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CSUDH - Habermas - UWP

California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Soka University Japan, Transcend Art and Peace
Created: November 3, 2001
Latest Update: November 3, 2001
jeannecurran@habermas.org

The November Novel - Day 3
Chapter 1: NOW as a Goldfish

Copyright: Jeanne Curran, November 2001.
"Fair use" encouraged.

Enough of this. You could depress yourself this way. You've absolutely got to get some self-tests up. the kids like them, and they need something fun to coax them back into studying. See, hat didn't take too long. You'd better not look at your e-mail. That could take an hour. And then you'll be late for school again.

But what if Susan wrote?

OK. Read the e-mail.

Oh, look at this! The military detained a member of the Green Party USA. She was opposed to the bombing of Afghanistan, so she is too much of a menace to fly to Chicago. Oh, I have to get this up. This is such a beautiful example of the constraints imposed by dominant discourse, particularly when we've got cheerleaders whipping up the enthusiasm of the crowd.

And look at what Teidra and Kizzie just wrote: they're questioning whether parents, teachers, friends aren't all fundamentalists, in that they try to keep us on a straight and narrow path. Good thinking. That will let me explain the underlying certainty of "knowingness" and how we harm others when we make the assumption that we "know" what they need. These kids are getting good!

Now I really ought to have some breakfast and get out of here. It's already 10 o'clock . . . . 11:30?? How did that happen? I'm late again. And I didn't even get to the Hab list.

What do you mean, I didn't give you lunch. I'm late, can't you see? Arnold will feed you when he comes back. Besides the Cat Lady says that cats and dogs only need to eat once a day. A lot she knows. All right, all right. I'll feed you. Oh, Racer, not you, too? It's not polite to howl outside of a neighbor's door. You can't be hungry. All right, come in. I know, I know, Cleopatra, Racer is eating on the counter. Here, here's another serving for you.

Racer, you have to go, or you might be locked in for hours. Racer, I'm late. Please go. No, Cleopatra, not you. Racer.

Now, I'm really late. Oh, the garage opener isn't here. That's OK. I'll just push the button and run out before the door comes down. Do I have everything, because without the garage opener, I won't be able to get back in. Everything or not, here I go.

. . . .

Slubberdegullion. That hurts. I can get up. . . . No, I can't. But I can back up and lean against the garage door. That 's better. . . . And there comes Mary.

"Jeanne, are you OK? Kathy's here. Shall I send her down?"

"Well, no. I'll be fine."

"Jeanne, you're sitting on the ground."

"Well, yes, Mary. I kind of noticed. The garage door came down a little too fast."

"Can you get up? Are you OK?"

"Well, I think I'll just sit here for a minute or two. I'll be fine."

Of course I'm OK. I just scraped a knee, tore my stocking, bruised my rear end when I fell over the briefcase I was wheeling out, and don't have a key to get back in. Nevermind that I look ridiculous sprawled out here like a rag doll. It's gonna be a great day.

531 words. I counted them.