Weak in Body, Strong in Mind and Spirit
Chapter 14: the News

Kimberly and Pamela walked back to their tent from the Circle of Elders. The sun was getting low in the western sky.

“Pamela?” I projected.

“Hello Madu,” answered Pamela.

“David contacted me,” I said.

“David? He was able to?”

“I was surprised, but yes. He needs to talk to you about a communication device conversation he had,” I replied. “If you want, you can use me to relay messages since you can’t mindspeak directly to him.”

“OK, I guess I’ll have to, since I don’t have cell service,” answered Pamela. “Where are you?”

“I’m at my peaceful place at the lake. You can come here if you want, or stay there,” I replied.

“To be honest, I’m kind of tired, so I think I’ll stay here,” she answered.

“All right, just give me a moment,” I responded.

“OK Pamela, I’ve made contact.”

“Pamela?” It was David!

“David, I can hear you!” said Pamela.

“I guess we’re just channeling through Madu,” he answered.

“Amazing! Anyway, what’s up?” said Pamela.

“Believe it or not, I had a telephone call from the newspaper back home,” he said.

“The Leader-Herald?” asked Pamela.

“Yes. Herman, a reporter, is now friends with me on Facebook. He messaged me and asked for my telephone number here in Florida,” answered David. “He wanted to interview me about the books I wrote, so I gave our number to him.”

“And?”

“Well, I guess he thought his article might have some interest, since I was pretty well known in Fulton County because of my computer store, the business improvement district, and the Boys & Girls Club,” he answered. “We chatted for awhile, and he said he wished he could get a photo for the article. Well, I made the mistake of telling him that you were home, and he could take your photo, since you’re featured prominently in the books.”

“Well, I guess I could manage that,” she replied. “We plan on leaving the Five Brothers shortly anyway.”

“Um... wait. There’s more,” said David in a low voice.

“David. What did you tell him...” said Pamela in her terse voice. I chuckled to myself. I hate the terse voice.

“Not my fault,” said David. “You can’t blame this on me. I was hit on the head with a tree.”

“David...”

“Well, Herman asked why you were in Fulton County... and it slipped out.”

“What slipped out!?”

I started to laugh. David’s in trouble.

“Well, I told him you and Kim went to visit your Sasquatch.”

“DAVID!!!”

“Don’t try to pin this on me!” said David, somewhat hopelessly.

“Well, I guess that’s not too bad, since your books deal with Sasquatch anyway,” said Pamela.

“Uh... there’s more,” whined David.

“More?” asked Pamela. “What?!”

“He wanted to know if, when Billy T comes to take your photo, if he can meet your Sasquatch.”

“NO!!! You know better than that!” said Pamela in her terse voice. We’re back to the terse voice, I laughed to myself.

“Well wait,” said David. “What about this whole thing about learning tolerance and understanding? Of not automatically fearing and hating those who are different? Isn’t this like that?”

Oooo... David might have her there, I thought to myself. Not bad for a dimwit.

“Well, I don’t know. Maybe I’ll talk to the Elders,” said Pamela. “I’ll have to think about this,”

“OK,” said David.

“OK, I have to run,” said Pamela.

“I love you,” said David.

“I love you too,” said Pamela.

“Madu, you can hang up,” projected Pamela.

“Hang up what?” I answered.

“Disconnect. Stop mindspeaking with David,” she replied.

“Oh, OK,” I said.

Kimberly hadn’t listened in, so Pamela told her about the conversation in their strange sounding language.

“We need to go back to the Elders,” said Pamela.

“OK,” said Kimberly, and back they went.

Pamela and Kimberly arrived at the Circle. Aurora saw them and motioned for them to approach. They did.

“What can we do for you?” asked Aurora.

“Well, I just spoke with David,” she answered. “We mindspoke through Madu.”

“David is your mate?” asked Aurora.

“Yes. He had a telephone call... a communication call... from a reporter for the Leader-Herald,” she continued. “A reporter is a writer, like how David writes his books, only this reporter writes for the Leader-Herald.”

“This Leader-Herald is the reporter’s book?” asked Windago.

“No. Well yes, but it is not as large, and it is published... produced... everyday,” Pamela answered.

The Elders seemed confused.

“I still have a newspaper in the tent. I can get it to show you,” said Kimberly.

“Yes, please do,” said Windago.

Kimberly backed away from the Circle, turned, and walked quickly back to her tent. She soon returned.

“This paper is a week old,” said Kimberly holding it aloft. “I brought it to start fires.”

“Would you bring it to me, please?” asked Windago.

“Sure,” said Kimberly, as she walked around the Circle and handed the newspaper to Windago.

“This is very strange,” said Windago. “It has strange marking on it.”

“That’s writing,” explained Kimberly. “The letters make words, the words make sentences, and the sentences tell a story.”

“Like David’s story?” asked Nakani.

“Well, yes, but much shorter,” said Kimberly.

“What is this story about?” asked Windago pointing at the newspaper.

“The headline says ‘Auto Dealership Coming To Johnstown’,” said Kimberly.

“I don’t understand,” said Windago.

“Well an auto dealership sells vehicles... conveyances... and Johnstown is the name of a place. So the story is about a new dealership opening there.”

“What is this?” asked Windago, pointing.

“That is a photograph. A picture,” said Kimberly.

“Of what?” asked Windago.

“Well, that’s a picture of a woman who died,” said Kimberly. “That’s her obituary. Her death notice.”

“How did she die?” asked Windago with a scowl.

“If I remember right, she was at Mountain Valley Hospice... that’s where very sick people go to be well cared for and comforted as they wait to die. Chances are that she died of cancer, but not always,” replied Kimberly.

“Didn’t her healers have Bitter Nightshade?” asked Aurora.

Kimberly smiled. “Few doctors... healers... believe in natural cures.”

Aurora shook her head.

“Well, the reporter named Herman called David on the ’phone to talk to him about his books,” said Pamela. “David’s first book was about how we first met you, and you us. His second was as we discussed, telling your story so humans... little people, can better understand the keepers of the forest.”

“Yes, we decided that knowledge and understanding teaches tolerance and acceptance,” said Nakani.

“Yes, exactly,” said Pamela. “We have a word for distrust of other cultures. Xenophobia.”

“That’s a big word,” said Nakani.

“It means a fear or hatred of foreigners, people from different cultures, or strangers,” said Pamela.

“I see. Does the reporter named Herman want to write one of his stories about David’s books?” asked Nakani.

“Yes, that’s part of it,” said Pamela.

“Part?” asked Nakani.

“Yes. Herman also said he would have liked a photograph... a picture... for his story,” she said “only David is far away in Florida. David then said that I am near now and perhaps Billy T, the photographer, could take my picture instead.”

“I see. Let us discuss this, Pamela,” said Windago.

“Wait, there’s more. Billy T and Herman would like to meet a Forest Person,” she said.

“Meet? Face to face?” asked Nakani.

“Yes,” said Pamela. “I don’t know if that is a good idea or not, which is why I have come to the Elders for counsel.”

“You have done well, Pamela,” said Windago. “You have learned our ways quickly.”

“David always said I was a fast learner,” said Pamela.

“David is a half fast learner, according to Madu,” said Windago.

Kimberly and Pamela burst into laughter.

“Did I say something funny?” asked Windago, not sure if he liked this laughter.

“Yes, but I’ll have to explain it some other time,” said Pamela. “I think I peed a little.”

Kimberly and Pamela backed away from the Circle and returned to their tent.

“That was funny, Pam,” said Kimberly.

When they arrived, Ady was waiting for them.

“Hi Ady,” they said together.

“Hi. Can we have a fire?” asked Ady.

“I’m getting tired, Ady,” said Kimberly, but she saw a look of disappointment on Ady’s face. “I suppose a small one.”

“Can we have marshmallows? I brought three sticks,” she said.

Kimberly smiled. “OK.”

Kimberly looked at the circle of rocks. In it was a pile of sticks with dead leaves underneath.

“You learn fast too, Ady,” said Kimberly.

Kimberly got the lighter device, and soon there was a cheery fire burning. Then she fetched a container bag of marshmallows. Pamela and Kimberly sat on the ground. They left just enough room for Ady. Ady snuggled in between them. Kimberly handed her a marshmallow which she placed on her stick and toasted in the fire. She began to take it out, but the marshmallow fell off and into the fire.

“That happens to all of us,” said Ady happily.

Kimberly smiled and handed Ady another marshmallow.