(TFT) I visit Robbie at the hospital

[David Michael Grouchy II <david_michael_grouchy_ii@hotmail.com>]

I visit Robbie at the hospital

   The next day Mark and I visit Robbie at the hospital where he`s just had an
emergency appendectomy.  No wonder the poor kid felt bad.  I got to Elliot`s
Bookstore and buy him a little game in a zip lock bag, to give him while he`s
in.

   ``I`ve got stitches.  I feel like I fell out of a truck.  Worst of all, it
hurts when I laugh.``

   ``Here you go Robbie.  We got you this.  Something to read while you`r in
here.``  It`s a copy of Ogre.

   ``They let me eat Ice Cream.``

   When he gets out we go play at another kids house in the neighborhood.
Robbie still has stitches but at least he`s outside.  I teach the other kids
how to Indian arm wrestle with right feet touching and right hands gripped.

   ``Now, the left foot can`t move.``  I point down ``And if anything besides
your feet touches the ground you lose.``  We lock grip our right hands and we
push and pull each other and try to test our balance and strength.  Then the
kids mom brings me in the house.  They play on without me.

   ``I want you to hear something.``  She has a short glass with what looks
like a little bit of tea and a lot of ice.  She puts on a record.  She places
the needle right on the track she wants then hands me the album cover.  It`s a
lady called Nina Simone and she`s singing about being ``In my sin.``  I become
acutely aware that I`m in the house alone with her.  The track ends and she
lifts the neddle.

   ``Well, what do you think?``

   ``I think she means it.``

   She takes a step towards me.  I take a step towards the door.

   ``I`m gonna go back now. Ok.``

   ``Do you want a drink.``

   ``No thanks, I`m not thirsty.``  And I`m out the door.



   So Darryl, Mark, and I practice ranged attacks on trees and wooden targets.
Dagger throwing with various knives at up to 5 meters, a head sized bulls eye,
no problem.  Blowgun is effective and accurate unless there is the slightest
wind. Then it`s your ability to read the wind and compensate.  We throw a two
handed wood chopping axe overhand tumbling end over end.  It nails a tree so
hard at 7 meters it can take two people to work it lose.  But we are not going
to fight each other with these.

   The next day we have an industrial strength rubber band from Brian Sciner.
IT`s 2.5 cm wide and 10 cm diameter when pressed flat.  It stretches out to
three quarters of a meter.  We want to see how far into a tree we can drive a
dart.  Placed the band around the end of a piece of wood, stretch the band
with a dart in it, and release.

   So far one shot has had to be removed with pliers.  It`s my turn and I`m
having some trouble keeping the rubber band on the end of the board.  The dart
slips and goes into my left thumb.  The tip is sticking out the other side.  I
look at my thumb.  Not really surprised, I pull the dart out and walk into the
house.  I use my Boy Scout training to treat puncture wounds.

David Michael Grouchy II

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