The narrator travels to China to escape his past after his family is gone. He becomes uneasy when he thinks someone may be following him. He goes to a hotel known for its bonsai trees but sees the man who was following him. The narrator flees and takes a train to Xian. There, he meets a gardener who tells him of a renowned bonsai master, Han Lu. The narrator waits outside Han Lu's home for a week until Han Lu's granddaughter speaks to him in perfect English and asks why he wants to see her grandfather.
This document is a summary of a story about a father traveling to Germany to reunite with his daughter for the first time in years. Some key details:
- The father arrives in Frankfurt by plane and takes a train to Cologne, where his daughter lives.
- He goes to the local government office to find his daughter's address but is told he must wait two days to be reunited while paperwork is processed.
- Feeling disappointed by the delay, he explores Cologne and imagines taking his daughter to the park once they are reunited.
- After checking into a hotel, he looks forward to seeing his daughter in two days while also feeling nervous about their long-awaited reunion.
1) The driver Doss sees an old man emerge from an ancient ruined temple late at night while driving the narrator back from a trip. Doss becomes convinced the old man wants to harm himself.
2) When they stop to investigate, the narrator finds no one, as the temple doors appear sealed shut for centuries. Doss then begins acting strangely, speaking as if he is an elderly man from a past era.
3) The driver collapses, and when he wakes believes he is over 80 years old and from a time when the now-ruined temple was active. The narrator eventually convinces Doss he is dead and helps his spirit depart in peace.
The document contains a story written by four students about a gingerbread princess. In the story, a baker makes a gingerbread princess that comes to life and escapes from the oven. The gingerbread princess sings a song and goes on an adventure, meeting a fox and cow along the way. However, the cow gets tired and slows down, implying the gingerbread princess' adventure comes to an end. The document also includes a fractured fairy tale written by two of the students combining elements from Sleeping Beauty and other fairy tales.
Following the first part of my unbelievable story of failure and persistence, this last portion shows you how I turned obstacles and tenacity into boldness and audacity. You have to realize that when back up into a corner, you only have two choices: either fight or give up. What would you do?
The Bookacy Family Alphabet Adventures, ch. 10katrisims
This document provides a summary of Chapter 10 of the Bookacy Family Alphabet Adventures. It describes various events and conversations within the Bookacy family. Author has a conversation with her husband Curtis where she admits and apologizes for her past infidelity. They discuss the threat posed by Salahuddin. Abraham introduces his love interest Kendra to his parents. The document also shows glimpses into the lives of other Bookacy family members like Adrian and the twins Arthur and Meadow as they attend college. It describes the birth of Nicole and Adrian's daughter Beth, the first child of the next generation. Curtis works to build a robot/simnoid to help protect the family.
This document provides excerpts from Anne Rice's novel Interview With The Vampire. It describes the backstory of the vampire, who recounts how he became a vampire in 1791 in New Orleans. He tells of how his devout younger brother began having visions and claimed they came from St. Dominic and the Virgin Mary, commanding him to sell their plantations and use the money for God's work. However, the vampire did not believe his brother and angrily dismissed his claims. Upset, his brother ran out of the house and fell to his death from the balcony, turning the vampire who was deeply regretful for not believing his brother.
This document is a short story told from the perspective of a girl named Lola about her dreams of a "Fairy Prince" who takes her on a tour of his magical palace. The palace has 10 houses representing different stages or levels of consciousness. They pass through houses representing more basic functions and encounters, towards houses with more profound symbols and experiences. In each house, the Fairy Prince kisses Lola to keep her from becoming too sleepy or getting stuck in the dreams of that house. The story ends with Lola feeling tired from writing but promising to tell more about their journey through the higher houses of the palace in the future.
The document summarizes a folk tale about a child born with a caul who is prophesied to marry the king's daughter. The king, angry about the prophecy, tricks the child's parents into giving him up. He tries to drown the child but the child survives and is raised by a miller and his wife. Years later, the child delivers a letter to the queen on the king's behalf. The letter is switched, allowing the child to marry the princess as prophesied. The king then tasks the child with retrieving three golden hairs from the devil's head to keep his daughter, which the child succeeds in doing with the help of the devil's grandmother.
This document is a summary of a story about a father traveling to Germany to reunite with his daughter for the first time in years. Some key details:
- The father arrives in Frankfurt by plane and takes a train to Cologne, where his daughter lives.
- He goes to the local government office to find his daughter's address but is told he must wait two days to be reunited while paperwork is processed.
- Feeling disappointed by the delay, he explores Cologne and imagines taking his daughter to the park once they are reunited.
- After checking into a hotel, he looks forward to seeing his daughter in two days while also feeling nervous about their long-awaited reunion.
1) The driver Doss sees an old man emerge from an ancient ruined temple late at night while driving the narrator back from a trip. Doss becomes convinced the old man wants to harm himself.
2) When they stop to investigate, the narrator finds no one, as the temple doors appear sealed shut for centuries. Doss then begins acting strangely, speaking as if he is an elderly man from a past era.
3) The driver collapses, and when he wakes believes he is over 80 years old and from a time when the now-ruined temple was active. The narrator eventually convinces Doss he is dead and helps his spirit depart in peace.
The document contains a story written by four students about a gingerbread princess. In the story, a baker makes a gingerbread princess that comes to life and escapes from the oven. The gingerbread princess sings a song and goes on an adventure, meeting a fox and cow along the way. However, the cow gets tired and slows down, implying the gingerbread princess' adventure comes to an end. The document also includes a fractured fairy tale written by two of the students combining elements from Sleeping Beauty and other fairy tales.
Following the first part of my unbelievable story of failure and persistence, this last portion shows you how I turned obstacles and tenacity into boldness and audacity. You have to realize that when back up into a corner, you only have two choices: either fight or give up. What would you do?
The Bookacy Family Alphabet Adventures, ch. 10katrisims
This document provides a summary of Chapter 10 of the Bookacy Family Alphabet Adventures. It describes various events and conversations within the Bookacy family. Author has a conversation with her husband Curtis where she admits and apologizes for her past infidelity. They discuss the threat posed by Salahuddin. Abraham introduces his love interest Kendra to his parents. The document also shows glimpses into the lives of other Bookacy family members like Adrian and the twins Arthur and Meadow as they attend college. It describes the birth of Nicole and Adrian's daughter Beth, the first child of the next generation. Curtis works to build a robot/simnoid to help protect the family.
This document provides excerpts from Anne Rice's novel Interview With The Vampire. It describes the backstory of the vampire, who recounts how he became a vampire in 1791 in New Orleans. He tells of how his devout younger brother began having visions and claimed they came from St. Dominic and the Virgin Mary, commanding him to sell their plantations and use the money for God's work. However, the vampire did not believe his brother and angrily dismissed his claims. Upset, his brother ran out of the house and fell to his death from the balcony, turning the vampire who was deeply regretful for not believing his brother.
This document is a short story told from the perspective of a girl named Lola about her dreams of a "Fairy Prince" who takes her on a tour of his magical palace. The palace has 10 houses representing different stages or levels of consciousness. They pass through houses representing more basic functions and encounters, towards houses with more profound symbols and experiences. In each house, the Fairy Prince kisses Lola to keep her from becoming too sleepy or getting stuck in the dreams of that house. The story ends with Lola feeling tired from writing but promising to tell more about their journey through the higher houses of the palace in the future.
The document summarizes a folk tale about a child born with a caul who is prophesied to marry the king's daughter. The king, angry about the prophecy, tricks the child's parents into giving him up. He tries to drown the child but the child survives and is raised by a miller and his wife. Years later, the child delivers a letter to the queen on the king's behalf. The letter is switched, allowing the child to marry the princess as prophesied. The king then tasks the child with retrieving three golden hairs from the devil's head to keep his daughter, which the child succeeds in doing with the help of the devil's grandmother.
Rolley's Dinky-di Out Of Your Tree bachelor challengecoffee4u
Rolley is set to participate in a bachelor challenge to find a spouse, despite having no experience with relationships. His sister Peach scrambles to set everything up after realizing Rolley was unaware. 15 female sims arrive by helicopter to compete for Rolley's affection. The challenge will see how Rolley handles his first romantic experiences and getting to know each of the female contestants.
This document provides a summary of the first two chapters of the novel "Man-eater of Malgudi" by R.K. Narayan. It describes the daily morning routine of the protagonist who wakes up before dawn to bathe in the river. On his way, he interacts with neighbors and acquaintances. It then discusses how he occupies the front room of his printing press to meet customers while concealing the simple operations in the back. The summary concludes by outlining how the protagonist must finish an important printing job without his assistant who needs to perform a religious ceremony.
The narrator travels to the ancient ruins of Mohenjo-daro in Pakistan as a graduation gift from their parents. While camping at the site, they fall into a mysterious pool and wake up in the ancient city during its peak, living as a woman named Akuti. Akuti meets a man named Kirti who is also from the present. They decide to get married to return to their own time. On their wedding day, an earthquake destroys the city, and Akuti and Kirti jump back into the pool, returning to the present together.
Nasreddin dreams that a kind man gives him gold coins until there are nine, but refuses to give the tenth coin in his hand, waking to find no coins at all. He cries out that nine coins is enough and to return them, realizing it was only a dream.
The Lady Ginevra visits a graveyard at night to mourn her lost love. She meets Sir Vox-a-lot, who offers to accompany her to a nearby castle rumored to help reunite lost loves. At the castle gates, the Gatekeeper warns them of danger but agrees to help. However, as he hands over the keys, he begins choking and glowing with an unearthly light, forcing the travelers to flee inside for their safety.
The narrator grew up in an unconventional family with two mothers, an unconventional father, and many siblings. She was especially close with her twin sister Astraea, but something terrible happened and she lost her sister. Overcome with grief, the narrator drifted away from her surviving siblings and ended up alone in a big city, working odd jobs and singing at a local karaoke bar to cope with her loss. She befriends her neighbor Angelica, who helps her get a stable job doing title research. Her boss Ulric takes an interest in her, but she remains distant, still grieving her lost sister.
Demeter Erde, an Earth elf, recalls her past in Maladoreias before it was destroyed by a meteor. She fled with her younger brother Bramble and they have struggled to adjust in their new home of Arkadia. Bramble has embraced the human culture while Demeter hopes to preserve their elf traditions. Bramble owns a successful flower shop and is dating River Vesi's sister Lake. River is a Water elf who was formerly in love with Princess Anne in Maladoreias. Prince Nemo is working to encourage economic growth in Arkadia and help the elf families integrate, such as by allowing River to gain nobility if he opens two successful businesses.
Tamika Brenton introduces herself and her family, explaining that her father joined the Royal Guard after they came to Maladoreias to support his pregnant wife. Her father later had an accident and became a Plantsim, confusing Tamika as a child. Her father produced a pod baby, Laurel, who ended up raising Tamika. Laurel later mysteriously changed, puzzling Tamika and the prince. Tamika works to support herself and hopes to marry and continue her family name.
The small kingdom of Arkadia is growing under the leadership of Prince Nemo. Connor Prescott married Princess Jennifer, and they had the first child born in Arkadia, a son named Jason. Connor hopes to have more children to keep his legacy going and give Jason siblings. Prince Nemo is considering holding a bachelor challenge to find a wife since the gene pool needs diversifying. He wants a noblewoman from another kingdom with an established backstory.
This summary provides an overview of the key events and perspectives from Hal Capp's point of view in part three of the story:
1) Hal wakes up in an abandoned house with seven other strangers who were abandoned by their bus driver. He interacts with the other strangers and finds the piano music unpleasant.
2) After some uncomfortable bathroom encounters and a humiliating accident, Hal has an awkward exchange with the piano player, Gvaudoin Tricou, but makes amends.
3) The story is told from Hal's perspective as he tries to understand their situation and get along with the other strangers while waiting to be rescued.
The narrator finds a burnt necklace that belonged to their father in his old office. Rain explains that demons give these necklaces to their loved ones as a sign of commitment. Though Rain claims to not believe in love, the narrator insinuates he has feelings for them due to being jealous of their friendship with Raven. Rain helps clasp the necklace around the narrator's neck. They then leave together to return to town, with the narrator keeping the necklace as a memento of their lost family home.
The document is a love story narrated in the first person. It describes the narrator's plan to travel by train from Delhi to Chennai to visit his long-distance girlfriend Shreya, after she was no longer able to visit him. It provides background on how their relationship developed over phone calls and her parents discovering one of his letters, before launching into his preparations to purchase train tickets for the journey to see her in person after 6 months apart.
The document describes several interactions between different characters. Mildred Sutterman tries to sell Darren his own home, but he reminds her that she is living in a property owned by the Mallory Foundation. Later, Grace tells Bayl she is pregnant and he proposes marriage. At a birthday party, Danielle climbs a tree to get a kite but gets stuck, needing help from Grayson Mallory to get down.
Prince Nemo Solidore is rebuilding his kingdom in a new land called Arkadia after a meteor destroyed their previous home. He is under pressure as the third child of the late king to lead his people and continue the royal lineage. With the help of his sisters Princess Jennifer and Princess Anne, and their protector Connor Prescott, Nemo hopes to establish a new kingdom in Arkadia and make his father proud.
Beryl moves in with her brother Bayl after an incident at a child's birthday party causes her to lose her temper. She discovers that Bayl is dating his coworker Grace. At the park, Beryl aggressively defends her brother from a rude man who overreacts to accidentally being bumped on the dance floor. Beryl's temper seems difficult to control.
Este documento presenta un proyecto TIC para un centro educativo. El proyecto tiene varias líneas de acción como alfabetización digital, uso de materiales, biblioteca escolar y formación del profesorado. Los objetivos son mejorar las habilidades del alumnado y profesorado en el uso de las TIC para el aprendizaje. El proyecto se evalúa midiendo el progreso del alumnado, profesorado y el proceso general de integración de las TIC en la escuela.
El documento presenta información sobre diferentes aspectos de las culturas y civilizaciones mesoamericanas como los mayas, incluyendo descripciones e imágenes de sitios arqueológicos como Palenque, Tikal y Uxmal, representaciones de deidades como Itzam Na y Ix Chel, y extractos de textos mayas sobre el calendario y las profecías sobre el fin de los tiempos en 2012.
Este método de estudio llamado APRA busca lograr un aprendizaje rápido y eficiente sin necesidad de memorización. Sus objetivos específicos son demostrar que la base del aprendizaje está en la atención en clase y no en la memorización, incentivar a los estudiantes a hacer preguntas para resolver dudas, y desarrollar las capacidades receptivas de los estudiantes. El método consiste en Atender, Preguntar, Repasar.
Rolley's Dinky-di Out Of Your Tree bachelor challengecoffee4u
Rolley is set to participate in a bachelor challenge to find a spouse, despite having no experience with relationships. His sister Peach scrambles to set everything up after realizing Rolley was unaware. 15 female sims arrive by helicopter to compete for Rolley's affection. The challenge will see how Rolley handles his first romantic experiences and getting to know each of the female contestants.
This document provides a summary of the first two chapters of the novel "Man-eater of Malgudi" by R.K. Narayan. It describes the daily morning routine of the protagonist who wakes up before dawn to bathe in the river. On his way, he interacts with neighbors and acquaintances. It then discusses how he occupies the front room of his printing press to meet customers while concealing the simple operations in the back. The summary concludes by outlining how the protagonist must finish an important printing job without his assistant who needs to perform a religious ceremony.
The narrator travels to the ancient ruins of Mohenjo-daro in Pakistan as a graduation gift from their parents. While camping at the site, they fall into a mysterious pool and wake up in the ancient city during its peak, living as a woman named Akuti. Akuti meets a man named Kirti who is also from the present. They decide to get married to return to their own time. On their wedding day, an earthquake destroys the city, and Akuti and Kirti jump back into the pool, returning to the present together.
Nasreddin dreams that a kind man gives him gold coins until there are nine, but refuses to give the tenth coin in his hand, waking to find no coins at all. He cries out that nine coins is enough and to return them, realizing it was only a dream.
The Lady Ginevra visits a graveyard at night to mourn her lost love. She meets Sir Vox-a-lot, who offers to accompany her to a nearby castle rumored to help reunite lost loves. At the castle gates, the Gatekeeper warns them of danger but agrees to help. However, as he hands over the keys, he begins choking and glowing with an unearthly light, forcing the travelers to flee inside for their safety.
The narrator grew up in an unconventional family with two mothers, an unconventional father, and many siblings. She was especially close with her twin sister Astraea, but something terrible happened and she lost her sister. Overcome with grief, the narrator drifted away from her surviving siblings and ended up alone in a big city, working odd jobs and singing at a local karaoke bar to cope with her loss. She befriends her neighbor Angelica, who helps her get a stable job doing title research. Her boss Ulric takes an interest in her, but she remains distant, still grieving her lost sister.
Demeter Erde, an Earth elf, recalls her past in Maladoreias before it was destroyed by a meteor. She fled with her younger brother Bramble and they have struggled to adjust in their new home of Arkadia. Bramble has embraced the human culture while Demeter hopes to preserve their elf traditions. Bramble owns a successful flower shop and is dating River Vesi's sister Lake. River is a Water elf who was formerly in love with Princess Anne in Maladoreias. Prince Nemo is working to encourage economic growth in Arkadia and help the elf families integrate, such as by allowing River to gain nobility if he opens two successful businesses.
Tamika Brenton introduces herself and her family, explaining that her father joined the Royal Guard after they came to Maladoreias to support his pregnant wife. Her father later had an accident and became a Plantsim, confusing Tamika as a child. Her father produced a pod baby, Laurel, who ended up raising Tamika. Laurel later mysteriously changed, puzzling Tamika and the prince. Tamika works to support herself and hopes to marry and continue her family name.
The small kingdom of Arkadia is growing under the leadership of Prince Nemo. Connor Prescott married Princess Jennifer, and they had the first child born in Arkadia, a son named Jason. Connor hopes to have more children to keep his legacy going and give Jason siblings. Prince Nemo is considering holding a bachelor challenge to find a wife since the gene pool needs diversifying. He wants a noblewoman from another kingdom with an established backstory.
This summary provides an overview of the key events and perspectives from Hal Capp's point of view in part three of the story:
1) Hal wakes up in an abandoned house with seven other strangers who were abandoned by their bus driver. He interacts with the other strangers and finds the piano music unpleasant.
2) After some uncomfortable bathroom encounters and a humiliating accident, Hal has an awkward exchange with the piano player, Gvaudoin Tricou, but makes amends.
3) The story is told from Hal's perspective as he tries to understand their situation and get along with the other strangers while waiting to be rescued.
The narrator finds a burnt necklace that belonged to their father in his old office. Rain explains that demons give these necklaces to their loved ones as a sign of commitment. Though Rain claims to not believe in love, the narrator insinuates he has feelings for them due to being jealous of their friendship with Raven. Rain helps clasp the necklace around the narrator's neck. They then leave together to return to town, with the narrator keeping the necklace as a memento of their lost family home.
The document is a love story narrated in the first person. It describes the narrator's plan to travel by train from Delhi to Chennai to visit his long-distance girlfriend Shreya, after she was no longer able to visit him. It provides background on how their relationship developed over phone calls and her parents discovering one of his letters, before launching into his preparations to purchase train tickets for the journey to see her in person after 6 months apart.
The document describes several interactions between different characters. Mildred Sutterman tries to sell Darren his own home, but he reminds her that she is living in a property owned by the Mallory Foundation. Later, Grace tells Bayl she is pregnant and he proposes marriage. At a birthday party, Danielle climbs a tree to get a kite but gets stuck, needing help from Grayson Mallory to get down.
Prince Nemo Solidore is rebuilding his kingdom in a new land called Arkadia after a meteor destroyed their previous home. He is under pressure as the third child of the late king to lead his people and continue the royal lineage. With the help of his sisters Princess Jennifer and Princess Anne, and their protector Connor Prescott, Nemo hopes to establish a new kingdom in Arkadia and make his father proud.
Beryl moves in with her brother Bayl after an incident at a child's birthday party causes her to lose her temper. She discovers that Bayl is dating his coworker Grace. At the park, Beryl aggressively defends her brother from a rude man who overreacts to accidentally being bumped on the dance floor. Beryl's temper seems difficult to control.
Este documento presenta un proyecto TIC para un centro educativo. El proyecto tiene varias líneas de acción como alfabetización digital, uso de materiales, biblioteca escolar y formación del profesorado. Los objetivos son mejorar las habilidades del alumnado y profesorado en el uso de las TIC para el aprendizaje. El proyecto se evalúa midiendo el progreso del alumnado, profesorado y el proceso general de integración de las TIC en la escuela.
El documento presenta información sobre diferentes aspectos de las culturas y civilizaciones mesoamericanas como los mayas, incluyendo descripciones e imágenes de sitios arqueológicos como Palenque, Tikal y Uxmal, representaciones de deidades como Itzam Na y Ix Chel, y extractos de textos mayas sobre el calendario y las profecías sobre el fin de los tiempos en 2012.
Este método de estudio llamado APRA busca lograr un aprendizaje rápido y eficiente sin necesidad de memorización. Sus objetivos específicos son demostrar que la base del aprendizaje está en la atención en clase y no en la memorización, incentivar a los estudiantes a hacer preguntas para resolver dudas, y desarrollar las capacidades receptivas de los estudiantes. El método consiste en Atender, Preguntar, Repasar.
A kids prayer meeting will be held on Tuesdays at 7:30 pm in the upper classroom for children to pray during the regular Prayer Meeting. The new Worship Schedules for March and April are available, and those involved in the worship ministry should make sure to get a copy.
This document contains a resume for Dipty Agrawal, who has over 2 years of experience as a senior software developer specializing in Android mobile application development. Some of the key projects listed include developing applications for contacts, frameworks, blood donation coordination, and cricket team management. The resume provides details on Dipty's education, technical skills, work history, and professional experience developing Android apps.
El documento describe cómo se implementa la soberanía alimentaria en Bosa, Colombia. Busca garantizar que los ciudadanos tengan acceso físico y económico a alimentos saludables producidos localmente. También busca mejorar la seguridad y calidad de los alimentos mediante el fortalecimiento de la economía campesina y la formación en procesos productivos. La soberanía alimentaria tiene como objetivos reducir riesgos de intoxicación alimentaria, dar una buena impresión pública del proyecto y desarrollar cadenas de suministro
El documento describe la situación actual de la transferencia tecnológica en Colombia en el campo de los sistemas embebidos. Señala que Colombia tiene un atraso tecnológico en este campo, con empresas que usan tecnología de los años 80 y baja inversión en investigación y desarrollo. Propone mejorar la colaboración entre universidades y empresas para transferir conocimientos sobre diseño de sistemas embebidos y actualizar la tecnología usada en la industria colombiana.
The document is a love story narrated in the first person. It describes the narrator's plan to travel by train from Delhi to Chennai to visit his long-distance girlfriend Shreya, after she was no longer able to visit him. It provides background on how their relationship developed over phone calls, and how her parents discovered one of his love letters which led to restrictions. The narrator then books the train tickets and prepares to embark on his journey to see Shreya again after 6 months apart.
The document is a love story narrated in the first person. It describes the narrator's plan to travel by train from Delhi to Chennai to visit his long-distance girlfriend Shreya, after she was no longer able to visit him. It provides background on how their relationship developed over phone calls, and how her parents discovered one of his love letters which led to restrictions. The narrator then books the train tickets and prepares to embark on his journey to see Shreya again after 6 months apart.
A teenage girl discovers a mysterious man at her school late at night who claims to be a vampire. She faints and later searches the town to find him, discovering he has killed two yakuza. She confronts him on the rooftop again and he admits to being Crowley the III, a vampire. He kills without remorse. A new detective arrives in town to investigate the killings, while the girl continues her training, determined to find the truth about Crowley and avenge her family's death years ago.
The document contains several student submissions for an essay contest on the topic of time travel. The summaries are:
1) A student describes finding a magic pocket watch that allows her to travel 50 years into the future, where she discovers robots, people living on the moon, and other technological advances.
2) A student writes about a boy who is transported from 2062 to 2012 after being hit by a car. The student from 2012 then finds himself transported to 2062.
3) A dystopian future is described where climate change and wars have destroyed most of the world. The population lives in a caste system controlled by the elite in Tokyo who use androids. The story focuses on a couple living in
The document is about a street kid who has endured a difficult life after losing his parents at a young age. One morning, he finds himself transported to the bustling streets of Hyderabad after being thrown in the garbage. He explores the vibrant market streets filled with merchants, food stalls, and people. Inspired by the strong sense of community, he decides to start a new life there, learning the merchant trade from the kind locals. Ten years later, he has fully settled into life on the streets of Hyderabad, which have now become his home.
Excerpt from by James Joyce When the short days.pdfstudy help
The document is an excerpt from James Joyce's short story "Araby". It describes a young boy's infatuation with his friend Mangan's sister. Every morning he watches her from her window and follows her to school. On the way home from shopping with his aunt, he thinks of her. He decides to buy her a gift at the Araby bazaar, but arrives to find it closed. Gazing into the darkness, he has an epiphany and sees himself as "a creature driven and derided by vanity".
Billy-Bella Smith moves to Pleasantview after running away from an arranged marriage. She gets a job as a playground monitor and teacher's aide at the local school. Bella hopes to start a big family of her own someday. On her first night off, she goes to the cemetery, hoping to meet new people. There, she meets Phoenix, who she flirts with, but he leaves abruptly after a witch appears and causes a fight. Hurt, Bella drives home, crying over her failed attempt at a new relationship.
1) A boy with a bad temper is given nails by his father to hammer into a fence each time he loses his temper. Over time, the boy loses his temper less as it is easier to hold his temper than create holes in the fence that will never be repaired.
2) A guy with a terminal illness falls in love at first sight with a girl at a music store. Each time he visits, he leaves his number for her but dies before they can meet. His mother finds many unopened CDs from the store, each containing a love note from the girl.
3) Two ill men share a hospital room, one by the window who describes the outside scene. When he passes, the other man
Sonnys BluesI read about it in the paper, in the subway, on m.docxrafbolet0
Sonny's Blues
I read about it in the paper, in the subway, on my way to work. I read it, and I couldn't believe it, and I read it again. Then perhaps I just stared at it, at the newsprint spelling out his name, spelling out the story. I stared at it in the swinging lights of the subway car, and in the faces and bodies of the people, and in my own face, trapped in the darkness which roared outside.
It was not to be believed and I kept telling myself that, as I walked from the subway station to the high school. And at the same time I couldn't doubt it. I was scared, scared for Sonny. He became real to me again. A great block of ice got settled in my belly and kept melting there slowly all day long, while I taught my classes algebra. It was a special kind of ice. It kept melting, sending trickles of ice water all up and down my veins, but it never got less. Sometimes it hardened and seemed to expand until I felt my guts were going to come spilling out or that I was going to choke or scream. This would always be at a moment when I was remembering some specific thing Sonny had once said or done.
When he was about as old as the boys in my classes his face had been bright and open, there was a lot of copper in it; and he'd had wonderfully direct brown eyes, and great gentleness and privacy. I wondered what he looked like now. He had been picked up, the evening before, in a raid on an apartment down-town, for peddling and using heroin.
I couldn't believe it: but what I mean by that is that I couldn't find any room for it anywhere inside me. I had kept it outside me for a long time. I hadn't wanted to know. I had had suspicions, but I didn't name them, I kept putting them away. I told myself that Sonny was wild, but he wasn't crazy. And he'd always been a good boy, he hadn't ever turned hard or evil or disrespectful, the way kids can, so quick, so quick, especially in Harlem. I didn't want to believe that I'd ever see my brother going down, coming to nothing, all that light in his face gone out, in the condition I'd already seen so many others. Yet it had happened and here I was, talking about algebra to a lot of boys who might, every one of them for all I knew, be popping off needles every time they went to the head. Maybe it did more for them than algebra could.
I was sure that the first time Sonny had ever had horse, he couldn't have been much older than these boys were now. These boys, now, were living as we'd been living then, they were growing up with a rush and their heads bumped abruptly against the low ceiling of their actual possibilities. They were filled with rage. All they really knew were two darknesses, the darkness of their lives, which was now closing in on them, and the darkness of the movies, which had blinded them to that other darkness, and in which they now, vindictively, dreamed, at once more together than they were at any other time, and more alone.
When the last bell rang, the last class ended, I let out my breath. It se.
The narrator, who is blind, meets a girl on a train journey. They converse pleasantly, with the narrator unaware that the girl is also blind. When the girl departs at her station, another passenger informs the narrator that the girl could not see, having noticed her beautiful but useless eyes. The narrator reflects on how their brief encounter will remain with him while the girl will quickly forget.
The narrator travels to the ancient ruins of Mohenjo-daro in Pakistan as a graduation gift from their parents. While camping at the site, they fall into a mysterious pool and wake up in the ancient city during its peak, taking on the identity of a woman named Akuti. Akuti meets a man named Kirti who is also from the present day. They decide to get married to return to their own time. On their wedding day, an earthquake destroys the city, and Akuti and Kirti jump back into the pool, returning to the present with their memories and relationship intact.
30James BaldwinJames Baldwin (1924–1987) was born the .docxgilbertkpeters11344
30
James Baldwin
James Baldwin (1924–1987) was born the son of a clergyman in Harlem, where
he attended Public School 24, Frederick Douglass Junior High School, and
DeWitt Clinton High School. While still a high school student he preached at the
Fireside Pentecostal Assembly, but when he was seventeen he renounced the
ministry. Two years later, living in Greenwich Village, he met who encouraged
him to be a writer and helped him win a Eugene Saxton Fellowship. Soon after-
ward Baldwin moved to France, as had, to escape the stifling racial oppression
he found in the United States. Although France was his more or less permanent
residence until his death from cancer nearly forty years later, Baldwin regarded
himself as a “commuter” rather than an expatriate:
Only white Americans can consider themselves to be expatriates. Once I
found myself on the other side of the ocean, I could see where I came from
very clearly, and I could see that I carried myself, which is my home, with me.
You can never escape that. I am the grandson of a slave, and I am a writer. I
must deal with both.
Baldwin began his career by publishing novels and short stories. In 1953 Go
Tell It on the Mountain, his first novel, was highly acclaimed. It was based on his
childhood in Harlem and his fear of his tyrannical father. Baldwin’s frank depic-
tion of homosexuality in the novels Giovanni’s Room (1956) and Another Country
(1962) drew criticism, but during the civil rights movement a few years later, he
established himself as a brilliant essayist. In his lifetime Baldwin published sev-
eral collections of essays, three more novels, and a book of five short stories,
Going to Meet the Man (1965).
“Sonny’s Blues,” from that collection, is one of Baldwin’s strongest psycholog-
ical dramatizations of the frustrations of African American life in our time. Like
Wright’s autobiographical books, Baldwin’s work is an inspiration to young writers
struggling to express their experience of racism. The African writer Chinua Achebe
said that “as long as injustice exists . . . the words of James Baldwin will be there to
bear witness and to inspire and elevate the struggle for human freedom.”
Related CommentaRy
James Baldwin, “Autobiographical Notes,” page 884.
03_CHA_6555_pt01_pp0006-0086.indd 30 30/05/14 10:14 AM
11/23/2015 - RS0000000000000000000000115248 (New User) - The
Story and Its Writer, Compact
31
Sonny’s Blues
1957
i read abouT iT in the paper, in the subway, on my way to work. I read it,
and I couldn’t believe it, and I read it again. Then perhaps I just stared at it, at
the newsprint spelling out his name, spelling out the story. I stared at it in the
swinging lights of the subway car, and in the faces and bodies of the people,
and in my own face, trapped in the darkness which roared outside.
It was not to be believed and I kept telling myself that, as I walked from the
subway station to the high school. And at the same time I couldn’t .
1) A boy with a bad temper is given nails by his father to hammer into a fence each time he loses his temper in order to learn that it is easier to control his anger than to repair the damage caused.
2) A guy with a terminal illness falls in love at first sight with a girl at a music store and leaves his number for her without speaking, and after he passes away his mother finds many unopened CDs from the store containing love notes from the girl.
3) Two ill men share a hospital room, and while one describes the scenic view from the window to the other, it is later revealed that the storyteller was blind and could not see outside, but just wanted to
Sonnys BluesSonnys BluesSonnys BluesSonnys Blues I.docxrafbolet0
Sonny's BluesSonny's BluesSonny's BluesSonny's Blues
I read about it in the paper, in the subway, on my way to work. I read it, and I couldn't believe
it, and I read it again. Then perhaps I just stared at it, at the newsprint spelling out his name,
spelling out the story. I stared at it in the swinging lights of the subway car, and in the faces
and bodies of the people, and in my own face, trapped in the darkness which roared
outside.
It was not to be believed and I kept telling myself that, as I walked from the subway station
to the high school. And at the same time I couldn't doubt it. I was scared, scared for Sonny.
He became real to me again. A great block of ice got settled in my belly and kept melting
there slowly all day long, while I taught my classes algebra. It was a special kind of ice. It
kept melting, sending trickles of ice water all up and down my veins, but it never got less.
Sometimes it hardened and seemed to expand until I felt my guts were going to come
spilling out or that I was going to choke or scream. This would always be at a moment when I
was remembering some specific thing Sonny had once said or done.
When he was about as old as the boys in my classes his face had been bright and open,
there was a lot of copper in it; and he'd had wonderfully direct brown eyes, and great
gentleness and privacy. I wondered what he looked like now. He had been picked up, the
evening before, in a raid on an apartment down-town, for peddling and using heroin.
I couldn't believe it: but what I mean by that is that I couldn't find any room for it anywhere
inside me. I had kept it outside me for a long time. I hadn't wanted to know. I had had
suspicions, but I didn't name them, I kept putting them away. I told myself that Sonny was
wild, but he wasn't crazy. And he'd always been a good boy, he hadn't ever turned hard or
evil or disrespectful, the way kids can, so quick, so quick, especially in Harlem. I didn't want
to believe that I'd ever see my brother going down, coming to nothing, all that light in his
face gone out, in the condition I'd already seen so many others. Yet it had happened and
here I was, talking about algebra to a lot of boys who might, every one of them for all I knew,
be popping off needles every time they went to the head. Maybe it did more for them than
algebra could.
I was sure that the first time Sonny had ever had horse, he couldn't have been much older
than these boys were now. These boys, now, were living as we'd been living then, they were
growing up with a rush and their heads bumped abruptly against the low ceiling of their
actual possibilities. They were filled with rage. All they really knew were two darknesses, the
darkness of their lives, which was now closing in on them, and the darkness of the movies,
which had blinded them to that other darkness, and in which they now, vindictively,
dreamed, at once more together than they were at any other time, and more .
Tiepole: the Cursed Legacy - Alessandra Paoloni (First chapter) English Vers...Francesca EvilMatteini
Emma has arrived in the small, isolated town of Tiepole to help her parents settle affairs after her grandfather's death. She finds the town and its inhabitants strange and unwelcoming. During her first errand alone to the town store, she feels everyone is staring at her and asking questions. On her way back, she nearly gets hit by a speeding motorcycle whose rider drives off without stopping. When she returns home, she discovers the same red and white motorcycle parked outside her grandfather's house, adding to her desire to leave the unwelcoming town as soon as possible.
What readers are saying about Dr. mOe Anderson's latest novel, Sinphony:
Sinphony is a well-plotted, fast-paced contemporary romance with very believable characters and lots of drama. Just what readers want!... (The) characterizations are vivid and well-described, making the people come to life with their own distinct mannerisms, speech and personality. I loved them all!
-Anita Bunkley, Bestselling Author and one of AALBC’s “50 Favorite African American Authors of the 20th Century” by AALBC.
1. The Eternal Tree
J Schmidt
Jschmid3@peoplepc.com
When I arrive in China the past will be gone and the newness will start. Is
this a mantra of escape, or a plea for help? No matter, the plane drones on and the
hours slip by, washed away by the abundant wine. Dreams are frightful, filled with
memories of the past, and not with much promise of tomorrow. Tomorrow will
come, it always has; however, the combination of anticipation and dread throws
things off balance.
I focus on my plan. In the past my detailed plans would drive my wife and
children crazy. My wife would say, “Live in the moment”, and she did, but the
moment is gone, as is my family. Arrival was nothing special; there was no one
there to greet me, no one to run to my arms. I could speak Mandarin, having
worked for some time in China. It was years ago so the words would come slowly,
but I was sure I could get by.
I planned to travel to Shaanxi Province in the center of China to a town
named Xian. This is a very old town that has been a focus of spiritual mystery for
centuries. It was in this area that in early Chinese culture, around 500 AD, a legend
tells of a magician who was able to transport himself into a secret world that was
held inside a hollow gourd. Inside the gourd he was able to live in peace, protected
from the ills of common life. He, at one point, however, chose to share his secret
world with a woman friend. This action led to him being put under a spell,
prohibiting him from traveling into the secret world again. He attempted to recreate
this safe place by collecting miniature trees and plant material that he found high in
the mountains where extreme weather had miniaturized the trees through its harsh
force. These trees were planted in small trays and were called Penjing. He
eventually worked out ways to prune and shape other trees to make them small as
well, creating a miniature world to replace the world to where he could no longer
escape. He built his world in a small courtyard in the center of his home.
The concept of Penjing was many years later transported to Japan and
Penjing became Bonsi. I was traveling to the ancestral home of Penjing to learn of
its secrets. I got into a cab at the airport and asked to be taken to the hotel that I had
2. arranged for, but felt an unease creep into the cab with me. Was it just the same
anxiety that I had felt for the last months? No, this was different, I checked the
back window of the cab, looking for, I am not sure what. I saw a man looking
toward my cab and motioning for a car behind him to pull up. He got in a large
black Mercedes and they proceeded toward the cab that I was in, but by now we
had moved off into traffic, getting off of the freeway on an exit toward another
road. The black Mercedes dodged through traffic in what appeared to be an attempt
to follow.
Perhaps it was my imagination as the black Mercedes was not to be seen as
we entered the different road. Did they miss the exit, or were they just appearing to
follow me. I turned forward and watched as we flew through the traffic. I went
inside the hotel with my small carryon bag and checked into the China View Hotel.
The hotel was known for the collection of Penjing in the spacious and bright
atrium lobby. Imitation, silk Penjing were placed throughout the hotel, but the
lobby was the gem. There were several men caring for the trees, one watered while
the other two carefully pruned. I planned on taking a train to Xian. It would take
longer than flying, but I had no time constraint. My plans laid out what I was
hoping to do, but unlike any plan that I had ever made there was no timeline, just
tasks. What I was going to do might take a year or perhaps ten. I planned on taking
a train where I could book a cabin with sleeping quarters, and although I could be
sure it would be cramped, by western standards, it would not be a bad way to
spend three days and two nights.
I went to my room and tried to sleep, but was not able to escape the sense of
unease that lingered. Perhaps a walk would help. I placed my backpack in the safe
provided in the room and went to the lobby. Getting out of the elevator I spotted
the same man that I had seen hailing the black Mercedes at the airport. I ducked
back into the elevator and went up to my room. Fumbling with the safe I lost ten
minutes getting it open. There was now no doubt that I was being pursued, there
was also no doubt who it was that was pursuing me.
My father-in-law blamed me for his only grandchild’s death. Carla had told
me early on in our relationship that her father was a powerful man, who helped
others with their problems. In exchange, however, he expected that they would, at
some future time do whatever it was that he asked. I thought of it as a banker who
3. lent money and then at some future time the money had to be paid back with
interest, perhaps a considerable amount of interest.
I left the room and headed toward the stairs. Near the door to the stairs was
a table where a large and graceful silk Penjing rested. As I turned the corner I
heard men running down the hallway. I stopped and peered through the limbs of
the Penjing hiding behind its graceful curves. I watched as the men approached the
door to the room that I had just left. They did not knock. One was looking at a
paper while the other was talking on a cell phone. The man with the phone closed
it and gave a nod to the other as he kicked in the door. I ran down the stairs to the
ground floor and exited out the back of the hotel into an alleyway. Running to the
street, I hailed a pedicab and told him to take me to the History Museum. The men
that followed from the airport must have gotten the number from the cab and
traced me that way. The pedicab also had a number so I figured that if I changed to
another one perhaps I could throw off my pursuers, at least for a while.
At the Museum I paid the driver and got off, walking through crowds of
people I went to a street on the opposite side of the Museum and got another
Pedicab and told the driver to take me to the railway station. In the station I found
that the train to Xian did not leave for five hours. I purchased my ticket and
grabbed a tourist map from the news counter, looking for a nearby Buddhist
Shrine. I knew that for a small fee one could purchase incense sticks and meditate
for hours with no questions asked and no suspicion aroused.
The time passed quickly as I sat in a dream state of relaxation and
contemplation. I left and got on the train, somewhat confident that I had eluded the
pursuers. The train was relaxing with its rhythmic sounds and rocking motion. It
did not move fast and stopped from time to time in towns along the way. I had paid
for a private cabin with Chinese cash, which would probably arouse question;
however, I chose to take that chance. I had left all credit cards behind in the USA
and did not bring any electronic devices that might leave a trail. I was, however,
not inconspicuous, as a tall American, I would receive attention by those who were
not used to seeing such people. Foreigners are common in China, but only in large
cities, places where the money lived, not in the poor countryside where there was
no reason for wealthy foreigners to go.
4. When I arrived in Xian, I felt relaxed and the tension that I had been
experiencing seemed to have left me alone, at least for the time being. I did not
think that I had left tracks that might be followed, but time would tell. I first went
to the largest bank and deposited the Chinese cash that I had been carrying in my
backpack since I arrived. The bills were large, old and spread out in the lining of
my backpack so as not to be seen on the x-ray machines and I was sure that the one
hundred thousand dollars would last a long time in Xian. There were no metal
threads in these bills, so the risk of detection was low, but the penalty would have
been significant if I had been caught. I then found a hotel and after checking in,
spent time talking to the head gardener about Penjing. He was carefully attending
to a small collection in a greenhouse behind the hotel when I found him. The trees
that he was working on were exquisite and he was eager to accept my
complements. I asked him,
“Who is the grand master of Penjing in Xian?” He said,
“There is no question of whom, as he is probably the grand master of all of
China. He is very old and wise, but I am sure that you cannot see his collection, as
it is hidden away inside his compound. He is protected by a group of followers and
watched over by his only granddaughter.”
“What is his name and where is his compound?”
“His name is Han Lu and he lives in the old part of town in a large
compound that was once the home of a very powerful Monarch. It is not hard to
find as it is on the river to the east. I am sure, however, that you will not be well
received if you try and go there.” I thanked him for his time, but knew that early in
the morning there was a possibility that I would be able to meet someone
exercising outside the home. An hour before dawn I was sitting outside the
doorway of Han Lu’s home. There were a few people that emerged from the gate
just at dawn. A young woman stopped and asked why I was there. I replied,
“I am here to speak to Han Lu.”
“He is not seeing visitors, so please leave this place.” I waited, and at noon a
man came by selling fried rice cakes and tea. Near dark I left and went back to the
hotel.
5. This same procedure was followed all week, but on Saturday at about noon,
the girl emerged from the gate. She said,
“You must leave as Han will be very harsh with you if you do not.”
“I will wait, as I have nowhere else to go.” Then in perfect English she said,
“Why is it that you want to speak to my grandfather?” She was a beautiful
girl about my age. She wore a silk dress and seemed as though she had been well
educated, clearly not a common person.
“I wish to learn the ways of Penjing. I seek a peaceful existence removed
from my past, one where I can find relief from the demons that pursue me.”
“My grandfather is a difficult person that can be very harsh. He is the leader
of this community and grants favor to those deserving, but always seeks repayment
sometimes in ways that are of extreme difficulty. Repayment must be made as
there is no other recourse. Meeting my grandfather will put you in great risk, so I
urge you to leave now as it will be your only chance. If you insist, you may come
with me, but do not speak until Han Lu asks you to speak.”
I followed her inside, where it was suddenly quiet except for the birds. It
was strange as I heard none outside the gate. We walked through a doorway into a
courtyard surrounded by large potted plantings and trees, however, none were
Penjing. There was a fountain in the center of the courtyard that released the quiet
gurgling sound of water. I was told to sit on a bench in front of a large, but
beautifully shaped pine tree. I stared at it, amazed by its beauty, and flowing form.
Time passed and the shadows grew in the courtyard. An old man appeared from
the shadows and stood before me.
“What is it you want from me?”
“I am here to learn.”
“This is not a place of learning. Perhaps that is a lesson that you can learn,
before you leave. Not to return.” He turned to leave, but I said,
6. “I want to learn the ways of Penjing.” Two men grabbed me from behind,
pulling my shoulders back, in a painful rush. I was taken to a small room and
thrown inside.
The room was small, and built of stone, with no openings other than the door
which was made of heavy wood. The ceiling seemed to also be made of stone
slightly domed in the center. There was no furniture, so I sat on the floor and
waited. In the morning the men returned and took me to another room where I was
placed on a chair and tied tightly with twine. The old man came in and asked
where I was from. I told him my story and explained that I came here to learn
Penjing and to leave my prior life behind.
“I have brought some money and am willing to do what is necessary to learn
something that will free my mind from the bindings of the past.”
“I am sorry, but Penjing is not some drug that will let you forget your past. It
will not allow you to escape your past sin. It will not forgive you of what you have
done. Penjing nor I have that power and I am sorry, but your quest will likely take
you to some place from which there is no return. I do on occasion help a few others
with their problems, but in exchange I extract a high price of repayment that is
often more than they are able to pay.”
“I am, I as have said, in need of help and am willing to accept your terms, as
I have traveled far seeking help, not knowing what I might find.”
“The help that I offer will require sacrifice and hard work. The penalty for
failure is more than you can give.”
“I am interested in learning the ways of Penjing.”
“I am sorry, traveler, but the refuge that you seek in Penjing, is just that,
temporary refuge from that which torments both body and soul. It will not solve
these problems for you, as they must be solved in other ways. Why are there men
that mean harm following you?”
“My father-in-law blames me for the death of my child and his daughter. He
is a powerful man that I choose not to fight as he may be right in his claim.”
7. “Alright, in order to understand the nature of Penjing, one must first
understand the nature of the torment. You will start with your understanding at
dawn, but now you may eat. My granddaughter will bring you food and take you to
a place where you can sleep.”
I was taken to a different room with a window that allowed me to see the
street below. As I was taken into the room I noticed a man in a black robe standing
near the doorway. The door was not locked, but I assumed that the man outside
was there for a reason. She brought in a tray with rice, fish and a pot of tea. I asked
her name. She answered in Chinese,
“My name is So Lu, but I cannot stay long.”
“Outside you spoke English, where did you learn?”
“I went to University in Beijing, where I studied Electrical Engineering. I
came back to help my grandfather when his wife died a year ago.”
“Do you miss not doing what you were trained to do?”
“We all have burdens that we must deal with. I might ask you why you are
not doing what you were trained to do, as I am sure that you were not trained to
come to China to learn the skill of Penjing”
“That is a fair question but the story is sad and I do not wish to relive the
memory and to tarnish this moment. I would rather talk of the future.”
“I am sorry, but it is time for me to leave.”
At dawn I was taken from the room and led to an open area surrounded by a
tall stone wall. Within the area were men dressed in black robes standing near the
wall. I was dressed as I had been and felt out of place. I too stood near the wall.
We all waited. The men dressed in black did not move, nor did I. After some time
Han Lu appeared. He motioned for me to move forward and said that my name
would now be Chang Yung-fa. He then motioned for a small boy to come forward.
He stood facing me, tense, waiting for something. I stood with my hands at my
sides, not sure what to expect. I had seen no trees in the large area we were in,
and I had expected something quite different. I had imagined that we would be
8. going to an area filled with Penjing, or perhaps large trained trees, as had been
present in Han Lu’s residence. Han said something to the boy that I did not quite
understand. The boy sprung at me and with his leg swept my legs from under me.
I fell and the boy was on top of me, where he grabbed my arm and twisted it
around my back. I tried to resist, but the pain was enough for me to cry out. The
boy pulled harder and the pain was extreme. He held my arm there as tears came
to my eyes. Han spoke and the boy jumped up. I got up slowly and looked at Han
who just stared through me. I asked what this meant, but he did not reply.
The boy stood looking at me. I said,
“I do not understand what you want, I cannot fight this small boy. I came to
learn the way of Penjing, not to fight with some child.” The boy then jumped and
kicked at my head. I ducked, but not fast enough and was knocked down, stars
spinning before my dimed eyes. I lay in the dirt, but this time rose prepared for
the next attack. The boy circled, walking slowly. I followed, facing him. He jumped
forward and I moved back to avoid the attack that I thought was coming; he
stopped, but then jumped forward catching me off balance. His hands were
together and caught me in the midsection and I went down again, but this time
the breath had been knocked from me and I lay on the ground trying to regain my
strength.
This continued for what seemed like an hour, but each time I was slower to
get up. When I was not able to get up again two men picked me up and took me
back to the room. So Lu brought tea and sat near the bed that I had been placed
on. She spoke,
“Chang Yung-fa, you have begun the training. It will be very difficult, but
you must not ask to leave or try to leave on your own as this will not be allowed.
The contract that you have entered into with my grandfather cannot be broken; it
can only be completed as agreed. I can apply a salve that will ease the pain if you
would like.” It was an hour later that Han Lu appeared. I had fallen asleep and he
was now next to my bed.
9. “Chang Yung-fa, you have seen what a small child can do to someone that
has not been trained in Shaolin. During the coming months you will be trained to
defend yourself and, more importantly, to accomplish tasks that you will be
assigned in the future. You will work for six days each week from the rising sun to
the evening meal at dusk, and on the seventh day you will be trained to rest
through Penjing.
The training continued and the secrets of Penjing were revealed. My body
became stronger and the moves of Shaolin became comfortable. The training of
Penjing was done in a different area of the large building where we were all
housed. Each of the members was assigned a secluded outdoor workshop where
we worked with our trees, guided by a mentor. Viewing the others trees was not
allowed and was met with swift and severe punishment if even casual viewing
was suspected. So Lu came by to visit frequently. It seemed that she was not
bound by the rules that the others followed. She offered suggestions about the
training of the Penjing that I had in my care.
One day when So Lu stopped by I asked,
“Your grandfather must have a collection of Penjing. When he comes to
comment on what I am attempting to do, he has very firm thoughts about what is
to be done. He has much knowledge about this as he is always pointing out small
ways to improve what I am doing.”
“Yes, he has a beautiful collection in a special courtyard at his home. It is
where he meets, during the first night of each full moon, with those who need his
help. It is where contracts are made and promises fulfilled, and punishment
extracted.”
“Would you take me there?”
“It is not allowed. If we were caught there would be certain retribution. In
your case it would probably mean death, and mine would most likely mean
banishment from the village.”
10. “I must see this place, it sounds as though it is indeed magical. Please take
me there. If we were careful and were to go in darkness, there is no way for
anyone to know that we had been there. There will be no moon tonight, so it
would be a perfect time.”
“Alright, I will come to your room at midnight, but we must not be gone
long.”
There was a light tap at the door, as So Lu slipped inside she said,
“Are you ready, we must hurry?”
“I am ready. Is it far?”
“No, just follow me and stay out of the light. We will move from shadow to
shadow.” When we got to Han’s residence we passed through the same doorways
that we had passed before, but now we moved further into the interior. We came
to a passage that was oddly shaped. It was as though we were entering into a
large gourd. Once inside the interior was dimly lit by small lanterns placed in
strategic areas. The space seemed magical, as though we were in a forest of
miniature trees that all were gracefully shaped. There was soft music playing from
somewhere.
“So Lu, this place is like nothing that I have ever seen. It will be hard to
leave, but the memory will, I am sure, never leave.” We continued to walk, So Lu
pulling my hand as she showed me one marvel after another. She moved quickly
toward the far corner of the area. She whispered,
“I must show you my grandfather’s special tree. He started training it when
he was a small child. He collected it from high on the mountain after searching for
many days and nights. I believe that the tree is home to grandfather’s soul, and it
is the most beautiful Penjing in all of China.” We rounded a large grouping and
she stopped.
“No! Grandfather! I am so sorry.” Standing in front of us was Han Lu.
11. “Granddaughter, you have betrayed my trust. This terrible thing that you
have done must, as you know, lead to your punishment. You will be sent to the
mountains where you will spend the rest of your days. You will never be allowed
to return and I will never see you again. I am sorry that you have done this
terrible thing. Chang Yung-fa, you will be punished tomorrow at dawn. Your
punishment will be severe and final. I am sorry that you have led my
granddaughter astray. You will never see her again.”
Men emerged from the shadows to lead So Lu away. She grabbed on to my
hand and I said, “I am sorry So Lu. We will meet again. I will come to you.” As she
was pulled away men also emerged to take me. I had been a good student of
Shaolin and had been taught well. There were three of them, but there was little
trouble with the first, who rushed in and seemed not trained well. The second
and third were better prepared, but not well trained either. The battle was over in
just a few minutes. With the three attackers on the ground I had expected Han Lu
to come at me, but he was gone. Perhaps this too was a test. I left quickly to try
and catch up with So Lu, but when I got into the street it was empty, with no sign
of anyone. I knew that I had to leave. I knew that I had to pursue So Lu, but did
not know if I could ever get back what we had.