefore, it wouldn’t matter if I covered the south end first and made my way east, or if I started in the east and made my way south. I suppose that since I’ll be heading south in order to start my search, I might as well start my search in the south and work my way east. Ah, that sounds like a good plan. Okay dear diary wish me luck!

Season Two Episode Twenty Eight

Here I am, in Calgary, AB visiting my dad. I just thought I'd share a few haiku with you all that I wrote on the bus on the way here.

Blue helicopter
Sitting in a wheat field
Waiting for clearance.

Stops along the way
Hardly worth my mentioning
Boring bus depots.

Clouds veiling sun
Creating rainbowed sun dogs
Over snowy land.

Same destination
Two paths, one made much too long
Time more than doubled.

Music keeping me
From losing my sanity
Thank you Mstrkrft.

Blueberry bagels
Hickory smoked beef jerky
Orange and banana.

Fog making its way
Across the lands and highways
Creeping us all out.

Season Two Episode Twenty Seven

Poetic justice
Unable to be upheld
No rhyme or reason.

Building a rainbow
Laying the bricks one by one
Filling up the sky.

Pizza in a cup
Filling my mouth with gladness
Pepperoni love.

Lakeside bonfire
Seen from across the waters
Longing for the warmth.

Big school of fish
Multitude of bright colors
Swim along swiftly.

Season Two Episode Twenty Six

As I sat in my office, gazing out the window, I saw the city sprawled out below me, how the river seemed to have cut through it, long ago, as if a ruler had measured out precisely where the river would lie and which way it would run. I imagined how it must be, to sit in an office of a smaller building in the core of downtown, how your only view would be the next building over, and how if I had that office for too long, I would probably draw a picture on the building just outside my window, so that I could have a view, of some kind. Then every once in a while I'd scrub it off and draw a new one, just for the sake of variety. Either that or I would imagine how it is to be a guy with an office at the edge of downtown, where it didn't matter how high up your office was because you'd still have a view of the river and the rest of the city.

At that moment, I saw a curious thing. A mother had been walking with her child down the pathway along the river. The child had a red balloon in ...her, hand but it was not tied to her wrist as it should have been. How did I know that? It was because the red balloon slipped from her grasp and started to float towards the sky. I could remember when that first happened to me when I was her age, and a part of me was sad for that little girl, but then the adult part of me realized there was work needing to be done and I couldn't feel sorry for every little child that lost a balloon.

It was at that time when I noticed the particular path in which the balloon seemed to be on, which was leading right to my office window. Sure enough, before too long, the red balloon hit my window with a soft 'poom' and then slowly made it's way up along the rest of the building, as if it were guided by an invisible hand. Whether it made it's way over the roof without popping and continued to sail through the skies, or it got caught under the ledge of the roof and eventually popped or just got stuck there, I don't know. That's when it struck me! ..Er.. an idea, not the balloon. This was going straight to the top! ...My idea, as well as the balloon. I could see the promotion now!

Season Two Episode Twenty Five

Stephanie awoke. The alarm hadn't woken her, for there was still another two minutes before it would go off. Was it her body anticipating the alarm, or had there been a noise outside? It was still dark out, but then again at this time of year, it took longer for the sun to rise. Hmm. She felt tired, and therefore did not want to check the time, nor did she. She turned over onto her left side, found a comfortable place on the pillow, and tried to once again attain sleep.

Had she been dreaming? She didn't think so, but remembered the professor saying that one does not always remember one's dreams. If that was the case, then she just didn't remember what her dream was. Stephanie thought about the last time she had a dream, in the hopes that she would quickly fall asleep. The last dream she remembered having involved her friend Tim and Samantha... something about them fighting and Stephanie was trying to break it up but she couldn't speak because her mouth was sewn shut.

"... -a smile on his face, the day that you left this place! Welcome home!" Rang out from her radio, it was her alarm going off. Just when she thought she could get some sleep and perhaps let the day carry on without her. Stephanie opened her eyes, stretched, and made her brain tell her arms to throw off the covers so that she could get out of bed. The message must have gotten lost on its way to her arms because no action was produced. She thought maybe she'd get her legs to do the work, to swing out of bed and make their way to the door. This also did not happen. Had she suddenly become paralysed? She had stretched, and was able to put her arms back underneath the covers... what happened between then and now?

As the music played on, Stephanie realized that yes, she did have a life to get to, yes it would hurt her marks if she missed her classes today, and in order to accomplish all that, she had to get her body to cooperate with her brain. With what seemed to be great effort, she finally got her left arm to move towards the top of the blanket and put it up and off of her. She then got her right arm to finish what the left arm started. Now for her legs to do her job. Stephanie propped herself up on her elbows, and pushed herself up into a sitting position. While she put her body into submission, her mind worked on waking itself from a state of sleep, into a state of ...well at least semi-consciousness.

Finally Stephanie got her legs to move from under the covers, the warmth of that soft and inviting cocoon, into the less warm and less inviting world. She made her way to the door, turned the handle, and headed towards the bathroom. What she needed was a nice cold shower to get herself fully awake and functioning. Only, make the water not so cold... a little warmer... a little warmer... yeah, that's it. Don't want to wake up in too big of a hurry, leave that job for the coffee she'd make. Was there time for coffee? Yes, her first class didn't start until 9:30 today, so that left at least an hour to get ready for school. Ugh, thought Stephanie, why couldn't the weekend be three days long?

Season Two Episode Twenty Four

It was good to see the sun rise again, it has been too long since anyone had seen it last. Three years, five months, three weeks, two days, five hours, and forty-five minutes. We don't know why the sun stopped rising in the first place but ever since the first day it didn't rise, there have been those of us who have been waiting for it to rise again. At first there were only a few thousand of us who knew there was something wrong, right away. On the third day the news was confirmed worldwide that the sun was not rising, that there was something wrong. By that time we had already been looking into several theories as to why the sun was not rising. We could see the sun, so why wasn't the earth getting any of its light?

At first we thought something was blocking the sun's light from the earth, but it only took two hours to find out that no, there was nothing blocking the sun's light. Nothing visible by any tools found on earth. We then thought it had something to do with the earth's orbit, maybe it had gone off course. Then the question came up: why now? Why did the earth come off it's orbit so suddenly? Wouldn't it be a gradual action, that days would get shorter and shorter over a long period of time? Also, how would the earth get off it's orbit in the first place? What change was there in space that could have caused the earth to go off its orbit? Scientists all over the world, those who were more informed, took to inspecting the space around the earth, around other planets, at other planets and their orbits (had any others changed their orbit?), at the moon (was earth any closer or further from the moon?), calculating distances between planets to see if they had changed, and checking if the earth's axis had changed at all. We looked over all these things from the earliest recordings until Day One, or Eclipse Day One to some of us. My team was in charge of checking the distances between the other planets and the sun, and if any of the planets were getting sunlight.

At the same time of all this research, there was a team set up to figure out what we would do, how long we would last, and if there was a way around the lack of sunlight. Could an artificial sun be considered? Was it possible? How quickly could green houses be set up to preserve the earth's plant life? What could be done about the forests, jungles, mountains and plains? By the second day, Day Two, it was clear that there were many questions needing answers, and there were very few answers, or at least none that were halfway feasible. One part of me really wanted to be involved with coming up to solutions, and the other part really didn't. On the one hand, I found it much more important to come up with a solution rather than look at the cause, but on the other hand, I didn't want to have to take responsibility for any of the bad ideas ("solutions") that were being presented.

:Pause Transmision:

Season Two Episode Twenty Three

Twilight settles over me, as the smouldering candlewick of dusk slowing goes cold.
As I lie upon this hilltop, thinking of what I am meant to be, I listen to the crickets, the frogs, and the rest of the nightlife as they come into action.
Softly and steadily a cool breeze passes over me, causing the trees to dance to and fro, their leaves singing their simple melody.
Looking up at the stars I search out for the constellations I learned at school. As I find some but not others, I begin to make some of my own. Their stories are like those of the ancient gods of Greece and of Rome.
Fireflies have now come out to play, flying about. I watch as their little lights momentarily overlap the stars. In my mind I picture them going to their little parties, drinking tea and eating their sweets.
That’s when I hear a faint rustling. Barely discernable from that of the leaves in the trees, these are the leaves on the ground being trampled underfoot. I sit up, quickly.
Pockets of thunder rumble in the distance, making it harder to hear who or what is coming towards me, or if they are coming towards me at all. Can I reach my backpack in time, to get my flashlight? I say a silent prayer and try not to assume the worst. I get a rush of adrenaline as I try to see what’s in the bush in front of me, straining my ears to hear what’s about to meet me. I wasn’t sure which was more prominent in these woods, bears or cougars, but I was sure I did not want to meet up with either.
Suddenly a sound! A voice calling out! “Hey!” Who could be out here? Could it be a psycho killer hunting poor unsuspecting travels, waiting for them to drop their guard, for the perfect time to strike? I sprang to my feet ready to either fight or fly. Again the voice called out “Hey Dave, did you find the marshmallows?!” What?! They know my name? How did they know... -Right then the person cleared the bushes, it was Dave! Not some crazy lunatic who’s out to get me, but just plain ol’ Dave. I relaxed.

“Sorry” I said to Dave, “I was distracted by the beauty of the stars. I guess I forgot what brought me here in the first place”.“Hey, no problem big guy, I’m just anxious to make some smores!” Dave replied. “And hey, what was with that crazy ninja kung fu pose?” He asked with a big grin on his face. “You were all like ‘Waahh!’ ready to kill me with your death strike!” We laughed for a bit and I said, “Oh, I just thought you’d like to see something like that, thought it would make you laugh.” I said laughing, not wanting to reveal the truth. And so we grabbed the marshmallows, made some smores, and set off to find Dave, to make the Trifecta complete once more.

Season Two Episode Twenty Two

Sailing along the currents of the eastern sea, just miles out from the coast, I spoted him. As I looked through my scope, it seemed to me that his ship was in need of repair. If that was the case, why doesn't he come into the yard?

I sat down on the bench behind me, it over-looked the port and the western coast of Reikhord, in the eastern sea. It was in the middle of May, just 3 hours before sun rise. I had been out for my daily walk in the country side beyond Reikhord, thinking about all the events of my life in the last 20 years, and where my life was headed now. I had been living a life full of, what I thought was, purpose, but it was only now that I found my true path.

I had been a scrapper from the age of 5 until 10, a fighter from 11-16, a combatant from 17-25, on my way to becoming a warrior, but I could not carry on. After what I saw in the battle at Lightson, and when I found what I had found, I did not want to fight any longer. Now was a time for peace, now was the time to teach children, not to fight as I did, but to increase their knowledge. One book at a time, one subject at a time; the children of the next generations would become scholars.

Just under a year ago, 10 months, the army of Reikhord had been on the march, to a settlement just beyond Lightson. It was said there was a group of invaders encamped at that settlement, bringing up supplies, weaponry, and machinery for a rally against Reikhord that would be once and for all. Turned out it was a monestary, and the only thing being kept there were books. The monestary and everything and everyone in it was completely destroyed because of misinformation. That was when I decided that never again would I hold a sword, that never again would I fight in battle and that the only battles I would ever fight again were of wits. That the only weapon I would ever hold again was a book. I have become a protector of the mind, a preserver of knowledge. I am, a librarian.

Season Two Episode Twenty One

The first event happened upon the 12th of August, 1953, at 2pm in Colorado, 20 miles west of Walden, Jackson county. His name was Reese Piekson, from Wisconsin, Portage county. He had a wife and three daughters, he was a 43 year old, a geographer, and had been hiking throughout Colorado's Rocky Mountains. He had brought his chocolate lab with him to keep him company and for its nose.

The event in question happened during the second day of his hike. He was just getting into the more interesting territory, finding more and more to study, document, and illustrate. It was around 1:30 when he discovered the forked pathway, and about 1:40 when he chose the one to the left. At 1:55 he was just bringing out his compass to check up on his bearings when he saw that he had come upon a small town, just north of where he was heading. It was at that point that if he had decided not to investigate the town, none of this would have been reported, but for the want of a phone call home.

The town was neatly kept close together, but something was a little off.. the town seemed more like a cluster of buildings than a town, it didn't have a right feel to it. This was something he did not notice until he was twenty yards out of the town. He felt a certain lack of character, that the town lacked that "lived-in" feeling that one comes to expect of small towns, a nice lived-in look. Where the downtown would have been, Reese noticed that not one of the buildings had any sort of identification to them, except the post office and the grocery store. Even those buildings weren't named, they were just "Post Office" and "Groceries", and the town didn't appear to have any restaurant or convenience store of any kind.. That's when Reese noticed someone coming out of a house, one block east of the post office. Two people were leaving the house and.. it seemed they were dressed in some kind of one piece suit, like how a bee keeper would dress but instead of a mesh shield around the face, it was plastic.

The two people were carrying little black and silver boxes, about the size of a lunch box, and were headed for the post office. Reese thought of going up to them but was a little wary. That's when he noticed that he hadn't seen anyone else in the town. There was no other sign of life. He suddenly became very aware of his situation and worried that he may have come across a contaminated area. He sniffed the air, but it didn't smell any different. He looked around at the plant life, but it did not look to be affected. He listened for other signs of life and that's when he noticed that there wasn't any. No insects, no birds, no animals of any sort, only his ..! Cocoa! His lab was nowhere to be seen, Reese hadn't even noticed when Cocoa had gone missing. He thought of calling for the dog, but didn't want to alert the two men who had gone inside the post office, just in case he wound up in some kind of trouble. It would be best just to find Cocoa and leave.

Suddenly he heard growling behind him. Reese whirled around expecting to see a wolf or coyote, but instead he found Cocoa, who was growling at him! Cocoa looked rabid and Reese, believing he only had an instant, took off at full speed into town. He opened the first door he came to and shut the door quickly behind him. This noise and the sound of Cocoa's rough barking alerted the two men who had gone inside the mail box. They had stepped out of the building to see what the commotion was about, and one of them was carrying a shotgun. Cocoa spun around to face them, lunged and was quickly upon the first man, the one without the gun. He frantically tried to get away from the dog, tried to get Cocoa off himself, but it was too late. Cocoa had torn into the fabric and had started ripping at the man's arms and torso. With that man down Cocoa turned on the other man, lunging at his throat.

He had just gotten off a shot when Cocoa had bit him on the shoulder, the shot getting Cocoa in her left hind leg. It seemed the injury just seemed to aggravate Cocoa even more, and she was tearing into the man's neck, but he was able to get off one last shot before he died, killing the dog. It had all happened so fast that Reese hadn't time to think of what to do. It seemed to him that both men and his Cocoa had died before he had a chance to react. Afraid to go over to the scene, he looked around him, searching the house for a phone.

There didn't seem to be much of anything in the house, no furniture, no picture hanging on the walls, nothing in any of the drawers, and no sign of a phone. He found the house had a side door, and exited through there, hoping to avoid the two dead men and his dog, afraid of what might happen if.. He didn't want to think about it. How had Cocoa become like that? He hadn't heard that she had been attacked by a rabid coyote or anything of that sort, it was like she had suddenly transformed into a rabid beast. He took a round about way of getting to the house where the two men had originally come out of, thinking if anything, that's where a phone, or something useful, would be.

When Reese got to the front door, he noticed through the window that this house had furniture. He turned the doorknob and went in.

Season Two Episode Twenty

The Screaming Adventures of Danika (dan-ih-ka) the Mighty:

Our story starts not at the beginning but during a battle most important to the kingdom of Oxany. You see, the Oxian people were on the verge of annihilation and unless they had a mighty warrior to save them from that brink, they would become only a story, and that story, if not retold to each generation, would be lost. Alas, they did not know this was to be their fate no matter what, but when such a thing as hope still exists, such things as being forgotten are cast into a dimmer light.

The Oxian people and their king sent out word for Danika to come to their aid, hoping word would reach him in time. When the messenger at last found the inn where Danika had stayed the night, in the town of Brovensty, he relayed this message: "To Danika the Mighty, from the people of Oxany and their king: 'Danika, we urgently-' " The messenger cut himself short for Danika had winced now for the second time, so he inquired "Is there something wrong, sir?" "Ah, yes there is boy. You pronounce my name as if you were a little girl shrieking at a mouse! It is not "Dan-eek-ah" it is "Dan-ih-ka". Get it straight now and relay the rest of the message. Then after you have done so you must point me in the direction of the dog who so pronounces my name incorrectly and I will slay him like the pig he is!" Danika said, with a mean looking grin. "Aye sir, I will sir, but first this urgent message from the Oxians and their king!" replied the messenger, now with a bit of nervousness.

The message is this: (being careful to get his name right this time) " 'Danika we urgently request your assistance in battle! Your skill with a blade is known well to us and we would ask that you use that skill to keep us from being lost forever! We're over-run, we're over-run and we believe your presence will turn the tide. Pick up your sword and come to our aid!' As for the mispronunciation of your name, I must confess that I do not know how it originated, but many people have heard it as Da-"

"Don't even SAY IT!" Danika screamed, pointing his finger! The messenger stood, now trembling. "S-s-sir, i-it is only that I mean to say that I cannot possibly come to point out any one person who would come to say your name incorrectly, and certainly not on purpose, it is the only way in which we have heard it said, we mean no harm or mockery by it! P-please, you have to believe me, we all put you in high esteem! We have heard of your deeds and it brings a song of hope to our lips! Just the mere thought of-"

"Yes, yes, let us to Oxany, win the battle and then we shall hunt down the dog who was so ill advised as to mispronounce my name! Now let me get my things, horse up, and we'll be off." With that the two set out on their journey to Oxany, to win a battle and to set things right.

Season Two Episode Nineteen

As I sit here, waiting for Dave, I can't help but wonder what I would wish for if I had a magic geni. And even if I knew what I would wish for, how could I phrase the wish so there was no mistaking what I wanted, and that I wouldn't get tricked somehow.

For instance, if I wished for the ability of flight, how could I be certain I would not turn into a bird or insect or airplane or some such? And how would I know how long it would last for? Would it be a one time thing? Would it only last for a few seconds each time? You have to be very specific when it comes to genies.

I think flight would be one of my wishes.. like Nathan Petrelli in Heroes. Oh! He arived, so this is where it ends. Until next time!

Season Two Episode Eighteen

Let me bring y'all back to a simpler time and strawberry pie, cotton pajamas that covered you from head to toe with a flap for your fanny, to a time when it was called your "fanny", to when all there was to a fishing rod was a stick, a string and a hook, to a life filled with days matching those of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

"What?! The book deal fell through!?! Fine, that's it! I'm outta here!."

And that's the last anyone ever heard of Old Man Sedgwinn. As for me, I'm still serving ice cream down at the stand half a block from the beach, across from Macey's. Stop buy and I'll tell you a story about how Bary and Tom solved the mystery of the rented Honda.

Broken into space

Past the atmosphere of Earth

Shuttle seven to Mars.

Season Two Episode Seventeen

I went for a bit of an excursion this evening, I took my bicycle out to see where the road ended. It was an interesting venture as I had not done so before, and now that I know where it goes.. will I embark upon it once again? That is quite possible, as I very much enjoyed the views, the air, the sounds, and the over-all journey. Would I suggest it to others, for their own pleasure in it? Perhaps not as it was quite secluded and peaceful and were it to become frequented by many travelers, it may not be so for much longer. That is not necessarily the case, as there are many places in this city (and outside of it) that are welcome to bicyclists.

At more than one point in my journey, I found myself wondering how long ago I had reached city limits, or if I had even yet to reach them. No matter where I was finding myself, a little while into my journey I came across a rabbit. I did not see it for long, as it was quite insistent on its escape, but I did manage to get a good look at it. Not long after seeing the rabbit I saw a doe. She had heard the sounds of my bicycle and leapt from her place in the bushes that lay along the road. At this, I stopped my bicycle and watched her as she made her way further into the field by bounds and leaps. As I was on the top of a hill at this point, I got my bicycle going down hill, I peddled with all I could to get as much speed as possible. It was quite exhilarating to reach the extent of my speeding abilities and when my speed came to a climax I stopped peddling and coasted for as long as my speed and the road would carry me.

There had been houses scattered here and there along the road, which seemed to go on for miles, but alas, I finally came to the end of it. There was no left or right, only grass and fence and field. The only choice now was to turn around and go back home, so that is what I did. If there is a next time for this, I shall have to remember to bring along my camera, as the sights are quite nice, for that part of town. Now I will bid you adieu and good night.

Creating fortune

Two halves coming together

Beauty in itself.

Season Two Episode Sixteen

As the rain pitter-patter's down upon my window, it creates a myriad of drops and streaks across the pane. The clouds have a gloom to them, but nothing too sinister. In the distance, between the houses out back, I can see the edge of a cloud, and light is there. The rainclouds are have come to the end of their water supply and the wind blows them gently away. There could be sunshine this evening, but even if there is not, tomorrow will most certainly be sunny.

I can smell the bacon cooking and know that Nana is preparing her famous brunch: hash browns, eggs, bacon, steamed carrots and broccoli, toast, jams, honey, peach, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, and an assortment of nuts. The children always eat whatever is prepared by Nana on a Sunday brunch, even the steamed vegetables.

I can hear thunder rumbling in the distance as the storm heads west. It had been a while since we've had a decent rain, so this storm, even though it was a storm, was most welcome. I bet that old Mr. Hedgwinn was out fishing. He always said rain was the best time to fish, and if that was the case, what better time than during a storm? He would most likely be getting the brunt of the storm now, since the lake was six miles west of town. He would be very glad for it and would be most enjoying this storm.

Mrs. Ignwhitt would be sitting out in her green house, listening as the last of the rain hit the glass walls and ceiling. She always loves to watch a storm. Listen to the thunder roll and clap, watch the lightning get thrown about. Her favorite time of year is spring and summer, when everything grows and blossoms.

As for my family; Gwenn, the youngest, is always in awe of the storm, it's power and beauty, Peter likes the rain and the thunder, but not the lightning, Heather likes the rain but not any of the rest of it, including the grey clouds (she says they're a sad necessity), and Simon hates it all as he would much rather be outside with his mates playing football or cricket. As for Stacey, my wife, she loves every minute of it and often paints during a storm. She feels she gets her best work done during a rainy morning or afternoon.

Tonight, I have my meeting with T.H.E.M. and I quite think we will run into a success or two, providing Mr. Six has good news, which I do not doubt he will as his last business trip could have been nothing but profitable.

Ah, brunch is served, so I must get to it. Sincerely, Mr. Black.

Sneaky sidelong glance

Of intrigue and mystery

Quick misdirection.

Season Two Episode Fifteen

It was a tire, suspended in the air by a well-worn yellow rope. This rope was long, over 7 feet, and was attatched to a big oak tree, which sat upon a bit of a cliff-side, 10 feet from the edge. The cliff was about 12 feet down and at the bottom was a lake. This lake put the tire swing at a prime location, for since the lake was well known, the tire swing was well known.

For years, many children have put on a brave face, if not the rest of their body, and would march right up to that tire swing to continue a tradition that had been unknowingly passed down from generation to generation. As long as lake has been here, that cliff has been here, and for most of that time the tree has been here. When the tree wasn't there, the children would run and jump off the cliff, just like lemmings. It wasn't until Mr. McBriddie came across the lake, on his way from one neighbor to another, that he spotted the tree.

The oak wasn't yet 20 feet, but Mr. McBriddie thought that was high enough for a rope to be tied on. You see, the tire hadn't made it's appearance until 7 years later when little Bethany McBriddie came along. She couldn't quite get a good grip, either with her hands or her feet, of the rope. And so it the idea of a tire swing came into Mr. McBriddie's head, so that little Bethany could join in the fun.

Since that day, both the rope and the tire have been replaced several times, either because someone was too hard on one or the other, or because either one was just too old. Never-the-less, many people have said that it was this tire swing that was the first act of charity performed by Bethany McBriddie, but this is not correct, for it was her father, Mr. McBriddie, who both came up with and constructed the tire swing. Be that as it may, Bethany had been accredited the idea for the tire swing for so long, that she began to believe it as fact. When in fact, Bethany was only 10 years old at the time and would not have possess the can-do or know-how to construct a tire swing. This leaves her first charitable act to have come 6 years later when she started The Volunteer Bakery Society For Young Women.

Season Two Episode Fourteen

He's a cowboy. The six gun at his side contains only one bullet, that is all that he needs. The open country lies before him; mountains built up at his right, prairie fields laid out to his left. His steed remains faithful and proving, helping him get out of a tight spot. The hat upon his head was handed down to him from his pa, saying it's been in the family for generations. That, and the rifle.

He's a cowboy. When he heads into town, his face can't help but wear a sneer, thinking about the kinds of folk that reside there. To his opinion, towns tend to muddle one's vision, conveniences aside. Besides, he would say a life based on conveniences makes one lazy and dulls the wits. A hushing wind precedes him as he enters the town's saloon. He's not looking for a fight, but he'll find one anyway. Ordering a water doesn't help either. The next round is on him, and then everybody sings.

He's a cowboy. Sleeping beneath the stars, a rock for his pillow, he can hear the coyote's cry. Leaving one eye open, he's ready for anything that might come his way. The fire's just enough to keep him warm and to have coals in the morning so the next fire, the one for breakfast, is quick to make up. Coffee and bacon, with some cheese and stale bread.

He's a cowboy. On all accounts he's an outlaw, which he takes pride in; a loner and a rambler, but he ain't the cheating kind. There's nothing up his sleeve. He'll lay down the law where it concerns him or when he comes upon a situation that he deems it necessary, otherwise he is the law. Riding his horse to his next destination, whichever direction that may be, in no particular hurry until he finds reason. Giddyup, giddyup hey!

Season Two Episode Thirteen

DOOM!

Lightning flashed, lighting up the whole sky, lighting up the small room that served as a make-shift office. It was just typewriter, chair, desk, stack of paper, a lamp, and me, hunched over it all. I was going to need something to chew on or my brain would give out, and I couldn't let it do that when I was this close to getting the break through I needed. They say walnuts are good for the brain, maybe I'll get Ms. Torupkin to go out to the store and buy some walnuts. Maybe she could pick up a fish from the market too, those were good for the brain. Or maybe I could go out myself, get some fresh air in the ol' lungs.

DOOM!

There was more lightning, lasting a bit longer this time. Oh yes, it was raining. I couldn't very well ask Ms. Torupkin to go out in this terrible weather. Maybe there were walnuts in the pantry or cellar. And maybe there was still fish left in the cold room from... no, no that had been used up when I had the Henlink's over. Yes, that was good cod. I had caught it when my brother Gordon had come out from Kent, for one last chance to fish before returning to work (such a 'travail' as he would put it).

So then, what was I to do? The weather was terrible, which had made me get back to the typewriter in the first place, as this sort of weather is good for little else, for a man trapped in a small office in the corner of a small apartment in London. Ah yes, and what was London known for (besides rainy days)? Sardines! Sardine's were fish, and fish were good for the brain! Of course, I shall ring up Ms. Torupkin and she can bring me a plate of sardines.

~Ring~

After a short minute, Ms. Torupkin was at the door, knocking twice while opening the door at the same time. "You rang Mr. Stoate?"

"Yes, I did, thank you Ms. Torupkin. I hope I am not being a bother, I just have come upon a stump in my road, and need a bit of ..a lift over it. Something to invigorate my brain. I would have asked for some fresh air, but alas, this weather isn't giving up, is it?"

"No it doesn't look to be, does it sir?" remarked Ms. Torupkin. "It seems the first rains of winter are always as if the Almighty Himself opened up the clouds and poured all the water from his store houses right through 'em, right on top o'us."

DOOM!

Lightning reached across the sky, illuminating the whole of London and all that beyond it. "Yes, well the reason for my ringing," I continued. "Was to see if you would be a darling and see what there was for sardines in this apartment. I think they would help my thinking greatly. Hmm, and perhaps a finger or two of whisky, if you please. That would do nicely." Without another word Ms. Torupkin left the room, closing the door behind her, and set herself about filling out Mr. Stoate's request.

Season Two Episode Twelve

Twelve dozen clay jars, all different heights but all the same width, ranging from five feet to just one foot. They're all spread through-out the room, evenly filling it. Each is filled with a different liquid, and only one has what I need. There is a ring at the bottom of one of these jars, which I must have within an hour. How can I get to the ring, without emptying the jars of their contents (including leaving the jars in tact)?

I could try knocking on the jars, seeing if the tone is different, maybe the one with the ring will sound like it has a ring in it? This of course, would be a lot easier if each jar was the same height, then there would be a definite difference in tones. It would also help the situation if the jars had been filled with the same type of liquid, instead of each jar having a different liquid.

Is there a substance on earth that would cause the ring to rise from the bottom of the jar? If there was a liquid I could fill the room with, I'd just have to try and seal the door as best I can, the ring would rise to the top of the jar... but then that leaves me with the problem of getting to the ring without opening the door, thus letting the liquid escape the room and the ring to sink back to the bottom of whichever jar it currently occupies.

And here my brother tells me there's no use for scientific thought. I bet if I had been one of those scientific scholars, I'd have come up with a solution by now. It's a wonder I made it this far, but then again I have been sneaking into the lecture hall, it seems as though some of what I heard has sunk in, too bad they hadn't discussed this sort of situation, in even the slightest detail. The only thing I remember that could out right now is that metal corrodes when left in ... in what?! What was that name of that liquid? Was it a liquid? If only my memory would serve me more effectively. I hope she doesn't call off the wedding... at least before I can figure this out.