Initiation week. Clutches of condiment-covered initiates roam through the golden afternoon shouting, “Woohoo! School spirit! Woohoo!” A cellphone chimes and one of them drops out to take the call. A semi-conversation follows ending in a pledge to be there in five, hangup, then a moment of disorientation at the realization that the mustardy group has moved on, at which point Shayne and Shawn move in.
Shayne: “Hey, join tai chi club!”
Shawn: “Yeah, total fitness and spiritual harmony!”
Shayne: “Instant improvement of focus ability!”
Shawn: “Make the honour list no problem!”
Shayne: “She joining, and him, and that one over there!”
Shawn: “Friendship, happiness, have a social time!”
Shayne: “Secrets of ancient art reveal!”
Shawn: “Come on, come on!”
Initiate: “Yeah, okay, all right!”
[Page 28: panel 1] A hunched figure flees along a snowy street. [28:2] In the shadow of the coat’s hood the fugitive’s eye twists toward the snow beating on its shoulder. [28:3] Ahead, two children hide behind a parked car. [Inset] Their malicious eyes. [28:4] The figure hurries past them on the road. [28:5] The children hurl snowballs at the figure’s back, yelling “Leblanc! Leblanc!” and “Vampire!” [28:6] The figure in the distance, running.
“This story rocks,” says Jake, already reaching for sheets of looseleaf and roughing out panels.
Jacinthe: “Does it make sense about the snow?”
“Yeah, totally. I never got New Brunswick vampires before. I like the bit with the icicle, too.”
“Sweet. I guess I know what you’re doing for the next two months.”
“If I can get this to Gerry by the end of September we’ll make Atlanticomicon.”
“Don’t neglect your homework.”
“Yeah, well, you know what Dwayne says.”
“Yeah, I heard.”
She looks around the room. Jake’s half is pretty much all anime, with some Albrecht Durer from the poster fair. The rest of the wall space is taken up with all things Jarome Iginla and a choice of magazine foldouts of Peterbilt trucks.
“So, where is the roomie?”
“Went off to talk to his faculty advisor. If he can find the place.”
Frank Parker Day Hall. Professor Korogi is examining the chunk of nephrite. It’s about five inches by three by one, green and white, with the relief of a temple on a hill carved into it shallowly and much worn down. It has a hint of copper at a couple of spots.
There’s a knock at the door.
“Come in.”
“Uh. Is this the faculty advisor?”
“I am a faculty advisor.”
“Oh.”
“What’s your name?”
“Dwayne.”
“Last name?”
“No.”
“What is your last name, Dwayne?”
“Jones.”
“You’re Dwayne Jones?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m your faculty advisor.”
“Cool. So, can I get an extension?”
“Sorry?”
“I could use an extension.”
“For what?”
“Oh, anything.”
“It’s not even the first week of class.”
“Oh, yeah. But you know what they say.”
“What do they say?”
“ ’The sooner you get behind, the more time you have to catch up.’”
“Where do they say that?”
“Hunton. Boys, this is a cool office. What’s the name of this place?”
“It’s the Department of Far Eastern Studies.”
“You mean like Japan and China?”
“And the Philippines, Korea, and Indonesia.”
“And Newfoundland?"
“Not yet.”
“I hear you. What’s this? Soapstone?”
“Soapstone? No, it’s jade.”
“Yeah, but it looks like a bar of Irish Spring.”
They both look at it.
“You know, you’re right. It does.”
Dwayne sits back, taking the room in, and spots a clutch of blue, white and red banners in the corner. “So what are those flagpoles?”
“Those are from the Hokkaido-Westmorland Educational Friendship Festival last summer. Sackville and Abashiri are twinned, because of the salt marshes. Though they’re at opposite ends of the globe they share many similarities.”
“Wow. I’ll say this for university. It makes you think. What’s that gear?”
“Body armour. I’m in kenjitsu.”
“Rock on. I’m impressed.”
“So, Dwayne, are we about done here?”
“Oh, yeah, I guess so. I was just checking in.”
“Okay. So, keep in touch.”
“Back at you.”
On his way back to Hunton Dwayne runs into Shayne and Shawn.
Dwayne: “Hey, you guys the kung fu twins?”
Shayne: “Not kung fu. Tai chi.”
Dwayne: “But you’re recruiting, right?”
Shawn: “Where you hear that?”
Dwayne: “How about this poster?”
He shows them.
Shayne: “Yeah, okay, so what?”
Dwayne: “I wanna join.”
Shawn: “Full up.”
Dwayne: “Get out, it says, ‘All welcome.’”
Shayne: “Fine print: ‘No Christmas graduates.’”
Dwayne: “It’s okay. I got an extension.”
Shawn: “Huh. Where you study before?”
Dwayne: “Uh, White Swan Temple.”
Shayne: “Don’t know it.”
Dwayne: “It’s not far from here. So, am I in?”
They confer.
Shawn: “Okay. Five a.m., Rectory Lane field.”
Dwayne: “Awesome.”
Experience the gentle flowing, movements of Tai Chi and treat your whole body to a gentle and relaxing workout. A tag line I have read which I think is the meaning of Tai Chi.
Posted by: Insulation Sales | 21 November 2011 at 09:22 PM
Spambots are the nicest people.
Posted by: Douglas | 29 November 2011 at 03:56 PM