Solomon's Private File #225
These stories about Stephen and Solomon take place starting in
1950's. Stephen wrote about his life in letters to a penpal, and then
in a secure blog, in case he lost his memory again, in the master
computer in his school for gifted students, which he started attending
in 2016 in a new incarnation, until his death. Now his son Solomon is
attending the same school, and is writing in his own secure blog for
his future incarnations.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
Solomon is 25 in this story, in the Winter of 2051-2052.
Solomon's Private File #225 "Skating on a Lake"
START Page
I was skating on an iced over lake. That wouldn't be too unusual for
some, but for that planet, it was the first in its history that such a
thing had ever happened. I was doing some interesting techniques, such
as jumps and spins, when some people came into view around a hill. They
stared at me in compete astonishment. It could have been because I was
covered in white looking fur over black skin, but it wasn't. They
looked just like I did, something like an upright polar bear. They
hadn't seen anybody skate on ice before. Well, nobody on that planet
ever had, until then. One of them was partially psionic, and recognized
that I was, and more than she was. It was true, as I had set my
presence to be a trained Adept, and had my Ki flowing a little.
I skated closer to them. And then back and forth along the shore.
Then I stopped, and said with a smile, "Only thing you can move are
your necks?" Some smiled in return. The leader said, "How do you do
that?" I said, "I think very well, thank you." Chuckles. The psionic
said, "Those things in your feet, are they part of you?" I said, "No,
they are not. Strapped on. Made of bone, with a very sharp edge in the
bottom." She said, "Is it very difficult what you are doing? I said,
"Some of it is difficult, and some is easy, after you learn not to fall
on your rump." I rubbed my backside. I said, "Except for that, it's
actually a lot of fun. Can go places fast, too. If the ice is thick
enough to not break. Then you swim." Chuckles.
She said, "How did you learn of this?" I said, "Well, I thought that
if I'm going to fall on the ice, I might as well have a little fun
before that happens. I actually fall less now than walking on it, after
some practice. So, I decided how I could do it, and made the ice
blades, and here I am taking to people who move their heads a lot,
about it." Chuckles. I said, "Oh, look, it's all covered with snow." At
the edge of the lake, I uncovered a sled, and it too had sharp bone
runners. I said, "My sled can do this, too. Er, when I pull it.
Stopping it is a little more exciting. It wants to run me over."
Laughter. A young boy said to me, "Are you always this funny?" I said,
"Not so much when I'm alone. Would be a little unusual if somebody
answered me then." Chuckles. I said, "I think you have another
question. Why am I funny? I have to listen to everything I say. Why
shouldn't I say what I like to hear?" The psionic said, "Wise. What is
your name?" I said, "I am Sol, of the Guard Clan."
She said, "I am Mollu, of the Skipper Clan. I don't know of your
clan." I said, "I am far from it. I don't know your clan, and that
pleases me." She said, "Why does your not knowing us, please you?" I
said, "I have little interest in what I already know, and great
interest in what I don't know. So, you and your clan are very
interesting to me, and I am pleased to learn of you." She and the
leader looked at each other and smiled and nodded. The Leader said, "I
invite you to visit with us." I said, "I gladly accept your
invitation." I said to the boy, "I'm sorry I didn't make that funny.
I'll try again later, alright?" He laughed and said, "Yes!" He ran to
hug me, and slipped on the ice, and slid into me. I fell, with him on
top of me. I said, "Oh, you wanted a ride. A little awkward, though."
Laughter.
I said, "I think I should stand up now, but I have not practiced
doing that on ice with such a friendly bundle attached to me."
Laughter. I said, to him, "If I fall on you, it will make you a little
thinner than you might want to be." Reluctantly, he got off of me. We
went to the edge of the ice. I sat and unbound my skates, and took the
skates off of my sled. I grabbed its tow rope, and we went together to
their well set up camp, about a kilometer away. They had cleared the
snow off of the ground, to show that it was a very frequently used
campsite. They were nomadic, but had a regular seasonal circuit. There
were some rock walled enclosures, with some animals inside them. They
had what looked like yurts set up, and some smaller tents, all made of
animal hides and felt. They had a few small fires going as well. The
boy ran ahead to tell the other kids about me. I said to the psionic,
"I think he has claimed me as his new toy." Chuckles. The leader said,
"What do you think of that?" I said, "I'm a teacher. To me, children
are why we exist. They will make the future, from what we give to them.
I am very fond of children, but more so after I help them to learn
words other than 'why'." Chuckles, and knowing nods.
I was introduced around the encampment. Some were asked to go back to
the lake to start chipping a hole in the ice to fish from. The boy told
them all about me. I said, "I think I would like to meet that strange
person he is describing." Chuckles. One asked to see my skates. I
showed them, and how they were made, and how they attached to my shoes.
He said, "They said you moved very fast on the ice. How is it faster
than walking?" I said, "The weight of my body pushes the sharp edge of
the bone into the ice. That causes the ice to melt a tiny bit, creating
a VERY slippery groove for the blade to travel in. And only that part
of me touches the ice. The less that touches, the less the ice can grab
and cause to slow down. Did I pass that test?" He looked embarrassed.
Chuckles. He said, "More. I didn't know about the pressure causing the
water to melt under the blade." I said, "It can be seen, but you have
to look fast before it freezes. And I have to say, maybe with your nose
attached to it." The children laughed. My little friend said, "See? I
told you he's funny!" I said to him, "Telling people something they
know, isn't nearly as interesting as telling them something new. I like
new. That's why I'm here. I haven't been here before."
He said, "Please tell us something new from where you have been." I
said, "Alright. In that direction, across the lake, and very far away,
there is a strange land with hot ground. Hot rocks. And small hot pools
of water that on a strange regular time, shoot very hot water into the
sky. So hot, it can actually burn you. There are pools of mud, too,
that produce big slow bursting bubbles. All in that land smells
absolutely terrible. Like all the people in the world ate rotten meet,
and did a big mess right there." The kids laughed. One said, "I don't
believe you." I said, "After I smelled it, I wished I didn't believe
with a yellow crumbly rock. I said, "This kind of rock can dissolve in
water. It smells much worse in very hot water." They passed it around
and wished they hadn't sniffed it. I motioned the doubting girl to me.
I hugged her and said, "It's good to not be sure of what people say,
and even of what you already know, but it's not polite to disbelieve
someone, and say it to others, unless you know of your own seeing and
smelling that they are wrong. I'm a teacher. I couldn't lie to my
students." She was about to cry. I offered to hug her, and we did, and
I gave her some love. She practically melted in my arms. I said,
"Friend?" She said, "Oh YES!"
The psionic said to all, "Sol is not just a teacher. He is a Master
of Wisdom." They looked at me in awe and reverence. I said, "Please
think of me as the friendly funny teacher. Why, is because that's how I
think of myself. If you think of me differently, I'll probably be
looking behind me to discover who you're talking to." Chuckles and
nods. The girl still on my lap, said, "I don't care what people call
you. I love you." I said, "You know I love you." She said, "Oh, I DO!"
She said to the other kids, "You've got to hug him! You can feel his
love!" I said to the rush, "No fighting. At least now. Maybe later."
Chuckles. I hugged them one at a time, with love. The Psionic nodded
and said, "I can feel it even here. You love all of us." I said, "Yes.
Not a bad thing, actually." She smiled and said, "I agree!"
We ate a meal. I shared some of my jerky. The children liked it a
lot. One of the men asked how I made it, and I told him. It was getting
dark, and the stars and two small moons were showing in the sky. One
said, "Some think that the stars are like the sun, but far away, and
people live on land and water there like we do here. Is it true?" I
said, "Yes, it's true." I looked hard at the doubting girl, and then
grinned, and she laughed. So did some others. I said, "But the people
there look different. And different from each other. And many live in
places that would destroy us instantly, if we were there. Some actually
like the smell of that yellow rock. I know, strange, but they are still
people." One said, "Some of us believe that when we die, we join the
Master Spirit. Some think we are born again as people, but don't
remember it. Which is true?" I said, "Both are true. Sometimes. Maybe.
I think I just caused more difficult questions." Chuckles. I said, "We
are of three parts. The body. The spirit that is in two parts. One part
of the spirit is in the body, and is what makes it live. The other part
of the spirit exists in a special place that is only for those part
spirits. When we die, our two parts of the spirit join, and move to the
area of judgement. There our life is judged, and some are sent to be
born again as new babies. Very cute and lovable babies." Chuckles.
I said, "Most do not remember their past lives. Some are judged to go
somewhere else. Some damaged spirits do that. Some who were VERY good
people who had lived very many lifetimes, can't be born again because
their spirit is to big to fit in a body. Those then become the managers
of the judgement area, working for the Being Who Created All." A boy
said, "How do you know all that?" I said, "I know because I remember
all my past lives, and I can communicate with the spirits waiting to be
judged. Wait a little. Is there one among you who knows when you lie?"
They all looked at the psionic woman. I grinned. She chuckled. I said
to her, "I am not able to lie." She said, "Truth." They looked at me in
awe and wonder.
The boy said, "Those strange people. What do they look like?" I said,
"I can show you, if you will not run away screaming. Not good for your
voice." Chuckles. One said, "How will you show us?" I said, "I will
push a picture in my mind, out into the air so you can see it. It's a
skill that some can learn, if they have a very strong mind, and
practice a lot. Ready?" They were. I said, "Here is one. His skin his
hard, and hot. He couldn't live here, even though he can breathe the
same air. Too cold. His people live a long time and study a lot, and
don't like to fight. His big teeth are to attract a mate. These mostly
furless people wear warm coverings in places like this, and very little
in places that would be too warm for you. They fight with each other a
lot, and have more children than they can feed, which oh, I don't want
to say that." Even the children knew why. One said, "They have no fur
but on the tops of their heads! Don't they get cold all the time?" I
said, "That's why they wear coverings. And some of that is to look good
to attract mates. They do a lot of that, actually. Much more than they
need to. These green furry people are very nice. They could live here.
They can hear VERY well with those big ears. They are very playful and
loving, and if you ever meet one, watch out for his tail. You ARE going
to jump." Laughter.
I said, "These people have hard shells, and live partly in water.
They start life as small mostly brainless males. No, not like some in
some of the other clans you know." Chuckles. I said, "They fight each
other to the death. Those that survive, grow, and after some years
become females, who then mate with the young males." A woman said,
"What a beautiful color!" I said, "I have to agree." I said, "This kind
have some mind powers. Well, being that ugly, they should have some
compensation for that." Chuckles. I said, "They could have been
teachers, but instead many of them misused their powers, and enslaved
people. They were ugly inside, too." Nods. I said, "But that isn't
always how it happens. Here is one of the people they enslaved. Right.
Couldn't be more ugly, but to each other, they were beautiful. And they
were very much so in spirit. What you see on the outside of people,
isn't really who they are. How can we then see the real you? By your
actions. Your kindness. Your intelligence. How hard you work. Your
love." The boy said, "Your humor?" I said, "Er, maybe. What is funny to
one, may not be funny to another. When you fall down?" He said, "Oh!
Yes. Funny to them. Not funny to me." I said, "In the past, I have said
some things that made people laugh so hard they fell down, while those
I said it to were probably wishing I would jump into a big fire." A
girl said, "Where they bad people?" I said, "At that time, yes. Later,
I helped them to become good people. What I said then, was to start
that. People can't become better if they think they don't need to."
Nods of agreement.
One said, "Why are you here?" I said, "Because I'm not there?" The
kids laughed. I said, "I see some lack of satisfaction in my answer.
I'm a teacher. I'm here to learn." The boy said, "But you're a teacher!
You don't have to learn." I said, "How did I get to be a teacher,
without wanting to learn? How else would I have something to teach?" He
said, "Oh! I was stupid." I said, "You were NOT stupid. You just didn't
know you knew the answer. You will have less of that problem as you
grow older and wiser. Good thinking takes practice. We learn by making
mistakes. That does NOT mean that you should deliberately make
mistakes." He grinned. I said, "But I am also here to teach. Learning
and teaching often happen together. One learns more of what one knows,
in the teaching of it." Nods. I said, "Do some of you think I might be
saying some things just to cause questions I want to answer?" Surprised
expressions, and some grins.
One said, "How do you know what those people look like?" I said, "You
now know I was waiting for that question. I can speak to them with my
mind, those who are as able as I am in that skill." The Wise Woman
nodded. She said, "And those with mind powers, who were bad with them?"
I said, "Only SOME questions I want." Chuckles. I said, "They no longer
have those powers." She said, "I suspected. You are too good a person
to let that continue." I said, "I didn't say I stopped them." She said,
"But you didn't say you did not." I said, "I noticed that." She said,
"You are here to teach me, aren't you." I said, "Actually, er, yes. One
thing I see I don't need to help you with, is intelligent questions I'm
not looking for." Laughter. She said, "I will speak with you alone."
The others nodded. She and I want into a yurt.
I said, "All that happens in here with us, those outside will not
know of. So, you may laugh as loud as you like at my humor." She
chuckled. I said, "We'll try to do better." Grins. She said, "You are
one of those people who are too much to come back?" I said, "Not
exactly, and yes. I would be one of them, if I were allowed to die. I
am to teach, so I remain." She said, "You must then have a special
reason to be here." I said, "I do. That place of hot rocks is going to
cause a big disaster in a few years. Most of this part of the world
will not be able to have life. You will need to lead your people to
another place where they can live. You will not truly believe this
until I can help you to develop your own abilities, so you can see it
for yourself." She said, "I think I understand. You work for God." I
said, "Yes I do. He knows all time. You and your people are important
to the future of this world. I am to help you to live, so that can
happen. But I can't make it happen. You and your people must do it
yourselves." She said, "You are not one of us?" I said, "While I'm
here, I am." She said, "Your answers create more questions than I can
ask." I said, with a grin, "Well said!" She didn't hate that at all.
I said, "First, I must look into your mind to see what your abilities
are, and how to improve them. I will not see thoughts." She said,
"Please." I said, "You are a little more than half of the way to being
fully able to use your abilities, and more. You can sometimes see the
lights of the spirit." She said, "Yes, and yours are bigger than any
other." I said, "You also feel the emotions of others. You can see
without seeing, inside and outside of things. The beating of the heart
is very interesting, isn't it?" She smiled, and said, "It is!" I said,
"There is more you can do, that you don't yet know about. But first, I
will do something strange to you. Er, more strange." Chuckles. I said,
"There are energy centers in the body. The light of the spirit is
produced by one. I will align them for you, so they will work more
efficiently for you. With your permission. No pain, and no effort from
you is required." She said, "Please." I asked her to lie down. I ran my
hands over her energy centers, aligning them. She then became three
quarters psionic. I said, "You have improved a little. More will happen
in time." She said, "I can feel it! I can sense more people in the
camp! I couldn't do it at that distance before."
I said, "You will notice more, soon. Now for a skill." I pulled from
my pouch a PK toy, with an assortment of cones, and told her how to use
it. She could move the lightest one. I said, "Now, projection. Make an
image in your mind, and push it into the air." Something flickered a
little. I said, "With PK and projection, emotion interferes with it.
Limiting that, should also be part of your practice. And yes, I learned
this way, too. Practice as much and as often as you can. We can have
the next lesson when you are able to keep an image in the air for ten
seconds, and you can move the heaviest cone. I will return then." She
said, "You must go?" I said, "Your people shouldn't have me here to
distract them. You may keep my sled and all on it." She said, "You
don't need it?" I said, "Are you sure you want to know all of what the
answer could mean?" She said, "I think I understand a little. You are
much more than I thought." We stood, and I offered to hug. I have her
all my love, and helped her to sit. Then I walked out of the yurt, but
those outside didn't see me. When I was out of her line of sight, I
shifted away.
END Page
--
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Grant
|
|