Tuesday, January 15, 2013

The Apes of Idleness

For this week's Trifecta challenge, we have been asked to use the third definition of the word, "idle" which, in this instance, means lazy or shiftless.    My entry in the community-judged challenge incorporates the gap between the generations, with regard to technology, music, poetry and learning.  In the end, you are never too old or too young to learn and grow.   Enjoy.






The Apes of Idleness


One lovely Spring day, an old man sat on a bench in the park. Trees were all a-bud. Daffodils were timidly peeking out from beneath their blanket of soil.  Birds flitted about joyfully.  

As he sat, he noticed a group of teenagers leaning against a tree.  Heads back. Eyes closed.  Ear phones in their ears.  They made no noise.  They simply sat there, idle occupants of their own thoughts.

The longer he sat, the more his mood darkened.   Unable to bear it any longer, he pointed a gnarled finger and shouted, "Aren't you supposed to be in school at this hour instead of wasting your time listening to that noise?!"

One young man removed his earbuds.  "Did you say, school, sir?  I am in school, sir."  He tapped his electronic tablet.

"Don't get smart with me!" snarled the old man.  

The young man walked over.   "I am not trying to be rude sir but, I am, actually, in school right now.  We all are.  We study at an on-line virtual school through our computers."

The old man wore a confused expression.

"We don't need books or buildings anymore.  When you saw us, we were reading or, should I say, listening to Shakespeare, for our English course.  Do you want to listen, too?"

The old man hesitated.  The young man took his earbuds out of the jack.  Soon, the dulcet tones of an English actor filled the air.

"....And, to the English Court assemble now,
  From every region, apes of idleness!"

"It's Shakespeare, sir.  Henry VI, to be exact."   The young man smiled. The old man's eyes glistened.   Then, he slowly pointed at the tablet.

"Do you have any...... Sinatra ......  in that thing?"

The young man tapped on the screen and soon, the sound of Old Blue Eyes soared into the air.  The old man began to sing.  As he did, the rest of the teenagers gathered around. They listened to the old man's poetry.   One beautiful spring day in the park.










20 comments:

  1. Modern technology can be confusing.

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    1. Maybe it is just a phase in my life but, I seem to be surrounded by seniors who don't understand technology. For some, it is endlessly frustrating for others, revelatory. Thanks for your comments, Joe.

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  2. a collaborative lesson for all :)

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    1. I love watching people who think they have all the answers they need, end up learning something new and interesting. Thanks for your comments.

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  3. This actually brought tears to my eyes. Your writing actually took me to the park with them.

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    1. High praise, indeed, from a writer I greatly admire! Thank you very much!
      I am glad this story touched you in some way. For me, I know that there are lots of good kids out there, that the nature of schools and learning is much different now and that there are lots of seniors who look at today's world and wish for a simpler time. Not sure where some of these ideas come from but, regardless, I am glad it worked for you. :)

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  4. Aw, this is lovely - what a great twist of stereotypes! Love it!

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    1. We are all guilty of rushing to judgment, at times, aren't we? I am glad this story spoke to that for you. Thank you for your comments. I appreciated them deeply.

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  5. I really enjoyed this - especially that the "bad boys" were actually good!

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  6. Lots of good kids out there, even boys! :) Thanks for your comments, Stacie!

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  7. Sitting out in the park on a beautiful day listening to Shakespeare? Sounds perfect to me! Nice story.

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  8. Oh,such a lovely story-loved how you bridged the generation gap-great way to look at things:-)Very inspiring!

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  9. Beautiful. I love how the modern (technology) and the classic (Shakespeare and Sinatra) connected the generations.

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  10. I like how this bucks stereotypes. The boys were polite and not belligerent, the old man was willing to listen and they boys had something beside rap (or whatever it is my son keeps trying to get me like). Another lesson in not judging books by the covers.

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  11. This just made me smile.
    I was there in the park with them. And when the old man sang, I heard.

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  12. Lovely story, Education comes to us in all sorts of ways.

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  13. I like how polite the teenagers are to the old guy. And I love that the young have something for the old and the old for the young. A perfect story.

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  14. Wouldn't it be great if this really happened? The young teaching the old and the old teaching the young. Great concept.

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  15. I love it that they shared with - rather than "schooled" the old man. :)

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