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Rudyard Rap10.7.97
If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and
blaming it on you...
Every month or so Shelton checks in with me on the issue of whether or
not he will be spending the night in this house. Originally, months and
months ago, my answer was no. As time passes my answers have changed
somewhat--"Hell no, Gosh I don't think so, Nope, Not gonna happen,
Probably not, and, No indeed."
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, but make allowances for
their doubting too...
I thought we had resolved the issue when Shelton traded all potential
overnight privileges for the opportunity to shave with an old fashioned
razor (without blade) this past summer. I reminded him of this the other
night when he brought up the subject of an overnight visit. "To be
honest Shelton, I couldn't believe it when you traded so cheaply," I
said.
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting...
Often over the months I have thought that if Shelton could memorize this
poem that I had to memorize when I was thirteen, I would let him stay
over for a night. But the poem was not readily available at the branch
library so I kinda forgot about it. I asked Mandy the other day if she'd
had any luck finding it on the Internet and she said she downloaded the
poem about six months ago.
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies...
So I gave the printout to Shelton last night and he sat on the porch with
Mandy, and after studying the poem for a few moments, he began crying,
and wadded up the paper and threw it on the sidewalk. Mandy tried to
coach him some and Shelton said he hated her.
Or being hated, don't give way to hating...
Tonight, he and Mandy are back on the porch, the poem wrinkled and soft
as tissue paper. Shelton runs in here every few minutes while I write
this and recites two or three lines at a time. On his third visit he
asks for a bowl of cereal. "Sure, go ahead," I say.
But don't look too good, nor talk too wise...
"You're gonna get it Shelton."