What We See
Viewing comments for Chapter 10 "What We See - Chapter 8"A wrongly accused teacher reinvents his life
18 total reviews
Comment from Navada
I lile the chat with Tommy about turning teasing into laughter and deflecting the bullies. I also enjoyed the interesting backstory about Alan's Mum and Dad and their tug of love regarding Alan's dyslexia. Thank God for the people who put in the hours with kids.
reply by the author on 05-Feb-2024
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I lile the chat with Tommy about turning teasing into laughter and deflecting the bullies. I also enjoyed the interesting backstory about Alan's Mum and Dad and their tug of love regarding Alan's dyslexia. Thank God for the people who put in the hours with kids.
Comment Written 05-Feb-2024
reply by the author on 05-Feb-2024
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You bet. Especially during those days of the 70s when Alan was a kid and even now in the 80s when this story takes place (1985), it wasn't all that well-known about dyslexia. Many teachers and parents alike didn't recognize that the kids had an actual disability and thought they were either dumb or not applying themselves. Sad.
Comment from jmdg1954
Alan has his business up and running and bring summer vacation for Tommy, we may see a friendship brewing between those two. I'll have to wait and see how the dyslexia folds into the relationship and the "eye candy" mother.
Good chapter,
John
reply by the author on 05-Feb-2024
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Alan has his business up and running and bring summer vacation for Tommy, we may see a friendship brewing between those two. I'll have to wait and see how the dyslexia folds into the relationship and the "eye candy" mother.
Good chapter,
John
Comment Written 05-Feb-2024
reply by the author on 05-Feb-2024
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I like that--eye candy mother!
I know I'll be accused of making Alan and Tommy too coincidentally similar, but it will serve to cement their relationship in a way that nothing else could.
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You have my blessing to work it into the story!
Comment from Tom Horonzy
When was this taking place ... IN THE SIXTIES? SEVENTIES? DO THEY STILL PUBLISH YELLOW PAGES OR, FOR THAT MATTER, PHONE BOOKS?
a tad superfluous using summer back-to-back. The second summer isn't needed. as this was the first official day of vacation rings true, too.
Dyslexia ... I thought was only a reading disorder, so I learned something herein, that it applies to speech as well.
reply by the author on 05-Feb-2024
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When was this taking place ... IN THE SIXTIES? SEVENTIES? DO THEY STILL PUBLISH YELLOW PAGES OR, FOR THAT MATTER, PHONE BOOKS?
a tad superfluous using summer back-to-back. The second summer isn't needed. as this was the first official day of vacation rings true, too.
Dyslexia ... I thought was only a reading disorder, so I learned something herein, that it applies to speech as well.
Comment Written 05-Feb-2024
reply by the author on 05-Feb-2024
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It's 1985, and the internet wasn't around yet, so phone books were still in vogue. That's what did 'em in.
Dyslexia doesn't affect every dylexic's speech, but it's common enough that it is a problem for many. It's not as bad as aphasia, which is caused by brain damage, but is more the inability to find the right word, as when things are often on the tip of your tongue, any you just can't think of the right word, or when you often substitute a similar word for the right one, like saying extinct instead of distinct (or superfluous when you mean repetitious :). It's one of the more common things they look for in diagnosing dyslexia.
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I am unique in that in my youth, I was known to be a malapropism who tried to seduce good reviews by pretending I was smart. Now smart comes naturally. wink-wink.
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You never fooled me! You mean "induce," don't you? (lol)
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See ... old habits rarely choke like frogs!
Comment from Karen Cherry Threadgill
Sounds like this is what he was really made for. Why did he start teaching? I will keep reading of course. I know a lot of things and people held me back, so it is interesting to see what motivates others. Karen :-)
reply by the author on 05-Feb-2024
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Sounds like this is what he was really made for. Why did he start teaching? I will keep reading of course. I know a lot of things and people held me back, so it is interesting to see what motivates others. Karen :-)
Comment Written 05-Feb-2024
reply by the author on 05-Feb-2024
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Let's see if he can maybe combine the two by the end.
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Don't give me hints. That is literary teasing! :-)
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You got me. I'm a tease.
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You keep me hooked. :-)
Comment from barbara.wilkey
I'm glad David/Alan is helping Tommy, and I am also glad he has his first customer. It appears things are working out for him, but I have a feeling something's going to happen. Things can't go this smooth. I am enjoying reading.
reply by the author on 05-Feb-2024
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I'm glad David/Alan is helping Tommy, and I am also glad he has his first customer. It appears things are working out for him, but I have a feeling something's going to happen. Things can't go this smooth. I am enjoying reading.
Comment Written 05-Feb-2024
reply by the author on 05-Feb-2024
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Right you are, Barbara, but trouble won't come for several more chapters yet (although only a couple of days chronologically).
Comment from Wayne Fowler
Nicely written.
When I opened my business the state was merciless: licensing, tax number, highway access, enter/egress access, fire codes, utility accounts and deposits, employee issues - oh my goodness! And on and on. Oh, and Yellow Page ads were EXPENSIVE! not to speak of an internet presence.
reply by the author on 05-Feb-2024
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Nicely written.
When I opened my business the state was merciless: licensing, tax number, highway access, enter/egress access, fire codes, utility accounts and deposits, employee issues - oh my goodness! And on and on. Oh, and Yellow Page ads were EXPENSIVE! not to speak of an internet presence.
Comment Written 05-Feb-2024
reply by the author on 05-Feb-2024
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Thanks, Wayne.
Yikes! What a pain. Are you still in business, and what kind of store was it?
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Sold in '19 (pre Covid!!!!!!)
Full service Laundromat and Mobile Home Park
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How prescient you were to sell it right before Covid! Or were you just lucky?
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lucky
But the wife had a lot to do with selling
(smiley face here)
Comment from Gunner Lil
This reader enjoyed this chapter. Got to know Alan much better,
Dialogue is very good and moves the story along.
This reader would have liked how the store was set up like backroom work shop? Does Alan have any products to sell? Light bulbs, extension cords other small everyday items?
Thank you!
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reply by the author on 05-Feb-2024
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This reader enjoyed this chapter. Got to know Alan much better,
Dialogue is very good and moves the story along.
This reader would have liked how the store was set up like backroom work shop? Does Alan have any products to sell? Light bulbs, extension cords other small everyday items?
Thank you!
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 05-Feb-2024
reply by the author on 05-Feb-2024
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Thanks very much, Gunner. It wasn't in my thinking to have Alan sell products in his store, only repair service, but perhaps he will realize after a while that it may be profitable to sell a few things. I will consider it.
Comment from Debbie D'Arcy
This is excellent, Jim! I love the advice given to Tommy about extending the joke when the wrong word comes out. It's a great method to turn the joke in on oneself and I'm sure a lot of comedians are really very introverted underneath and, maybe, have a lot of similar issues. The friendship between Alan and Tommy is developing nicely and is very credible. I think there may be an error - para starting at 9.05 - (Tommy?) came over to pet him. But this is a very engaging and layered story with great potential which I'll be following. Take care, Debbie
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reply by the author on 05-Feb-2024
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This is excellent, Jim! I love the advice given to Tommy about extending the joke when the wrong word comes out. It's a great method to turn the joke in on oneself and I'm sure a lot of comedians are really very introverted underneath and, maybe, have a lot of similar issues. The friendship between Alan and Tommy is developing nicely and is very credible. I think there may be an error - para starting at 9.05 - (Tommy?) came over to pet him. But this is a very engaging and layered story with great potential which I'll be following. Take care, Debbie
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The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 05-Feb-2024
reply by the author on 05-Feb-2024
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Thanks so much, Debbie, and for that great catch too. It should be Tommy. Don't know how that slipped by me!
Yeah, if you can own your mistakes and laugh about them, that seems to be a good way to stop teasing when they can't get a rise out of you. Bullies like it when they get to you. Takes the fun out of it for them if they can't.