The Mad Scientist

Okay, I'll explain a little something--last night there was some kind of halloween party thing in the library and I had to cut it short. ("Why do you look at me when you say short!" --Napoleon) Anybody I emailed also got short, clipped answers. Sorry.

Yesterday morning, rain was falling enchantingly outside. I put on my thiwuba, which I was glad to have fixed recently (and it looks even more peasant-ish because of the stitches that are neat, yet visible).

I stepped out of the front door, grinning like a weirdo but knowing it and not even caring. It's like in the books when the person says,

"The sun's up! It's a beautiful day!"

I had to go walking. So, stepping in every puddle on that broken road, I made my way slowly to the nearest cross-road.

I lifted my hands up and felt the rain falling on my palms and face, and saw--or felt--the whole land and city, covered in a colorless gray... the most exciting feeling flooding me.

As I walked home slowly, I paused to dip my feet into another cold puddle that looked especially clean. Then, either hearing something or seeing something, I looked up to the left and there stood an old man is his doorway, also smiling, just like me. He was going bald just at the top, but he had a beard and a quantity of hair on either side of his head that was white, and somehow thin and bushy at the same time. I wanted to laugh because he looked like a "mad scientist". He waved a little and I said,

"Hi," my voice surprising me.

After walking slowly a little more, I leapt forward and ran the rest of the way home because I was exhilarated. Then I walked in quietly like nothing had happened. I think I felt lively all day, till about five when we quit.

Of course, I'm getting a little ahead of myself, for we had a deliciously wonderful job!

My, badness, we had to destroy a wall of lath and plaster. So much fun! Oh, so much fun.

I swung that sledgehammer and broke the plaster, and it fell with crashes and explosive noises just when you didn't exactly expect it. I got hit on the head with it probably three or four times, and it's like a rock hitting you! It just added to the fun, though, of jumping back and keeping a lookout.

Then we went through and tried to break the lath with our fists or feet or palms, but only our feet could do it.

After Ephraim got tired of that, I got to swing that sledgehammer again!

Then we tore the wood off the two-by-fours and piled it in buckets, and when the outside garbage got full we put it in some super flimsy garbage bags.

And then I got to swing that hammer some more! There were three layers of sheet rock atween the bathroom and the two-by-fours, and I decided to bust right through. My badness, that was very fun, even if I can't use my left arm today. Then I sat atop large piece of plywood that had one been used as part of the wall, and tore away at the rest of the sheet rock above me. A lot of dust got in my hair, and I took a bath afterward. I love being able to just do that.

Sorry, I know this post is getting long but I've gotta mention an other thing.

Last night Ephraim and I played civilization. I went to war with Askia, and even though I'm really technologically advanced, I didn't manage to do much except take one of his ships with a privateer.

Since now Ephraim and I were both advanced way ahead of the other civilizations, we were bored and decided to start a new game next time, that was a higher difficulty.

That was great. Okay, one more thing.

Last night it was still raining. I went outside. Why wasn't anybody else on their front porches watching the rain, or standing in it? Because they're smart enough not to get wet for no reason, my sensible self answered.
Well, I'm gonna check the mail. Grandma Betsy said... Ah! Here was one, most assuredly from her!
I took it inside, wishing Ephraim would get excited with me. He is annoying. I love getting mail, but he just goes,
"Oh. Let's open it later." I think he might like it too, but he sure acts like he doesn't. Sorry; I was slipping into phrases and speech that I deem "not my style". I'll switch back.
So, I opened it, and read it immediately, and I will not disclose the contents here because this is a blog.
But I was very happy!

Mama, I think that because you are the one that manages the household, you contain the essence of our Home. Wherever you are, that's where our family seems to belong the best. I love you.

I told Sifu that
"Tonight I'm gonna wander around and spy on little kids wearing weird outfits, while wearing a weird outfit that to me is not weird. It's my Goodenough halloween tradition."
That's true. Asaph and Zuriel and me and sometimes Naphti would walk around on halloween and watch trick-or-treaters.
Oh, and I have a reason for not capitalizing some words (like "halloween"). It's guessable though, and I don't have time to explain, so, finally, The End!