December 24, 2003
Although a full recounting of recent events will have to wait for a few days more, I would like to provide you with a story and a nice picture to send you into the holiday season on a positive note. You may remember the Hero vs Villain trials I was running a couple months ago. To recap, students are asked to select a hero and a villain, and then they must tell the story of their encounter using no more than five lines. The following story comes from Akiko, Kae and Rie. (To be honest, it was an Akiko-dominated affair. The strong areas of her vocabulary really show up in the final product, especially that first sentence. Rie had some input, particularly where exclamation points are concerned, but Kae took the Ringo role and mostly just gaped at the other two. Still, I will credit all three of them.) I believe it is a powerful piece of work and I would like to share it with you and with the armed forces everywhere.
HERO: SUPERMAN
VILLAIN: SADDAM HUSSEIN
1. Saddam Hussein is so selfish and mean to people and one day he hit his friend.
2. His friend told Superman what he did.
3. Superman wanted to help him.
4. So Superman fight with Saddam Hussein.
5. Finally Superman win, and Saddam Hussein run away!
RESULT: Superman d. Saddam Hussein, TKO.
Let those who hit their friends be warned that that shit will not be tolerated in the new year or any year to come. And now, continuing the theme of friendship, it will come as no surprise that the picture is of monkeys.
I am off to Hiroshima on an overnight bus. Happy holidays!