THE ASSIGNMENT

THE ASSIGNMENT Charlayne and I met, at an "intake conference", for people with "functional disabilities". Actually, the "conference" was nothing more than a staff meeting room, for state workers. Sttill, I had agreed to attend, when case management informed me that the program COULD lead me to some part-time employment, which would aid the pitifully small amount, of benefits, which the federal government allotted its people. When reminded to take along my resume, I packed my flash-drives, with the idea that, if someone wanted a copy, of my resume, for a file, I could print one out, using their OWN computer ink, and paper. While preparing for the "class", I had an idea, for my latest, ghost, mystery, and had entered the story onto a flash drive, as well. Ofcourse, the start, of the "conference" was just paper-work, which was full of very fancy terms. Since this was not a test, just forms completion, when the ebony goddess, beside me, began asking "What does "actuate" (or other words) mean?" I would whisper "Actuate is just a fancy way of saying "Operate, turn on, or open". When the lady whispered "Thank You", I whispered "Any time". After finding a fourth word, which she did not understand, and whispered "I hate to bother you, again", to which I said "No problem, beautiful" After I told her what the next word meant, she whispered "My name is Charlayne, but everyone calls me Charlie". When I said "Glad to meet you, Charlie" We finished the forms, then prepared for the next round. While the next "round" consisted of questions, about auto repair, and maintenance, and I did a "fair" job, in this section, Charlie did a much better job. After this came the "Write a story" round. The rules were simple. "Write about something which you care about, and would post, to the internet, if you could." While the rest, of the class, would spend HOURS, trying to write soomething, which others might want to read, I, simply, posted my current story, using what I THINK is called "Copy-and-Paste". What I did not expect was for the "teacher" to receive a warning "bleep", when a story was posted. When the tone sounded, the teacher would say "I WANT you to take some TIME, and THINK about what you are writing." When I mentioned "I have been working on that story, for a WEEK". the "teacher" seemed angry. In order to display their anger, that I was not "taking the class seriously", the teacher would say "I think we will read his story, now." While the "teacher" began, in a crisp voice, saying "The Haunting Past Mystery oof...", then proceeded to read just the first two pages, they looked at me, even as my fellow students, including Charlie, looked at me. When the "teacher" began speed-reading" the story, the class had to tell them to "slow down", since the class could not understand the rapid-fire words. By the end of "class", the "teacher" looked at me, as if at a loss for words. The "teacher" then told the rest of the students "work on this assignment, for our next meeting." To me, the "teacher" would say "Doont, EVER, do that, again". After the class let out, and the "teacher" showed my "arrogance" to their fellow workers, the "teacher" was surprised when no less then ten, of their co-workers recognized my work, from on-line. Now, the "teacher" did not know WHAT to do. It was not until I was assigned, to a workshop, where students were to be taught HOW to build web-sites, for selling goods, for extra income, that the REAL problem began. While Charlie was in a class, which was discussing the view-points, of Pro-Life, versus Pro-Choice, I was stuck in a "class", where the only things I understood, of the lesson, were when the "teacher" introduced themselves, and the words "Let us begin". After twenty minutes, of listening to the "teacher" talking about SOME-thing, some students began to whisper, while I just got up, and left. When the states observer asked me why I was departing, I told them "I dont understand a word, which the host is talking about." When the observer asked the other students "Does anyone, else, here, not understand the directions?" a few hands went up. This is when the "teacher" would say "I will continue". I was told to report back, for the next class. Before I did so, though, I filed a complaint, saying "That web-site class is no good. The directions are being pressented, for computer programmers, NOT for regular people." After this, I met up with Charlie, whose class was taking a break. Charlie was frustrated by the fact that, every time a point was mentioned, the state worker kept asking for definition. They wanted every statement defined. When I mentioned "They want to understand WHY you feel the way you feel." When Charlie said "I wish I could just tell them, instead of writing things out", I stayed behind, LONG enough, to listen to Charlie, then write out her thoughts. When I asked her "Is this close enough, to your thoughts?" Charlie kissed me as she said "Thank You". When I reported back, for the next web-site design class, it was more of the same. When the state observer would "shhh" some students, for talking, in "class", saying "It is important to LISTEN to what the teacher is saying". When I asked "Listen to WHAT? I haven't understood a word, the "teacher" has said, since they said "Let us begin". When the "teacher" would tell the state worker "I assure you that I have made this as simple as possible", I countered with "Maybe, for computer programmers, but not for regular people". The "teacher" just stared back at me, as I gathered my gear, and told the state worker "Call me when you find someone, who is willing to teach this class, in English." After I walked out, the teacher continued, and students just scratched their heads, over WHAT the teacher was saying. Meanwhile, I met up, with Charlie, who was, now, part of a sub-group, who assignment was to write the debate, over Abortion. Charlie did not know HOW to proceed with this. This is why I took Charlie to the library, and pulled several volumes, on BOTH sides, of the argument. I, then, created two columns, for the subject. One, for Pro-Life, and one, for Pro-Choice. The problem, with Pro-Life was that they enjoyed "translating" scriptures into a form which supported their position. This is why, when presenting the Pro-Life position, I listed first what Pro-Life felt that verse SHOULD say, then posted what scripture actually said. The only easy part, of the Pro-Life view, which everyone knew about, was that Pro-Life was adamant thatt ALL Abortions should be declared First Degree Murder. Any woman, having an Abortion, should be labelled a murderer. On the Pro-Choice side, the issue was far more complex. Charlie and I spent hours, just trying to summarize the Pro-Choice position. After all, Pro-Choice had, NEVER been about "Abortion on Demand." It had, always, been about giving women a choice. Raising a child. Adoption. The choices were, practically, endless. Charlie would inform me, though, that, in her case, she had not had much of a "choice" It seems that each, of the two, men she got pregnant by, had surprised her, when she told them "I am pregnant". Charlie told me that she was approved, for the "procedure" (She HATED the word Abortion), after each, of the potential fathers had belted her, for saying she was pregnant. One, of the men, beat Charlie, enough, that she actually thought that she aborted, during the beating. When medical reports came in, and police reports were filed, Charlie seemed as "guilty" as a child, caught, stealing candy, as she said she had the procedure done. I promised Charlie "As far as I know, no one openly endorses the process. Even I am only Pro-Choice since my fear is that, if women lose their health care rights, that mens rights will be the next to be abolished." I can only guess that Charlie must have been VERY thankful, for my assistance, with the project, since she invited me to spend the night, with her. The next morning, Charrlie had me make her a promise. "If I agree to complete this project, I want you to agree that you will stay, with the computer class, and complete it, no matter what it takes". I would, only say "ONLY because I love you". During the next web-site class, I remembered my promise, to Charlie, and, this time, instead of walking out, when the other students got bored, and began talking, I challenged the state worker, when they said "You must LISTEN, to learn about the subject" I would ask "Listen to WHAT? I dont even know what LANGUAGE the "teacher" is using". When the "teacher" would say "I assure you this class is in English." I would counter with "It is NOT a form of English, which I am familiar with". To cut off the coming debate, the state worker would ask for another, class, poll. This time, almost every hand went up, as the worker asked "Anyone else, who does NOT understand the "teacher"?" When the "teacher" would say "I have simplified it, as much as possible. I cannot make it any simpler" I would counter with "You mean you dont WANT to make it simpler". After several people would say "Damn right", the state worker would suggest that the "teacher" try another approach. Four, more, times, the "teacher" just kept talking, in "tech-talk", until students began to say "Were wasting our time, here. That (teacher) is NOT teaching us anything." Finally, through an almost GROWL, of gritted teeth, the "teacher" would HISS the directions, in plain English. Once this was done, the "teacher" audibly SLAMMED their laptop computer shut, then marched out the door, fuming in visible rage. Then came the part, which none of us expected. The part, where the state worker would say "This was, only, the first half of the class. For those, of you, who wish your Certificate of Completion, you will return, in 90 days, for a review". I had a strong feeling of which sties would fail, first. These would be the sites, where people actually thought that ALL they had to do, to succeed, was put a site on-line. As for myself, I would say that my web-site went pretty well. I wrote, and sold, my stories, on-line, and to a surpringly expanding readership. While I did this, I dated Charlie, and this gave her a chance at first view, of my work. This, however, lead Charlie to a problem, which her teachers had predicted, in school. While Charlie had "bluffed" her way past "No Child Left Behind", and her mother had used threats, of an Affirmative Action lawsuit, if her daughter was not allowed to graduate, with her classmates, Charlie had spent the following years having people, like myself, reading things to her, and telling her what forms meant. This had not been much, of a problem, since Charlie had dated men, who did not read, either. The problem was that, NOW, Charlie was interested in a man, for whom writing was a hobby. There was no way to "bluff", or affirmative action, her way past the fact that she needed to be able to read, in order to appreciate my stories. This is why Charlie made me another deal. As long as I continued writing, she would enroll in Reading class. While Charlie was learning how to read, I was posting my stories, to a web-site where, over my suggestion, of selling stories, at just $2.00 per download, was, romantically, overruled, by Charlie stating "Why not sell at $5.00. I will bet that anyone, willing to pay $2.00, for a good, ghost, mystery, would be willing to pay $5.00, for the same thing". To me, IF the site was a success, this would mean no more set schedules. No bosses, to report to. NO random drug testing. NO doctors notes, if I got sick. At the end of the three months, I dont know why but I felt like the state was not happy with my efforts. Ofcourse, even less happy, were those, whose sites had failed. These people just could not understand that just having a "store" did not guarantee success. At the review, the state worker listed those sites, whose owners were PAYING, out of pocket, while waiting for the site to make money. They just could not understand that a site must have products, for sale, to generate a profit. Most of the sites, had fallen off of the internet grid, once shoppers realized that the site had no merchandise. One web-site owner, was, even facing indictment, over purchasing photo's, from other sites, then posting the pictures on their own site (With-OUT the written permission, of the owner) I did not mind when the state down-played the success, of my site. No one needed to know how much my site was worth ($10 million, and growing, as more people found my classic fiction). While Charlie was proud to be a part of this, and I even offered to make her my heir, Charlie was very clear in that she ONLY wanted TWO things, from me. A Lovers Ring, and some children. No matter how often I reminded my ebony beloved of what a monster I had been, growing up, she just wanted a family. All she would say was "Trust me, I can handle it". Finally, when she realized that I would not give her what she, really, wanted, we shared a break up which was so beautiful that people thought it was a celebration. Still, I had completed my assignment, and I aided Charlie, in completion of her own work. NOT doing it, FOR her, but with her. Thankfully, after our break up, Charlie and I remained good friends, and she remained my primary defender, against any hecklers. I LOVED the way Charlie smiled, every time she would say "What are friends for?"