Home  >> Stories  >> The Tale Spinner #2017-37

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IN THIS ISSUE

• James Washington tells about a helper on the September 11 attack
• These answers about the fathers of some British mums are priceless
• Margaret Manning forwarded this list of obscure three-letter words
• Shirley Conlon shares this story about running through the rain
• Kate Brookfield sends some thoughts to ponder
• Tom Telfer suggests interesting websites for you to explore

In a recent issue of Heroic Stories, James Washington of New York, writes about

BROTHERS ON THE PILE

My name is Jimmy; I´m a professional firefighter in New York. In my many years of service I have worked at only three firehouses, and we treat each other like family. When we hear 5-5-5-5 ring out, we know that a brother or sister firefighter has died in the line of duty.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, things were OK around here. Some guys were in the kitchen drinking coffee, some were upstairs. I was in front of the truck watching people go by. Like always, people were in a rush and did not even look up. Then it hit. You know about that. But what you don´t know is about some of the guys who came to help.

One guy named Phil helped out. He acted like one of us, worked as hard as any of us. His turnout gear was even black. I did not even know that this guy was not FDNY for several days. He never wore the jacket, or I would have seen it did not say FDNY on it.

Phil is a mountain-man type who rides horses, climbs rock cliffs and stuff. I know that now. But then, he was just another brother working on the pile. I do not remember him showing up; it was like he was always there. He worked all the time. I would go home and rest and see my wife and so on, then be back 6-7 hours later. I worked my rotation, but mostly I was on the pile the first few days. We all were.

I would see Phil digging, on the line, even crawling out of a hole. He was always around and always working like hell. He never spoke. The guys were not chatterboxes on the pile, but he didn´t say anything. If he had said, "Pass me the line," or anything, I would have known he was not from the Bronx.

He pushed himself so hard, I had to ask if he had eaten anything or had any water. Then I heard his accent and I was blown away. Who was this guy? What was he doing here? I didn´t ask then. I kept seeing him for days, looking for him because I wondered how long he´d keep it up. Most guys that come to help last a few hours and they´re gone. This guy is there night and day, all the time, working like he has a brother lost in the pile.

Turns out he is a brother, just not FDNY. He is from a small town in North Carolina, and works most of the time on the bus (ambulance). He didn´t know anybody who was lost that day, but he heard the news and took time off the job to help for a couple weeks. He told me that as far as he could tell, we were all family and he was there to do his part.

Take it from a brother: Phil is the man.

ED. NOTE: To comment on this story, or to get your own free subscription, click on

http://www.heroicstories.org

BRITISH MUMS

The following are actual replies that British women have put on Child Support applications in the section for listing father´s details:

1. Regarding the identity of the father of my twins, child A was fathered by Jim Munson. I am unsure as to the identity of the father of child B, but I believe that he was conceived on the same night.

2. I am unsure as to the identity of the father of my child as I was being sick out of a window when taken unexpectedly from behind. I can provide you with a list of names of men that I think were at the party if this helps.

3. I do not know the name of the father of my little girl. She was conceived at a party at 3600 Grand Avenue where I had unprotected sex with a man I met that night. I do remember that the sex was so good that I fainted. If you do manage to track down the father can you send me his phone number? He was really good. Thanks.

4. I don´t know the identity of the father of my daughter. He drives a BMW that now has a hole made by one of my stilettos in one of the door panels. Perhaps you can contact BMW service stations in this area and see if he´s had it replaced.

5. I have never had sex with a man. I am awaiting a letter from the Pope confirming that my son´s conception was immaculate and that he is Christ risen again.

6. I cannot tell you the name of child A´s dad as he informs me that to do so would blow his cover and that would have cataclysmic implications for the British economy. I am torn between doing right by you and right by the country. Please advise.

7. I do not know who the father of my child was as all squaddies look the same to me. I can confirm that he was a Royal Green Jacket.

8. Peter Smith is the father of child A. If you do catch up with him can you ask him what he did with my AC/DC CDs?

9. From the dates it seems that my daughter was conceived at Euro Disney. Maybe it really is the Magic Kingdom.

10. So much about that night is a blur. The only thing that I remember for sure is Delia Smith did a program about eggs earlier in the evening. If I´d have stayed in and watched more TV rather than going to the party at 146 Miller Drive, mine might have remained unfertilized.

Margaret Manning pondered the prevalence of

OBSCURE THREE-LETTER WORDS

I came across this list of so-called obscure three-letter words on some writer´s pages on the Internet. A few of them are not at all obscure to me - it depends what you´re interested in - but most were totally new to me. I´m always surprised at how many very short words there are that are rarely spoken or seen in print.

And I think it would be fun to use the words in a different way. Two such words are "dop" and "fid." How I´d love to go up to someone who´s annoyed me and call him a dop or a fid! Another thought I had was to make up clues for a cryptic crossword where the answers are some of these underused words.

aba - garment of camel or goat hair
aby - to make amends; atone; pay a penalty
ait - small island in lake or river
ala - membranous outgrowth on a plant or animal
alb - long white robe worn by priests
alk - sap or resin from turpentine trees
alt - high musical tone
ama - a Japanese pearl-diver
ana - in equal quantities
ard - plough used to scratch top surface of soil
awn - beard or bristly growth on stalk of grain
bar - unit of pressure of one million dynes per square centimeter
bee - hardwood on either side of bowsprit through which forestays are reeved
bel - unit of noise intensity equal to ten decibels
bis - twice; in two places
bot - larva of a botfly that infests horses
cep - brown edible mushroom
cog - single-masted, square-sailed ship with raised stern
col - depression or pass in a mountain range
cwm - valley or glen
dag - dirty tatted tuft of sheep's wool
dal - a dried legume, such as lentils, beans or peas
dap - to dip gently into water; to fish with a surface fly
daw - simpleton; bird of the crow family
dit - poem; words of a song
dol - unit for measuring intensity of pain
dop - copper cup for holding a diamond while cutting it
eft - again; afterwards
eft - newt
eke - in addition; also; likewise
ell - old unit of length equal to 45 inches
ere - before
erg - unit of work measuring force of one dyne applied
eth - old English letter for voiced Nth sound
fid - conical wooden pin used to splice strands of rope
fie - expression of disgust or disapproval
fub - to put off; to fob
fug - hot; close; smoky state of atmosphere
gad - to wander about idly or in pursuit of pleasure
gal - unit of acceleration of one centimeter per second per second
gar - mild oath
gat - opening or strait between two sandbanks
gib - wedge-shaped piece of metal that holds another in place
gid - brain disease suffered by sheep
gig - light two-wheeled one-horse carriage
hod - V-shaped trough for carrying bricks or mortar on the shoulders
hoy - large one-decked boat
jib - small triangular sail extending from the head of the foremast
jud - mass of coal ready for final removal
jug - sound of the nightingale
jus - law; legal right
keb - ewe that gives birth to stillborn lamb
ked - wingless fly that feeds on livestock
kef - state of dreamy or drug-induced repose
kep - to catch an approaching object or falling liquid
ket - carrion; matted wool
kex - dry hollow plant stalk
kif - drug like marijuana smoked in North Africa
kip - skin of a young animal
kip - unit of weight equivalent to 1000 pounds
kir - drink of black currant syrup and white wine

ED. NOTE: That´s enough for one week! The rest will be published next week.

Shirley Conlon forwards this story:

NEED WASHING?

A little girl had been shopping with her mom in WalMart. She must have been six years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout.. We all stood there, under the awning, just inside the door of the WalMart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day.

I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

Her little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in, "Mom let´s run through the rain," she said.

"What?" Mom asked.

"Let´s run through the rain!" she repeated.

"No, honey. We´ll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied.

This young child waited a minute and repeated: "Mom, let´s run through the rain."

"We´ll get soaked if we do," Mom said.

"No, we won´t, Mom. That´s not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her mom´s arm.

"This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?"

"Don´t you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, ´If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything!´"

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn´t hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one left. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child´s life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.

"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let´s run through the rain. If God lets us get wet, well maybe we just need washing," Mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars, and yes, through the puddles. They got soaked. They were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet.I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no-one can ever take away your precious memories. So don´t forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories every day.

To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven. I hope you still take time to run through the rain.

Kate Brookfield posted these

THOUGHTS TO PONDER

Transvestite: A guy who likes to eat, drink, and be Mary.

My mind works like lightning. One brilliant flash and it is gone.

The only time the world beats a path to your door is if you´re in the bathroom.

I hate sex in the movies. Tried it once. The seat folded up, the drink spilled and that ice, well, never mind.

It used to be only death and taxes were inevitable. Now, of course, there´s shipping and handling, too.

A husband is someone who, after taking the trash out, gives the impression that he just cleaned the whole house.

My next house will have no kitchen - just vending machines and a large trash can.

As we slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point the wrong way.

I signed up for an exercise class and was told to wear loose-fitting clothing. If I HAD any loose-fitting clothing, I wouldn´t have signed up in the first place!

When I was young we used to go "skinny dipping;" now I just "chunky dunk."

Wouldn´t it be nice if whenever we messed up our life we could simply press "Ctrl Alt Delete" and start all over?

Stress is when you wake up screaming and then realize you haven´t fallen asleep yet.

My husband says I never listen to him - at least I think that´s what he said.

Just remember ... if the world didn´t suck, we´d all fall off.

Brain cells come, and brain cells go, but fat cells live forever.

SUGGESTED WEBSITES

Tom Telfer sends this link to a video showing the history of the supersonic Concorde, which could cross the Atlantic in 3.5 hours:

Tom also forwards the URL for a compilation of funny animals from around the world:

In this TED talk, psychologist Jonathan Haidt and Chris Anderson discuss the question, "Can a Divided America Heal:"

Roger Doiron is founding director of Kitchen Gardeners International, a network of people taking a hands-on approach to re-localizing the global food supply. In this TED talk, he advocate for new policies, technologies, investments, and fresh thinking about the role of gardens:

This is the story of four rescued baby crows that were raised by a loving family. They learned to say "hello" and how to become independent. Eventually they were accepted by a family of wild crows. Even though they fly south each winter, two of them always return each spring to literally say hello to the family that saved them:

Remember when you danced like this? Watch these great dancers as they perform in a Rock´n Roll Dance Show: