(Tom Guthrie continued from Music of the Spheres)
"D*** IT GUTHRIE, GET UP THE F***ING ROPE!" In his mind, Tom never considered physical education to be high on his list of priorities. Being muscular didn't seem especially necessary for his calling in life, but it was a required thing for all students, so he had to do it. Perhaps it just never dawned on the faculty that there were students who were perfectly content with just sitting around in class and maybe doing stuff on campus. Perhaps he could write a letter, maybe petition the school board, anything other than being forced to climb up a large rope.
"YOU MOVIN' OR NOT, KID? I GOT PEOPLE WAITING DOWN 'ERE!" Mr. Smith was a burly man in his late fifties, apparently an age when people lose their indoor voice. For his age, the fellow was surprisingly fit, and still had a good head of hair, although he had a tendency every now and then to talk on and on about his experience in Vietnam, whether or not anyone wanted to hear about it. Tom recognized the current tone in Mr. Smith's voice as a good clue that he was about to do so again, maybe to inspire him somehow to gain ten pounds of muscle in his arms.
"Mr. Smith, can I just get down?" Tom called down, his arms feeling as if they were on fire. The gym teacher just huffed and called up, "GET DOWN? THAT'S QUITTER TALK, AND I DON'T LIKE QUITTERS! WHEN I WAS BACK IN THE JUNGLES..."
Tom sighed and tuned Mr. Smith out. These personal tales of heroics and gumption tended to take a while. Instead, he focused his attentions on the rope. It was knotted on multiple sections, so that people climbing up could rest their feet on it as they climbed up. Tom was on the third knot, staring up at about eight more. With a great effort, he pulled himself up, and settled his legs on the fourth. At this rate, he could be here for a nice long day. Good time to think up material.
'What do you get when you put together a grizzly bear and a human being? A grizzly bear.' Heh. That should get them rolling.
The Limits of Human Endurance
Open Thread
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xylophonefairy†
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((Acacia Saligner continued from Seclusion))
On the next rope over, Acacia swarthed up it, the muscles she had built up in her arms bulging in a strangely Popeye like fashion. She was about a notch above Tom when she noticed him, and could help but feel the need to engage in a little light conversation. She knew Tom well enough, he had been in a few of her classes in both middle and high schools, enough for them to be on first name basis. That didn't stop her using his last name, though.
"Nice one, Guthrie," she said, shaking her head. "You've got Smithy talking about the jungles." She was high up enough to be just out of earshot of the coach who gabbled still below them. She wriggled up another knot, swinging round the rope in glee. She liked being good in Gym, it made her lack of ability in any other subject (save, perhaps, creative writing though she could never admit to enjoying things like poetry). Her high range trainers danced on the knot that she was gripping. It was really difficult to get the knots out of the ropes once they were in, she'd gotten detention once in her sophomore year and had to spen an hour trying to pick them out. Her fingers were bleeding by the end of it, not to mention her nails being ruined.
"If you climb up higher," she said, her voice coming out strangely seductive in a way that she hadn't initially intended, "he can't shout at you any more. An easier target will interest him."
On the next rope over, Acacia swarthed up it, the muscles she had built up in her arms bulging in a strangely Popeye like fashion. She was about a notch above Tom when she noticed him, and could help but feel the need to engage in a little light conversation. She knew Tom well enough, he had been in a few of her classes in both middle and high schools, enough for them to be on first name basis. That didn't stop her using his last name, though.
"Nice one, Guthrie," she said, shaking her head. "You've got Smithy talking about the jungles." She was high up enough to be just out of earshot of the coach who gabbled still below them. She wriggled up another knot, swinging round the rope in glee. She liked being good in Gym, it made her lack of ability in any other subject (save, perhaps, creative writing though she could never admit to enjoying things like poetry). Her high range trainers danced on the knot that she was gripping. It was really difficult to get the knots out of the ropes once they were in, she'd gotten detention once in her sophomore year and had to spen an hour trying to pick them out. Her fingers were bleeding by the end of it, not to mention her nails being ruined.
"If you climb up higher," she said, her voice coming out strangely seductive in a way that she hadn't initially intended, "he can't shout at you any more. An easier target will interest him."
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Why do I have to get stuck right next to a sensible, nice hot girl with better muscles than me? Now I feel like I'm lacking in at least three ways.
With an effort based more on a desire to somehow impress this lady beside him than a desire to prove his might, Tom pulled himself up to the next knot on the rope. He had seen rope climbing done in movies, so he assumed he was just missing some part of the technique. He would get it eventually, but for now, he just wanted to delay on the ropes for as long as humanly possible, taking occasional glances at Acacia.
That's when she opened her mouth to effectively call him a numbskull, and he had never heard anything prettier. Not too many ladies talked to him, let alone in an obviously seductive way, and so he wasn't used to hearing what he had just heard. He probably looked as much like an idiot right now as Acacia painted him to be. Still, to his credit, when his legs accidentally slipped from gripping the rope, he did manage to react by gripping the rope hard with both hands. Hastily pulling himself back up to his mark, he turned to talk back to Acacia, only to notice that she had gone up a few knots past him.
Isn't that always the way?
Pulling himself up to the next knot, Tom spoke in a slightly hushed manner, "Hey, uh...Acacia, do you want to go to the Prom? It's coming up, and I really...don't...uh...hold on a second."
Geez, I probably sound like I'm begging.
"What I mean to say is that I've known you for a while, and I can't think of anyone I'd want to go with more."
Well, a few others, but I know they wouldn't come close to saying yes.
With an effort based more on a desire to somehow impress this lady beside him than a desire to prove his might, Tom pulled himself up to the next knot on the rope. He had seen rope climbing done in movies, so he assumed he was just missing some part of the technique. He would get it eventually, but for now, he just wanted to delay on the ropes for as long as humanly possible, taking occasional glances at Acacia.
That's when she opened her mouth to effectively call him a numbskull, and he had never heard anything prettier. Not too many ladies talked to him, let alone in an obviously seductive way, and so he wasn't used to hearing what he had just heard. He probably looked as much like an idiot right now as Acacia painted him to be. Still, to his credit, when his legs accidentally slipped from gripping the rope, he did manage to react by gripping the rope hard with both hands. Hastily pulling himself back up to his mark, he turned to talk back to Acacia, only to notice that she had gone up a few knots past him.
Isn't that always the way?
Pulling himself up to the next knot, Tom spoke in a slightly hushed manner, "Hey, uh...Acacia, do you want to go to the Prom? It's coming up, and I really...don't...uh...hold on a second."
Geez, I probably sound like I'm begging.
"What I mean to say is that I've known you for a while, and I can't think of anyone I'd want to go with more."
Well, a few others, but I know they wouldn't come close to saying yes.
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xylophonefairy†
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Acacia's heart turned cold as she heard Tom speak, her left hand shook for a minute on the rope before she steadied it. This was not a good reason to fall off when she was about twenty feet up in the air (give or take a yard or two, Acacia had never been very good at guesstimations). Why did she have to flirt with every male person she spoke to? It was always going to lead her into trouble and this was just the kind of thing that could happen. She was immensely relieved to be higher up the rope than Tom was, and pressed her forehead to the know that was right in front of her, shutting her eyes and for a second willing herself away. Her hesitation was giving herself away, the bes tthing to do would be to speak. Put the poor guy out of his misery.
"I -" her voice was thin and strained, she swallowed, at least it wasn't the stupid, seductive tone she'd accidentaly used earlier. Oh just get on with it! "I'm sorry, I'm, uhm, well I'm already going with someone. Max, you know, uh, Max Neill?" It shouldn't come as much of a surprise to Tom, she reasoned with herself. Max and herself were pretty good friends and she was fairly sure that Tom knew that. "But," she added quickly, in an attempt to salvage the relationship, "if I wasn't, I probably would have said yes."
Carefully, Acacia lowered herself so that she was level with Tom. Trying to control her descent, Acacia was struck by the notion that it was actually more difficult to come down in a graceful manner than go up in one. Usually she braved the rope burn and slid down until her feet hit the floor.
"Honest," she added, putting a hand over her heart and managing to look him directly in the eye. She didn't want him to think that she was just saying that. To be honest, if she had been in the hyothesised position, Acacia didn't know what she would have done.
"I -" her voice was thin and strained, she swallowed, at least it wasn't the stupid, seductive tone she'd accidentaly used earlier. Oh just get on with it! "I'm sorry, I'm, uhm, well I'm already going with someone. Max, you know, uh, Max Neill?" It shouldn't come as much of a surprise to Tom, she reasoned with herself. Max and herself were pretty good friends and she was fairly sure that Tom knew that. "But," she added quickly, in an attempt to salvage the relationship, "if I wasn't, I probably would have said yes."
Carefully, Acacia lowered herself so that she was level with Tom. Trying to control her descent, Acacia was struck by the notion that it was actually more difficult to come down in a graceful manner than go up in one. Usually she braved the rope burn and slid down until her feet hit the floor.
"Honest," she added, putting a hand over her heart and managing to look him directly in the eye. She didn't want him to think that she was just saying that. To be honest, if she had been in the hyothesised position, Acacia didn't know what she would have done.
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On the surface, Tom appeared to be taking this news calmly. His face had a casual look about it, and he was nodding at some of the more important parts of Acacia's reply. But inside his head, that was a little different.
How the freakin' heck did that son of a gun Max Neill get her? What does he have that I don't? Son of a GUN! I hate that guy now! DARNIT!
Tom's mother had always taught him to control his language, but he was really considering upping the content level of his dialogue a notch, just for this special occasion. Opening his mouth to speak, he spoke in a voice that was obviously attempting to be indifferent but failing miserably, "That's fine. Have a good time at the prom. You and Max." Shimmying up the rope so that she wasn't eye level with him anymore, he said down to her, "You coming? We've got to finish this before our coach runs out of breath."
For the rest of the session, Tom didn't look at Acacia. He didn't talk, and he didn't smile. He probably would get over this tantrum in a day or two, but until then, he desperately wanted to punch something. Something starting with the letter "M." Sliding down the rope with no regard for burns, he walked over to the locker room, glad to be away from such a girl as Acacia.
(Tom Guthrie continued in Wrestling with the clock)
How the freakin' heck did that son of a gun Max Neill get her? What does he have that I don't? Son of a GUN! I hate that guy now! DARNIT!
Tom's mother had always taught him to control his language, but he was really considering upping the content level of his dialogue a notch, just for this special occasion. Opening his mouth to speak, he spoke in a voice that was obviously attempting to be indifferent but failing miserably, "That's fine. Have a good time at the prom. You and Max." Shimmying up the rope so that she wasn't eye level with him anymore, he said down to her, "You coming? We've got to finish this before our coach runs out of breath."
For the rest of the session, Tom didn't look at Acacia. He didn't talk, and he didn't smile. He probably would get over this tantrum in a day or two, but until then, he desperately wanted to punch something. Something starting with the letter "M." Sliding down the rope with no regard for burns, he walked over to the locker room, glad to be away from such a girl as Acacia.
(Tom Guthrie continued in Wrestling with the clock)
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xylophonefairy†
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Gulping guiltily, Acacia spent the rest of the session purposely lagging behind Tom a little bit. Obviously he was more upset about her rebuffal than he wanted to let on, and she honestly didn't know what she could say to him. Technically she hadn't done anything wrong, and he would come around to see that and they could go back to the same vague friendship that they had before. She twisted her feet around the rope, Coach Smith had worked his way back around to the bit of the room that they were occupying with a couple of dozen others, and was shouting some instruction at her. His voice seemed far away, probably telling her to move faster, but she didn't want to.
The more she thought about it, the more irritated she become with him. Tom, that was, not the coach. If he hadn't done anything quite so ridiculous like asking her to the prom, and it was fairly late in the day by now as well, then they might have been having a nice little chat about the cruelty that was compulsory gym (not that Acacia really minded, but she never let this on to anyone), whether Smithy had ever been mauled by a lion during his time in the jungles, and if the canteen might be serving tacos for lunch. But he'd done it, and it wasn't like she could have said yes, was it? Then she'd have spent the entire Prim trying to dodge around two dates, or she'd have had to tell Max which would be entirely unfair as he'd asked her first and she'd said yes. And she knew Max better.
She saw Tom slide down his rope next to her, and quickly Acacia rushed to the top of her rope and back down it, ignoring the shouts of "finally!" from the coach at the base, and slid down hers as well, somehow avoiding rope burn in her moderate amount of expertise. Her heart hammered as she looked around to see where Tom had gone, another thought had struck her. What if he'd been wanting to ask her but hadn't had the guts or opportunity or something until this moment, and it was already to late? Maybe he was the one that gave her an anonymous Valentine in February (she still didn't know who it was and was starting to come to the conclusion that it was one of the girls on the squad or possibly her mother)? Her stomach churned with a negative anticipation, she breathed noisily through her nose. Not seeing him, Acacia ran out into the hall but he wasn't there, and there was no way she was going to look in the boys locker room.
Sighing sadly, Acacia returned to the adjacent girls locker room, half pricking her ears in case she heard anything through the wall, and gathered her belongings from her locker. She pulled the elastic out of her hair, letting it fall over her shoulders and checked the clock, she had no idea where Tom might have gone and something gave her the feeling that she probably shouldn't go looking for him. Anyway, it was all his fault.
((Acacia Salinger continued in We've Got Spirit, Yes We Do))
The more she thought about it, the more irritated she become with him. Tom, that was, not the coach. If he hadn't done anything quite so ridiculous like asking her to the prom, and it was fairly late in the day by now as well, then they might have been having a nice little chat about the cruelty that was compulsory gym (not that Acacia really minded, but she never let this on to anyone), whether Smithy had ever been mauled by a lion during his time in the jungles, and if the canteen might be serving tacos for lunch. But he'd done it, and it wasn't like she could have said yes, was it? Then she'd have spent the entire Prim trying to dodge around two dates, or she'd have had to tell Max which would be entirely unfair as he'd asked her first and she'd said yes. And she knew Max better.
She saw Tom slide down his rope next to her, and quickly Acacia rushed to the top of her rope and back down it, ignoring the shouts of "finally!" from the coach at the base, and slid down hers as well, somehow avoiding rope burn in her moderate amount of expertise. Her heart hammered as she looked around to see where Tom had gone, another thought had struck her. What if he'd been wanting to ask her but hadn't had the guts or opportunity or something until this moment, and it was already to late? Maybe he was the one that gave her an anonymous Valentine in February (she still didn't know who it was and was starting to come to the conclusion that it was one of the girls on the squad or possibly her mother)? Her stomach churned with a negative anticipation, she breathed noisily through her nose. Not seeing him, Acacia ran out into the hall but he wasn't there, and there was no way she was going to look in the boys locker room.
Sighing sadly, Acacia returned to the adjacent girls locker room, half pricking her ears in case she heard anything through the wall, and gathered her belongings from her locker. She pulled the elastic out of her hair, letting it fall over her shoulders and checked the clock, she had no idea where Tom might have gone and something gave her the feeling that she probably shouldn't go looking for him. Anyway, it was all his fault.
((Acacia Salinger continued in We've Got Spirit, Yes We Do))
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