Z. Zero

Zac was a zealous student, interested in Zionism and Zoroastrianism. Sadly he could remember zilch, zip and zero about spelling. The last letter of the Western alphabet; a metaphor for his life: a big fat Z. He longed for the sizzling zing of success. But he zipped his mouth with this score.

Zac wanted to zoom into oblivion. He felt like a zombie, totally zonked.

He belonged in a zoo for freaks, had no zest for life. He’d have to zig-zag out of the school yard zone to avoid the zap of the bullies who had zero tolerance for difference.

A Drabble is a story told in 100 words. No more, no less.

Cheers!  :D

I'll be back Monday to wrap up with Lee at Tossing it Out who has generously devoted so much time to hosting the A-Z Blogging Challenge this April.

Over at traverselife, I've spent the month looking at different aspects of bullying.
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W. Weirdo

For all the kids who are different in some way and don't fit in.
*
Kids at school laughed at me with derision

Called me weird

A no hoper

A loser

Socially inept, I kept to myself, content and apart, not comprehended their need for togetherness. Touching made me withdraw physically, left me cold and shrinking from the grasp. It felt distasteful, alien, intrusive.

I enjoy numbers and graphs, their lack of ambiguity. Working alone using logic clean and clear is safe. This graph, showing heart rate and age, the result of time well spent.

I’m working on an iPad app for it next.

Those same kids will use it; they won’t laugh this time.

"Chart"

Terry J. DuBose

from Wikimedia Commons

A Drabble is a story told in 100 words. No more, no less.

This Drabble first appeared in  The Burrow Valentine's Feature 2011, hosted by Burrowers, Books & Bladerdash. 

Here tomorrow: X. Dr Xing

Over at traverselife, I'm spending the month looking at different aspects of bullying.
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R. Reliable x 2

The reliable *rancher rearranged the rotation of the crops to reduce stress and strain on the soil used for raising seedlings.

Market Garden, near Springvale Vic. Due to be subdivided for housing.

Ruby wanted to radically reduce the residue from poisoned run-off, which was going into the rancid rivers.

Rainfall had been increasingly random which was leading to unreliable reserves. It was realised that reservoirs needed to be re-engineered and that the focus needed to be on realigning responsibilities to reflect the change.

Soil needed to be rehabilitated and reserves of groundwater stabilised. There needs to be responsible re-organisation of resources, to reduce risking the revulsion and wrath of future generations.

Erosion as a result of poor land management.

***
*the words Market Gardener simply didn't work.

***

And now a Drabble for a fellow blogger who gives huge amounts of time and shares his expertise very generously on the Blogger forum as well as in his blog the Report. Introducing Roberto.....
*
Roberto’s Report – It’s reliable!

Have you ever had the experience of ranting and railing after wracking your brain, and everything is still wrong. You feel like a wraith from your recurrent dreams of wrong-doings. You repeated the directions, but nothing’s going right. It’s ridiculous! You’re in a rage ‘cos your blog simply isn’t rocking.

Repeated requests to your usually ritzy sources are greeted with ribald laughter and rollicking derision.

Contact reliable Roberto!

His “Report” is a ripper! He’s respectful, rational, and reasonable; you’ll soon be able to relax, recline and rejoice after having your problems solved, no matter how random.
*

A Drabble is a story told in 100 words No more, no less.

Here tomorrow: Shilly-shally

Over at traverselife, I'm spending the month looking at different aspects of bullying.

J. Justice & Jam

This one is for adult dyslexics:

*
A true story:
John juggled time between home and work, but spelling left him jangled and jaundiced. He was interviewed by a journalist; it seemed like a jolly good idea to shed light on his ‘disability’ to give others hope that they could make it, and weren’t jinxed.

His jumped-up university disagreed, and questioned his judgement. There was no justice, just jeering and jibes. It was no joke, he lost his job. Jettisoned! There’s no way to jazz it up. They acted like juveniles; said it was justified. He joined a less judgmental university and regained his joie de vivre.

Graffiti art. Berlin 2009.

***

Last June I tried making Jam   :(

My brother Jeremy invited me to pick his juicy kumquats at his joint in Jerilderie.

By jingo! Obviously I didn’t know what I was doing, and made a jaundicy kind of mess. My joyful neighbour Jenny advised me not to take my marmalade* to be judged by the jolly ladies at the CWA**. They're too polite to jeer but they might set their jowls into a jagged line. They’d judder and banish me to a jail in Johor where I’d write a jingle about jellybeans and wait for my mates to bring some jelly.
***

*Jam and Marmalade should not be confused :(
**Country Women's Association = wonderful recipes!

Mine's the one that needs a hack saw to remove from the jar, you need to carve it out in slabs and it's unspreadable...sigh. It's OK grilled on pork chops though. Any other suggestions on how to use it up will be gratefully received. Otherwise - compost time!


Here tomorrow: K. Knowledge

A drabble is a story told in 100 words. No more, no less.

Over at traverselife I'm spending the month looking at Workplace bullying.

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I. Inspiring. A-Z challenge

Sir David Attenborough is an intelligent individual with high ideals. At times he appears quite impish! There’s no way you could use the word indifferent in regard to him. He appears to love insects and although he is an important person he’s not insensitive, inhospitable, impatient or intolerant - to the best of my knowledge anyhow.

He inspects the insects with great intensity and passion. During his illustrious career he’s been involved in imaginative ways to present inspired, informed commentary. I find him illuminating when he imparts his awesome knowledge. He’s been instrumental in instilling interesting facts into many young people.

And for the children with learning difficulties

This well informed child can discuss Issac Newton with illustrious individuals and inquires intensely. He isn’t ignorant!

But he can’t spell, so is called illiterate.

He’s incapable of absorbing what the ignoramus in the classroom grasps with infuriating ease. Intense effort leaves him itchy and irritable – he knows it’s important!

Progress is insignificant as inch by painful inch he grapples with letters and words. It’s so inconsistent, he wonders if he’s insane. He can spell inspirational one day, but not the next.

Ignorant environments are inhospitable if you can’t spell, interesting and eloquent conversation counts for nought. Insults abound.

Here tomorrow: Justice & Jam


A Drabble is a story told in 100 words. No more, no less.


How to make a hyperlink signature here

Over at traverselife, I'm spending the month looking at different aspects of bullying.
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H. Horrible feelings & Hearing

Have you ever had that horrible feeling that you’ve been hypnotized into hiding from hearing about the ill-health of our home, planet Earth? Many humble people talk about healing her with kind humour, but hard headed businessmen hush them haughtily and harass them, saying the ideas are either too hard, or harrumph with a: “Ho Hum, what would you know?”

Humble Holiness - The Dalai Lama

Some creatures including Polar Bears are past their heyday and disappearing without much hoopla. I wonder if there’s a hidden agenda too hideous to contemplate. If so, I’ll find it hard to avoid a hurried swig from my hip flask.

Now one for the children with learning difficulties.

Sometimes kids can’t hear properly and get hell at school because they mistake Health for History. The teacher hollers: “How come you’re so hopeless?”

The child hides; hollering hurts their ears, it doesn’t help. Have them checked for *APD, which could make a helluva lot of difference in how they handle tasks. They might not even hate having to go to school. Hip, hip hooray!

Don’t be hijacked by those who say: “It’s ok, he’ll grow out of it, he just needs to choose to listen better”. The little tyke needs help, hugs and high fives, not harassing and hounding.

* Audtiory Processing Disorder.

***

A Drabble is a story told in 100 words. No more, no less.

Here tomorrow: Inspiring


How to make a hyperlink signature here

Over at traverselife, I'm spending the month looking at different aspects of bullying.
.

C: Climate & Children. A-Z challenge.

The conversation about climate seems to have changed into a general acceptance that mankind hasn’t helped, and may even have created a fair bit of the coming crappiness. The cycle of change is there of course, but too many organizations want to capitalize by creating quick profits and use the catchcry of "constant growth" rather than calling for restraint for all our communities.

It’s challenging to convey the complex ideas clearly, but surely no one wants a cataclysm or catastrophe?

Couldn’t we curtail our ceaseless consumption so we don’t end up down the creek without a canoe or a paddle?

Down the creek without a paddle - or a canoe.

***

Children with learning difficulties are often chided by usually caring teachers for being careless with their ABC’s. Sometimes the teachers use contemptuous words like “CRAP!” The kiddies cringe; they’re trying as carefully as they can – they can’t do more.

Often, so painfully often, they cry themselves to sleep and dread the constant cry of “FAILURE”. Many seek counselling as adults even though they have proven themselves to be creative and courageous. The constant misunderstanding and contemptuous criticism felt catastrophic - simply too cruel. Unfortunately some get caught in a life of crime because the mainstream community has shunned them so consistently.

Some people with learning difficulties feel
like they just don't belong.

***

A drabble is a story told in 100 words. No more, no less.

Here tomorrow Distinguished scientists.

Over at traverselife, I'm spending the month looking at different aspects of bullying.
.