I had this image pop into my head today and can't get it to leave. Maybe this will help.
Picture a sad determined little boy sitting at his desk at school during recess. He wasn't allowed to go to recess because he's having some problems with his reading and english homework. So while the others play their games he sits and practices his reading sounding out every other word with great difficulty. It's really hard and he doesn't want to do it, but his teacher and his daddy say he must. His family is rich and he doesn't think he should have to do hard things or things he doesn't like, but because daddy said he continues to try. Finally, his frustration mounting as he fumbles with yet another word, he gives in to his anger and throws the text across the room and buries his face in his desk trying to use his arms to hide the tears. He expected to hear the book clatter into the ground, but there is no sound, only an unpleasant odor he usually detects coming off his father's suits when he receives a rare hug.
He looks up and there stands one of his father's friends. He doesn't remember the man's name. To tell the truth he has always been afraid of the man and never been able to screw up the courage to speak even a single word to him. Still there he is holding the discarded reading text in his hand and smiling. Seeing that smile it is all the little boy can do to control his bladder as he starts to shudder.
" I see you're having a little trouble with your ah book." he says as he walks toward the boy's desk, handing him the book. "I guess this doesn't come as easy for you as it does for the ah other kids, or so your father tells me."
Terrified the boy nods as he takes the offered text. He doesn't know what to do so he just sits there his eyes as big as saucers.
"I don't think it's fair that children of wealthy families should have to do things they don't like. Let's be, eh, honest, eh hard work is for poor people to do, right?' he said as he towered over the little boy.
The little boy nodded as some of his fear began to evaporate.
"I'll tell you what, eh, son, if you put yourself in my hands I can make things easier for you. You take my hand and whenever you encounter something hard or something you don't want to do, I'll tell you what to do to get out of it. How's that sound?" he asked holding out his gnarled liver-spot covered hand.
Screwing up all of his courage the little boy replied, "I don't think Poppy would like that."
Taken slightly aback by the first words he ever heard come from the boys mouth the old man smiled a predatory grin and amended, "Well we wouldn't want to disappoint Poppy. How about this for a, ah, bonus, I'll see to it that all of Poppy's fondest dreams of your future come true, and then some." with a dark chuckle he concluded, "How's that?" and again held out his hand.
With a little trepidation the small boy reached out and shook the scary man's hand. Suddenly the bell rang and students began filing into their seats in the room. The boy looked at the others who didn't seem to notice his father's friend. When he looked back the man was gone, but he could hear his final comment still ringing in his ears. "I'll be, ah, seeing you soon junior. Yes sir we have a HELL of a future ahead of us."
The first conversation between George W. Bush and Dick Cheney or Faust for the 21st Century.
S-
He looks up and there stands one of his father's friends. He doesn't remember the man's name. To tell the truth he has always been afraid of the man and never been able to screw up the courage to speak even a single word to him. Still there he is holding the discarded reading text in his hand and smiling. Seeing that smile it is all the little boy can do to control his bladder as he starts to shudder.
" I see you're having a little trouble with your ah book." he says as he walks toward the boy's desk, handing him the book. "I guess this doesn't come as easy for you as it does for the ah other kids, or so your father tells me."
Terrified the boy nods as he takes the offered text. He doesn't know what to do so he just sits there his eyes as big as saucers.
"I don't think it's fair that children of wealthy families should have to do things they don't like. Let's be, eh, honest, eh hard work is for poor people to do, right?' he said as he towered over the little boy.
The little boy nodded as some of his fear began to evaporate.
"I'll tell you what, eh, son, if you put yourself in my hands I can make things easier for you. You take my hand and whenever you encounter something hard or something you don't want to do, I'll tell you what to do to get out of it. How's that sound?" he asked holding out his gnarled liver-spot covered hand.
Screwing up all of his courage the little boy replied, "I don't think Poppy would like that."
Taken slightly aback by the first words he ever heard come from the boys mouth the old man smiled a predatory grin and amended, "Well we wouldn't want to disappoint Poppy. How about this for a, ah, bonus, I'll see to it that all of Poppy's fondest dreams of your future come true, and then some." with a dark chuckle he concluded, "How's that?" and again held out his hand.
With a little trepidation the small boy reached out and shook the scary man's hand. Suddenly the bell rang and students began filing into their seats in the room. The boy looked at the others who didn't seem to notice his father's friend. When he looked back the man was gone, but he could hear his final comment still ringing in his ears. "I'll be, ah, seeing you soon junior. Yes sir we have a HELL of a future ahead of us."
The first conversation between George W. Bush and Dick Cheney or Faust for the 21st Century.
S-