[stylist] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #154- White Canes and Windmills

Wed Feb 17 05:29:19 UTC 2010

robert,
this was fun to read and quite effective.  when I was in elementary 
school, I had taunting girls to deal with because my eyes were quite 
deformed.  it is difficult experiencing that.
I especially like how your hero (and he sure is a hero) sees the cane 
as a key to freedom and assertion.
however, I think getting hooked on the windmill might get dizzying 
and  dangerous, but I'm never gonna discount a child's whimsey!  lol
   jc
Jim Canaday M.A.
Lawrence, KS

At 05:20 PM 2/14/2010, you wrote:
>Fellow Writers
>
>RE: White Canes and Windmills
>
>
>
>Here is my 154th THOUGHT PROVOKER and it is again my turn to present a TP.
>This newest provoker has a young boy getting ready to go off to school and
>for the first time, take and use his new long white cane in front of all his
>peers. Needless to say, young master Danny is nervous and is having to face
>down some of his inner-most, devils. If you have not read the PROVOKER, it
>follows.  Recall that I collect responses and post them upon my web site for
>all the WWW to read and learn from and that URL is-
><http://thoughtprovoker.info/> Http://thoughtprovoker.info  If you wish to
>receive THOUGHT PROVOKERS sent directly to you, just write me and ask, at-
>newmanrl at cox.net
>
>
>
>
>
>THOUGHT PROVOKER 154
>
>White Canes and Windmills
>
>
>
>In his bedroom, Danny picked up his long white cane, his first. Its weight
>was easy to handle. Holding it up and straight out before him, he gave it a
>tentative sword-like, back-and-forth swish. This would be his first day
>using it at school and he couldn't kid himself, he was nervous about how
>people would react to him.
>
>
>
>"Danny," his mother called up to him from downstairs. "Come down. You need
>to start walking to school, son."
>
>
>
>"Sixty seconds, Mom." Lowering the cane, positioning it at center, Danny
>tapped it left to right in the two-point touch method he had been taught.
>"Wonder what the girls will think?" Danny looked inward and began to
>fantasize.
>
>
>
>It was a warm day. It was after school and he was walking home, using his
>new cane. At Maple and Main, the usual group of snooty girls was gathered,
>visiting. Danny knew they saw him coming; his stride was confident,
>shoulders back, head up, swinging in a steady rhythm, arching his cane, not
>staring down at shuffling feet like before. He was truckin'!
>
>
>
>DING-DING, the ice-cream truck drove by.
>
>
>
>"Oh, stop, stop!" Cried all the girls, but the truck kept on rolling down
>the street.
>
>
>
>"I'll stop him!" In his dream, Danny leaps forward; cane flashing; he
>sprints down the walk; catches up with the truck; reaches out and taps the
>windshield with his cane tip; the truck stops.
>
>
>
>"Danny." his mother calls again.
>
>
>
>"Yes Mom, just 40 seconds." Feeling excited about what he might be able to
>use his cane for, Danny lifts it up, this time in the on-guard sword
>position. In his fantasy he is now on the neighborhood playground, walking
>with his cane and . . .
>
>
>
>"Hey Squint, where's your magnifying glasses and what's that wimpy stick?"
>The blunt end of a baseball bat poked into Danny's stomach, punctuating the
>bully's last word.
>
>
>
>Danny jumps back, whirls a three-sixty and with the tip of his cane flicks
>the bully's baseball hat off his head.
>
>
>
>"Hey!" Taken by surprise, the bully retaliates, swinging the bat.
>
>
>
>The WHOOSH of the oncoming danger cues Danny to step back and the bat swings
>by harmlessly. Countering with his trusty cane, Danny steps forward and
>spanks the bully sharply on the seat of his pants.
>
>
>
>"OUCH! Grrr, I'll get you for that!" Bat pulled back for another swing, the
>bully leaps forward.
>
>
>
>Danny jumps onto a lower rung of a set of climbing bars; the bully swings
>again; Danny sidesteps; RING the bat strikes the bars; the bat brakes; the
>bully yells with the pain of the splintering wood in his hands; Danny
>thrusts out, inserting the dirty tip of his cane into the bully's open
>mouth.
>
>
>
>"Danny?" His mother's voice brings him back. "Are you coming?"
>
>
>
>"Twenty seconds, Mom." Danny's pumped, his thoughts are racing, seeing great
>potential for him and his new cane; maybe even school-wide fame. . .
>
>
>
>The scene is the crowded school's playground. He visualizes the towering
>structures of the wind turbines lining the edge of the school's property.
>This was recess and the kids were doing what they've done since the
>windmills were built--they watched the whirling propellers, boasting on what
>they'd do if they could climb the towers.
>
>
>
>Walking out in front of all the gathered students, Danny snaps on a hook to
>the tip-end of his cane; he jumps skyward; he hooks a blade as it swings
>down; he is lifted up and rides around waving to the astonishment and
>admiration of all.
>
>
>
>"Danny, you need to come down, now!"
>
>
>
>"Yes, Mom." New cane in hand, Danny speeds downstairs, ready to tackle the
>day.
>
>
>
>
>Robert Leslie Newman
>Author of THOUGHT PROVOKER
>http://www.thoughtprovoker.info <http://www.thoughtprovoker.info/>
>Thought Is The First Step To Beyond
>
>_______________________________________________
>Writers Division web site:
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