• woof woof

    From George Pope@1:153/757.2 to All on Mon May 24 11:16:50 2021
    Hey, everytbody!

    Anyone here besides Daryl Stout & myself?

    I'm going to try to recall these from memory. . .

    A man ewas traveling long &fasr to see the world. He was up a tall mountain
    in t he Himalayas, seeking ultimate wisdom fro the gurus who lived up there.

    He took refuge at a cabin, as a guest. After a sumptuous meal of yak mutton stew, he laid down on the austere straw-covered cot to sleep, but a haunting humming like melody teased his mind. He asked his host what the words beingchanted were, & was told only the shamans of the sapphire stone were allowed to know.

    The traveller begged & begged, but always got the answer, "You're not a
    shaman of the sapphire stone."

    Finally, he could stand it no longer & asked his hosdt to help him become
    such a shamnan, as he MUST know the words that echoed so sdtrongly in his
    heart & mind.

    Hisd host was secretly a recruiter, so began the training regimen
    immediately.

    No straw on his bed & he could only eat & drink a single cup of broth a day.

    Every dawn he had to get up & run a mile uphill, then crawl back on his
    belly.

    After a month of this austerity, he begged to know the secret words, but was told, "You are not a shaman of the sapphire stone."

    He renewed his efforts to be brought in, continuing the previous regimen, but now he had only half a cup of broth a day & had to run up 2 miles of
    mountain, crzwling back.

    After 6 months he was given a yellow belt for his super itchy yak-hair robe

    He asked if this meant he had passed & become worthy to know the secret
    chant.

    "You are not a shaman of the sapphire stone."

    Another 6 months, but now he had to walk across 100 metres of burning coals every night before his 3 hours of sleep on a cold hard plank.

    Another 6 months, but now he could only have the half cup of broth every
    second day, & only allowed 1.5 hours of sleep each night.

    Still the mystery haunted him & he begged to know the answer, figuring he
    MUST have completed the training & initiation by now.

    His host slowely replied, "You are not a member of the shamans of the
    sapphire stone."

    He continued his training, which only got harder by the month. . .

    Finally, when he weighed only 45 pounds of lean skin & gristle, he was dunked three times in a pool of yak urine, & proclaimed to be a shaman of the
    sapphire stone. . .

    His host led him to the secret chambers, deep in the mountain, following a winding ever upwards path, until they found a cave only 15 inches high &
    wide. He crawled in after his host, & they crawled for 18 hours up, down, left, right, forward, & some times back in his original direction. . .

    Finally they burst into a chamber made of pure sapphire & glowing like the noonday sun. He shaded his eyes from the painful blue glare.
    \
    Ther chief shaman presented him with a sacred scroll containing the text of
    the secret chant. He had MADE IT!

    In glee he awaited that night's chanting time.

    At midnight he joined the circle of shamans & began walking around the
    pulsing central sapphire that seemed to be somehow alive & not only crystal.

    As he began chanting the second line of the chant with his brethrebn, an unearthly glow escaped the centre sapphire & engulfed our curious traveler. Immediately he became all-knowing & immortal.

    Do you want to know what that secret scroll said?

    Sorry, I can't tell you; you're not a shaman of the sapphire stone.

    Your friend,

    <+]:{)}
    Cyberpope, Bishop of ROM
    --- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
    * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757.2)
  • From August Abolins@1:396/45.29 to George Pope on Mon May 24 23:15:00 2021
    Hello George Pope!

    ** On Monday 24.05.21 - 11:16, George Pope wrote to All:

    Hey, everytbody!

    Anyone here besides Daryl Stout & myself?


    I'll pop in every once in a while.

    --
    ../|ug

    --- OpenXP 5.0.50
    * Origin: (1:396/45.29)
  • From George Pope@1:153/757.2 to August Abolins on Tue May 25 08:26:37 2021
    Hello George Pope!

    ** On Monday 24.05.21 - 11:16, George Pope wrote to All:

    Hey, everytbody!

    Anyone here besides Daryl Stout & myself?


    I'll pop in every once in a while.

    Nice to have company! (you forgot your Objoke, though; I'll toss in a couple extra)

    I asked my kids when they wanted to go on vacation. I asked “Would July to August be okay?”
    My son replied, “Why would I lie to August? That’s not nice.”

    I got dad-schooled.
    -=-
    Q: Why do pirates hate May, June July and August?
    A: Because they don't have Arrrrrs in them!

    Q: What month really blows?
    A: August.

    The golden wind:
    August


    Your friend,

    <+]:{)}
    Cyberpope, Bishop of ROM
    --- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
    * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757.2)