Chapter (Draft - Dec 31st, 2011)
A Town That No Mirrors
There are no visual reflections in this town. The town people have never clearly seen their own face. There are no cameras, no pictures lying around or photos on the wall. The women don’t use make up because there is no make up in this town. Other than that it’s a pretty normal town. The townspeople work everyday and are hard workers. The younger you are the more time you have for play, but people of all ages can be seen smiling and laughing at least once a day.
Most townspeople have a great love for food. There is a farming district and markets for all to purchase the food. The market is run by the merchants. Every farm has their own merchant who is usually the most talkative male in the family. Although it is not taboo for a woman to work in the market, it has been a mostly male dominant job and few females are the main merchant for their family.
Most merchants have a booming, overwhelming voice. The best can attract the attention of the whole market as they call out their newest product. Some of their calls can be heard from miles away. “McIntosh Apples! The first batch of the season. You have to see it to believe it.” When the first shipment of a seasonal food or new product comes in and is announced, all heads turn toward that stand and quickly lines form to purchase or barter for the new good.
Most of the townsmen know each other, although there is some friendly competition, the farmers have created a system to sustain themselves so the profits from their sales are all surplus. They have the shelter, food and safety they need to live comfortably and then their extra food is sold to the rest of the town. Although there has been competition among the farmers in the past, after the new sustainability pact was established, it has only been friendly. Competition definitely keeps things moving.
On the opposite side of town is the education district. Students begin school at the age of 5. The town has a 99% literacy rate and surprisingly many students come into school with the ability to read. Most parents teach their children how to read before they enter school. Well actually most parents read and sing to their children and the child slowly but surely picks up the language. Some children come in without an ability to read and start off behind the other students. Although these students may get off to a slow start, this school has a knack for teaching their students how to read and improve their reading skills.
The first school children enter is Exploration school. Children are grouped with other children their age and are able to interact with one another. Half the day is spent outside during the warmer months. Games teaching cooperation and problem solving are taught to the students. As the years go on, if the children choose to, they may spend less of their day with outdoor activities and more with indoor activities. Some of the most popular indoor classes through the years have been music, science and woodshop.
Out on a soccer field, on the first day of spring, trees surrounded the field leaving small patches of shade on the outer edges. The field was big enough to fit two soccer field. Well one soccer field shared it’s 18 yard box with 2nd base and a bit of center field of a baseball field, but they don’t play over there unless they have to. The seasonally brighter sun shined down upon the green blades of grass struggling to get sunlight, as these big black shoes squashed them down to the dirt. Fourty-four black shoes to be exact, the first “official 11 v. 11” scrimmage was always the first day of spring.
There are no visual reflections in this town. The town people have never clearly seen their own face. There are no cameras, no pictures lying around or photos on the wall. The women don’t use make up because there is no make up in this town. Other than that it’s a pretty normal town. The townspeople work everyday and are hard workers. The younger you are the more time you have for play, but people of all ages can be seen smiling and laughing at least once a day.
Most townspeople have a great love for food. There is a farming district and markets for all to purchase the food. The market is run by the merchants. Every farm has their own merchant who is usually the most talkative male in the family. Although it is not taboo for a woman to work in the market, it has been a mostly male dominant job and few females are the main merchant for their family.
Most merchants have a booming, overwhelming voice. The best can attract the attention of the whole market as they call out their newest product. Some of their calls can be heard from miles away. “McIntosh Apples! The first batch of the season. You have to see it to believe it.” When the first shipment of a seasonal food or new product comes in and is announced, all heads turn toward that stand and quickly lines form to purchase or barter for the new good.
Most of the townsmen know each other, although there is some friendly competition, the farmers have created a system to sustain themselves so the profits from their sales are all surplus. They have the shelter, food and safety they need to live comfortably and then their extra food is sold to the rest of the town. Although there has been competition among the farmers in the past, after the new sustainability pact was established, it has only been friendly. Competition definitely keeps things moving.
On the opposite side of town is the education district. Students begin school at the age of 5. The town has a 99% literacy rate and surprisingly many students come into school with the ability to read. Most parents teach their children how to read before they enter school. Well actually most parents read and sing to their children and the child slowly but surely picks up the language. Some children come in without an ability to read and start off behind the other students. Although these students may get off to a slow start, this school has a knack for teaching their students how to read and improve their reading skills.
The first school children enter is Exploration school. Children are grouped with other children their age and are able to interact with one another. Half the day is spent outside during the warmer months. Games teaching cooperation and problem solving are taught to the students. As the years go on, if the children choose to, they may spend less of their day with outdoor activities and more with indoor activities. Some of the most popular indoor classes through the years have been music, science and woodshop.
Out on a soccer field, on the first day of spring, trees surrounded the field leaving small patches of shade on the outer edges. The field was big enough to fit two soccer field. Well one soccer field shared it’s 18 yard box with 2nd base and a bit of center field of a baseball field, but they don’t play over there unless they have to. The seasonally brighter sun shined down upon the green blades of grass struggling to get sunlight, as these big black shoes squashed them down to the dirt. Fourty-four black shoes to be exact, the first “official 11 v. 11” scrimmage was always the first day of spring.
--
"Can you see?" The boy yelled to his friend down the cliff.
The two boys should not have been where they were and Marty should not have been down the cliff. Nobody has been down there for years. All the townspeople believe that nobody would ever go down there. This was the only place you could see a reflection of yourself other than if they visited the painter, but nobody visited the painter when they were a child. A small pond formed at the bottom of the cliff from the rain storm the night before. The pond is only noticeable the morning after a larger than average storm.
Marty and Alex thought of this plan a week before the storm was announced. Although, the boys may not have realized it they were trying to find their place in life. They established themselves in exploration school and intermediate school, but they just began Pre-Real school and they were lost. Marty had read a Tall Tale, an old wives tales told in this town about a boy who looks into the pond and his life changed. After he realized that by looking into still water he would be able to see himself, he was determined to reach the storm pond. Marty just wanted to know who he was.
"Can you see?" Alex yelled again.
Marty had finally reached the pond. He had been waiting eagerly the entire week, his entire life, to be in the place that he was standing, but now that he was there, the reality of the situation was hard to grasp. With one step and a drop of the head, Marty would see himself for the first time. Perhaps, he was scared to see the image of a boy looking at him. He would have no previous image to compare it to. He wouldn't know how much he changed because he's never seen himself before. He had some idea of what he looked like by looking at his friends and family, but he could not be sure of what face would stare back at him.
Marty lives in a town with no mirrors. The town people have never clearly seen their own face. There are no cameras, no photos lying around, and no mirrors in their homes or bathrooms. The women don’t use make up because there is no make up in this town.
Marty yells to Alex, "I'm scared."
Alex laughs and says, "All you have to do is look down."
"Can you see?" The boy yelled to his friend down the cliff.
The two boys should not have been where they were and Marty should not have been down the cliff. Nobody has been down there for years. All the townspeople believe that nobody would ever go down there. This was the only place you could see a reflection of yourself other than if they visited the painter, but nobody visited the painter when they were a child. A small pond formed at the bottom of the cliff from the rain storm the night before. The pond is only noticeable the morning after a larger than average storm.
Marty and Alex thought of this plan a week before the storm was announced. Although, the boys may not have realized it they were trying to find their place in life. They established themselves in exploration school and intermediate school, but they just began Pre-Real school and they were lost. Marty had read a Tall Tale, an old wives tales told in this town about a boy who looks into the pond and his life changed. After he realized that by looking into still water he would be able to see himself, he was determined to reach the storm pond. Marty just wanted to know who he was.
"Can you see?" Alex yelled again.
Marty had finally reached the pond. He had been waiting eagerly the entire week, his entire life, to be in the place that he was standing, but now that he was there, the reality of the situation was hard to grasp. With one step and a drop of the head, Marty would see himself for the first time. Perhaps, he was scared to see the image of a boy looking at him. He would have no previous image to compare it to. He wouldn't know how much he changed because he's never seen himself before. He had some idea of what he looked like by looking at his friends and family, but he could not be sure of what face would stare back at him.
Marty lives in a town with no mirrors. The town people have never clearly seen their own face. There are no cameras, no photos lying around, and no mirrors in their homes or bathrooms. The women don’t use make up because there is no make up in this town.
Marty yells to Alex, "I'm scared."
Alex laughs and says, "All you have to do is look down."
