(On libraries) “What’s great about them is that anybody can go into them and find a book and borrow it free of charge and read it. They don’t have to steal it from a bookshop… You know when you’re young, you’re growing up, they’re almost sexually exciting places because books are powerhouses of knowledge, and therefore they’re kind of slightly dark and dangerous. You see books that kind of make you go ‘Oh!’”
- Stephen Fry
I love this man.
Based upon an idea contributed by: xbrighteyesx
Contributions made here
Now children, I have a story for you.
Snuggle up under your blankets, eat your cookies and milk if you must, for i shall tell you the real reason behind Christmas. Little Johnny, move away from the fire, we don’t want you to miss out now do we?
Now, several years ago, before you were even born…
There was a man by the name of Nicholas.
Now Nicholas was a grumpy old man, living alone in a small cottage house outside of a small countryside town next to a local school.
Nicholas had no company but of his Border Collie, named Jack. Jack was also an old dog, however, had lots of energy, too much for Nicholas to handle.
At the school next door to Nicholas, children as young as yourselves liked to play tricks on old Nicholas. Some were so mean that it caused a lot of stress and anger.
At one point it had become too much for Old Nicholas, even his dog was getting fed up with the constant tricks.
So old Nick came up with a plan, he was going to wait until the children came along one day, and play his own little trick upon them…
Little did he know that they were planning the biggest tricks of them all..
-Roaring Fox
6 am the clock flashing, buzzing at me, my cue to be as boring as possible; repeating my routine, day after day after day.
Stumbling out of bed in a tired stupor I moved into the bathroom, flicking my light on with a realisation of shock.
I shouldn’t have been so melodramatic the night before. My bloodshot eyes hollow from the lack of sleep, followed by the ratty fuzz that had begun forming around my jaw. Smelling like beer I upturned my lip in disgust at myself, preparing for the makeover that had to occur before the week began.
Following the boiling hot shower, the harsh cut of a two day old razor and the vigorous scrubbing of teeth and skin I was a new and different man. Now refreshed, revitalised, and re-born from the activities of the night before.
As I walked out the door to the brisk winters day environment I heaved a sigh in frustration my car, still not fixed from the various damages made by the crimes performed by local gangs. So I had to walk three blocks to the nearest bus stop. It was painful; my weight gain due to an unhealthy diet was a clear indication of my fitness. It had gotten away from me, my knees beginning to give way, despite my age of 38.
I saw the bus go past, the driver smiling, unwilling to stop for me, seeing my anguish.
I cursed in anger at his ignorance.
I sighed, now further frustrated. Sitting down on the park bench I shut my eyes in anguish, the next bus was not arriving for another hour and a half. I looked over the park to its soccer field and playground. The children playing soccer, swinging from the monkey bars, seeming as if they were unable to feel a sense of regret, despair or shame.
I felt a sense of sudden realisation. When had things changed? When was it in ones lives that things shifted so dramatically? From a sense of constant happiness, trust, and unconditional love for others and not having to plan more than a few hours in advance, to having to endure life on a daily basis, reducing yourself to making plans, and living for far fetched dreams?
What had I become? What had the rest of us become?
A child ran to his newly found friend. He had no knowledge of who he was or where he had come from, but it made no difference. For then, they were friends.
Someone came to sit beside me, a woman about my age. Without any inhibitions I asked her out, explaining the thought process for the past 10 minutes.
She smiled, genuinely, nodding enthusiastically out of curiosity or genuine interest, she never would tell me.
Even to this day of our happy marriage.
-Roaring Fox
Recently it was reminded about how little children act.
My friend and I were at a local playground, where we see two children, who clearly didn’t know each other, decided they would play with each other. After an hour or so the children were the best of friends, un-judging, just enjoying the moment, enjoying the fun, spending time in the sandbox.
Whilst the parents sat at separate ends of the park bench too occupied in their phones, taking little notice in their children and their newly found friendship.
Have we lost it?
Many of us now would never consider approaching an individual that we do not already know, let alone spend the whole afternoon with them without judging them.
And why can’t we? Are we so restricted within our current trends and social structures that we cannot take a leap? Cannot revert back to our childhood nature and take a risk?
What have we come to?
Let me propose something, try it, be different, break free from the social norm.
Tomorrow, go out of your way to get to know someone you don’t usually speak to.
Let me know how it goes?
-Roaring Fox
