SENSITIZE 41
Every morning, Mr. Cring takes a personal moment with his friends.
Today: Love is generated. Hate is planted. How to make our personal three square feet a friendly space.
Click the picture below to see the video
Scrambles … April 14th, 2020
Jonathots Daily Blog
(4380)
Take a few minutes and unscramble this week’s inspirational thought from the words provided:
apologies
effort
to
fewer
It
hate
and
less
love
takes
than
P. S. Find the unscrambled answer in today’s jonathotsjr.com
Not Long Tales … November 19th, 2019
Jonathots Daily Blog
(4233)
15.
Shears
Ronald tiptoed along the narrow aisle of his thirteen-hundred-and-fifty-square-foot establishment, quietly making his way to the door, opening it slowly, slipping outside, and closing it, holding his breath.
Even though he was the owner and manager of his own location, he was trying to avoid his cashier, Michelle, seeing him leave, once again giving him her pesky sermon on the dangers of cigarette smoking.
Because that’s where he was headed.
Once or twice a day, he escaped, turned left, walked about twenty paces, just beyond the corner of Main and High, sat down on the curb and smoked some Chesterfields.
It was usually never more than one or two. Every once in a while, four or five—but had never exceeded a pack. It all depended on his mood.
And today Ronald was not very happy. He was thirty-nine years old and no one knew it was his birthday, so he had too much time on his hands. He was plagued by his own thoughts.
When he first moved to the little town of Cadbury, Ohio, a village about forty minutes from downtown Columbus, he had envisioned starting a bustling enterprise that would include shirts, some shoes, dresses, underwear, socks—everything a local citizen might need to quickly acquire when the long drive to Newton’s was not practical. Newton’s was the huge conglomerate that carried everything imaginable, which usually meant that his tiny facility was ignored if gasoline was available and scheduling permitted for the drive.
He originally named his location “The Cadbury Emporium,” but quickly realized that the people of the town didn’t care for their name—Cadbury—since most folks associated it with the chocolate-covered Easter Bunny. And also, no one seemed to know what an emporium was.
So after a year-and-a-half of trying to explain, he settled on “Shears Department Store”—Shears being his last name.
He was proud of what he had accomplished—happy for the two or three customers that came through his doors each and every day (mostly to eyeball the latest goods or chew the fat for a few minutes). Actually, the business barely earned enough money to sustain his rent, utilities, a wage for Michelle and his living expenses.
But it was a needful, occasionally pleasant, distraction.
He once had threatened to leave town, and more than a dozen folks came to protest outside his building, demanding that he stay. It was one of the best days of his life. After all, everybody wants to be wanted.
There were also great moments.
There was the time that one of the girls from the local high school needed a dress for homecoming, and everything at Newton’s was too expensive, so she and her mother came in, found what she needed—and Ronald even offered to tailor the dress to her liking and add a few more bows.
There was also a young fat boy who lived down the road who came in at least once a week to eyeball a pair of Beatle Boots that had been around for years—size twelve. Ronald felt bad for the chubby fellow, knowing that his bloated feet would never fit inside, but was still always willing to stop and chat with him—both about the shoes and favorite songs from the Fab Four.
Next door to him was the Village Eats—that’s what they called it—the local restaurant. Cater-cornered from him, going down High Street, was a little market that made delicious ham loaves, another little clothing store geared specifically to women over the age of seventy, a laundromat, an old-time drug store still making malts, the town bar and, on the far end, the local newspaper—The Cadbury News.
Ronald had memories in all the locations.
Now, on this day of his birth, Ronald sat on his curb, smoked and thought about where he was, who he was and what he wanted.
He wanted a woman. At least he thought so.
He had never really dated, but he liked women. At least he thought so.
But with a name like Ronald Shears, it was difficult to draw the immediate attention of any female. He had considered becoming “Ron,” but he just wasn’t the kind of guy you went and had a beer with. “Ronnie” was out of the question—there was nothing cute about him.
He turned his head and looked to the left, down High Street, to a small white-frame building—the office of Dr. Raswell.
Ronald envied the good doctor. The man was one of those fellows who was so handsome that other men admired him. Slender but not skinny. Not too tall but certainly closer to six than five feet. Brown, wavy hair with just a touch of gold near the crown. And he always looked like he had a tan. Even in the dead of winter, Dr. Raswell looked like he had just come from the beach.
And the women flocked from everywhere, saith the Lord.
It really was rather suspicious. There was no plague loose in the community, so it was doubtful that all the ladies were sick at one time. There were rumors aplenty about what happened in his examination rooms, but nothing had ever been confirmed and nobody was telling.
Ronald kind of hated him. Hate is just what envy does when it can’t find a way to compete.
Ronald breathed in a ragged breath. He still had his business and his Chesterfields. He liked smoking. He loved the way the first few puffs burned the inside of his mouth with a delightful, aching throb which gradually, as he smoked more and more, gave him a numb, kindly peacefulness, making his head spin.
He sat, continuing his thinking and smoking, when suddenly, unexpectedly, his feelings switched to guilt. It often happened to him.
Living in a small town, there was so much shit that had to be ignored that if you took too much time smoking too many cigarettes on the curb, you started recalling all the vicious things going on around you.
For instance, right above the Village Eats was an apartment. Matter of fact, the staircase that walked up to the location was right next to Shears’ back wall, where he kept his limited inventory. So when tenants bound up the stairs, it always sounded like he was right next to a bowling alley. It often felt that way, because all of the people who rented that apartment were young couples just out of high school or just beginning their lives together after college.
It had always been that way and would always be that way—because Ronald knew why these young people were selected to live in the apartment, even though their credit history and work records were often questionable.
The apartment was co-owned by Officer Dunworth, one of the two policemen who served the town, and Mack Jones, who advertised himself as a real estate agent, though nobody had actually ever seen him sell a property.
About a month earlier, Ronald decided to toddle down to the community tavern and see if he could blend in and consume a couple of mixed drinks. While he was standing there, Officer Dunworth, who was off-duty, and Mack Jones were perched not more than five feet from him. They were chattering away, laughing. It was just the three of them—the bartender had slipped away to use the facilities.
Ronald listened to them talking. When they realized he was eavesdropping, they invited him into the conversation. Well inebriated, their lips were loose.
Mack put his arm around Ronald, which surprisingly, gave the store owner quite a thrill. It was exciting to be appreciated. It was nourishing to be included. With a slurred lip, Mack explained what he and Dunworth had been talking about.
“You see, what we do,” he said slowly, “we take that apartment up above the restaurant, and we find young couples who are so grateful for a chance to start out, that they don’t have any questions. Then we have them sign a contract. You know—a lease. But there’s nothing standard about it. We charge them a decent rent, but we ask them for first and last month, and a $250 non-refundable cleaning deposit. Written into the lease—of course, at the very bottom…”
Mack turned and punched Officer Dunworth in the arm, and the two burst into laughter. The officer was so close to Ronald’s face that he sniffed the Jack Daniels. Dunworth added, “At the way, way, way, way bottom.”
More laughter. Mack took a breath to let the laughter die down and then continued. “Well, as I said, at the bottom of the lease we have a stipulation. If they decide to leave the apartment—for whatever reason—before their one-year lease is up, they will owe us for the entire three hundred and sixty-five days—twice over.”
Ronald didn’t understand. It seemed quite unfair. But still, not worthy of all the giddy reflection the two fellows were mustering.
Officer Dunworth, seeing that Ronald didn’t get it, said, “Aw. He forgot to mention. After they’ve been there about a month and a half, we sneak in and release cockroaches and mice.”
“Well,” said Mack. “This scares the hell out of the kids.”
More hilarity. Mack took a deep breath and a long drink of his whiskey, and punctuated, “So scared that they want to leave. Especially the little wife is ready to jump out of her skin. But meanwhile, when they start complaining about these roaches and rats, we once again go in to inspect, and kill the little mothers. But the wifey is so frightened she sees them in her head and is convinced they are still there. The punks demand to be let off their lease…”
Officer Dunworth jumped in. “And you know what, Ronald? We refuse.”
Mack interrupted. “So they cry and cry and cry. And we just keep pointing at that lease. And finally, when they’re just about ready to take us to court, we step in and tell ’em that they don’t have to pay twice the amount on the rent. Just one year’s worth of money will settle their debt.”
Dunworth sneaked in with an additional thought. “And they are so grateful for our courtesy…”
Mack, suddenly tired of his own tale, slapped the bar and finished up. “And we walk out with a couple thousand dollars. If we do it three times a year, in no time at all, we’re pretty damn rich.”
Officer Dunworth gave his conclusion. “For Cadbury, Ohio we are.”
The two men laughed, staring at Ronald and wondering why he wasn’t joining into the chuckling. Ronald, fearing the two men might hurt him, managed a smile and the wiggle of a giggle.
Now, sitting out on the curb smoking his seventh Chesterfield, he felt ill. The young couple presently in the apartment were a pair of lovers who had been condemned by the community because they’d had a baby out of wedlock. You weren’t allowed to do that in Cadbury, Ohio.
Ronald thought it was fascinating that the grown-ups planned proms, homecomings and dances but didn’t expect any of the kids to ever screw.
But screw they do, he thought.
His name was Michael and she was Josephine, but they went by Mick and Jo. It frustrated him that these two young people were going to be ravaged by the pernicious plot. Of course, they would have to go to family for the money, and there would be so many strings attached that it could end up being ropes to hang them.
Smoking away, Ronald turned his head one more time toward the doctor’s office as the young medical Don Juan stepped out the door to welcome another woman for her checkup.
Not fair.
Ronald was thirty-nine years old and a virgin. He could barely say it to himself. He lit up another Chesterfield, realizing the time had passed and he had finished the pack. He didn’t care.
He probably should go up and see Mick and Jo and warn them about the scam.
He probably should try to start a life for himself, so that he wouldn’t feel emotionally flattened from just breathing.
He probably should sell his business, go out and try something else. But then he would lose the dozen supporters who begged him to stay.
He probably shouldn’t have smoked a whole pack of Chesterfields, because now he had a headache and was sick to his stomach.
Maybe some of Maryanne’s home-made chicken soup from the Village Eats would settle him.
He stood to his feet and walked slowly toward Shears Department Store.
What should he do? If he stood up to Officer Dunworth and Mack Jones, they certainly would get even. Maybe they’d spread more rumors about him.
He couldn’t handle the rumors. Last year, when people were talking about him being a queer, he made a scene at the post office, screaming at some ladies, insisting that he was “right in the head, and favored women.”
It was so ugly. As horrible as gossip was, trying to defend yourself against it was a monster.
He didn’t know what to do.
And that was the summation of his thirty-nine years.
There was the answer: not knowing what to do, he had continued to do what he felt was expected to be done.
As he neared the door of the department store which bore his name, Michelle stepped out and called, “Ronald, Margaret Jenner just called, and her husband needs a really good-looking black suit because his brother just died and they’re heading for the funeral.”
Ronald nodded his head.
Just what he needed. A wonderfully timed distraction.
His eyes brightened a bit and he told Michelle, “Tell Margaret to come on in, and I’ll fit Bob in one of our black suits.”
Michelle ran to make the call.
Ronald was just about to step into the store when he saw Mic and Jo arriving in their beat-up van. They got out, carrying groceries, and headed toward the stairs to their apartment. Seeing Ronald, they waved and shouted, “Nice to have you as a neighbor.”
Ronald waved back sadly.
Jo followed up with, “You should come up and see our place sometime. Anytime. You don’t even have to warn us.”
With this, the two disappeared up the stairs to their temporary home.
It was 1971.
Ronald was a businessman, thirty-nine years of age, living in Cadbury, Ohio.
The world was racing toward Sesame Street
And his little town was stuck in Howdy Doody.
1 Thing You Can Do This Week to Line Yourself Up for Success
Use the Right Verb
When connecting your subject with your object, find the energy to make it powerful.
Be verbal.
ReVERBerate.
If “I” is your subject and “money” is your object, what is the verb that joins the two words?
Is it need? I need money?
Much too desperate.
Is it spend? I spend money?
Typical.
Is it love? I love money?
Then be prepared to dig out the root of evil.
Choose carefully.
I value money. Perhaps—as long as it doesn’t become your heart’s mission.
What if the subject is “I” and the object is “you?”
I hate you. That’s vicious.
I love you. Are you prepared for that commitment?
I ignore you. Be prepared to be ignored, and also receive a side of criticism.
I appreciate you. That verb sends a chill down the human spine.
We want to be loved, but it’s so much better when appreciation is included.
Use the right verb.
It will propel you as you take your subject and journey to your object.
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly donation for this inspirational opportunity
Iz and Pal (Bedouin Buddies)
Jonathots Daily Blog
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Sitting Twelve
A comedy of horrors, worst fears realized—for a bedraggled, sweaty soldier huffed and puffed his way to the top of the hill, screaming, frustrated and completely aggravated by the role of bully, which had been thrust upon him by two thieving, punk hoodlums.
A young Arab boy, gasping for his next breath, too frightened to move from the clawing hands of his attacker, the great Behemoth of military strength.
A seasoned female reporter, jaded by the world around her, reduced to becoming a screeching tearful lass in distress at the prospect of the mayhem unfolding before her eyes.
And then there was the young Jewish boy, sitting quietly, overly calm, holding a hand grenade and heaving huge sighs as tears careened down his cheeks.
The scene was an active one, filled with danger, yet unnervingly still, poised in the moment, as the great fear of all those concerned had now become reality.
The soldier, focusing in on Pal, pulled on his leg, yanking him down the hill as the boy pleaded in the many languages of his culture.
Meanwhile, Karin was punching the arm of the enraged soldier, shouting obscenities and trying to trip him with her legs.
Iz remained quiet. But then, all at once, he commanded, “Stop!”
It wasn’t that his voice was powerful and loud. He was standing on his feet, holding the hand grenade in his outstretched hands, his finger fiddling with the pin. Yet the soldier only delayed for a moment—then scoffed and continued pulling Pal down the hill.
Iz seemed peaceful, wide-eyed and aware when he squeezed the pin and pulled it from the fuse.
Everything halted.
Karin ran the few short feet to Iz as the soldier scrambled up the hill and grabbed the grenade from his hand. Iz remained like a statue—immovable. The sergeant, though well-trained, was petrified and froze.
Karin squalled, “Do something!”
Hearing those words, all of the training that Minioz had received kicked into gear. He wielded back and with the brute force granted only to a soul energized by adrenalin, he hurled the grenade across the desert, as everyone leaped to the sand.
That is, everyone but Iz. The young boy stood and watched as the grenade flew through the air and bounced on the sand about thirty meters away.
Everyone waited. Everyone held a collective breath. And then, everyone was bewildered.
Nothing.
Nothing happened.
Very gradually, each of them got up from the ground, staring in the distance at the tiny object lying on the sand, which for some reason, had failed to deliver its big bang.
“What happened?” whispered Karin.
Minioz wiped some sweat from his face. “A dud. Or maybe a fooler.”
Pal wiggled his way over to Iz’s side. “What’s a fooler?” he asked.
Minioz shook his head. “Sometimes they pretend not to work until you go over and try to move them again, and then they blow up in your face.”
All the gathered souls at the desert encampment paused for a moment and thought about the statement offered by the sergeant, each conjuring a horrifying word picture.
Iz finally spoke. “I told you to leave us alone.”
He possessed an unsettling tone—icy and cold, his pain seemingly buried deep inside. He walked toward the failed grenade.
Karin looked at Minioz, expecting him to do something. “Stop him!” she ordered.
The soldier just shook his head. “As I remember it,” he replied, “the one who throws it goes and gets it.”
Pal leaped to his feet and called his friend’s name. “Iz! Iz! Iz!”
Karin gained her feet and jogged toward the determined young man. The soldier rolled his eyes and simply said, “Oh, hell.”
He caught up and grabbed Karin’s arm. “I don’t want to be here when they pick up the bodies of a boy and a woman and ask me why I didn’t do something. I will get it. But in case you didn’t know, I really, really hate you.”
Minioz craned his neck and concluded, “You just make sure that crazy boy there stays out of the way.”
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Iz and Pal (Bedouin Buddies)
Jonathots Daily Blog
(3966)
Sitting Eight
By midday, Iz and Pal had developed a brand-new game. They called it, “Your Book, My Book.”
They mentioned the various names that were in the Talmud and the Koran, and were shocked to find out how many were the same. Abraham was in both, as was Joseph, Isaac, Ishmael, Noah, Adam, Eve, Moses. Yes, they were all there.
Iz’s book had some other different names and Pal’s mentioned both Jesus of Nazareth and Mohammed, but it was really quite surprising. Kind of freaky.
They also realized that the two of them looked much the same. By now they smelled the same. They both believed in God. Both had never touched pork and had strict families. They came from desert Bedouins and they both really, really liked Hershey chocolate bars with almonds.
Aside from Iz being shorted by circumcision and Pal not really having a country, they should be brothers.
It made them wonder if anyone had ever thought of it before. They were so preoccupied with their new game that neither noticed the arrival of a guest—a slender, lanky young man with dark brown skin, curly hair and pieces of coal for eyes—piercing but still permitting some of the warmth of childhood.
Iz did not recognize the stranger but Pal knew him. He spoke quietly. “Hello, Talsan.”
The young man stood tall, staring off into the distance. “It is hot, my little brother. You will sicken yourself in this heat.”
“I drink as much as I can,” said Pal, continuing his calm tone.
Talsan chuckled. “In the desert, by the time you think to drink, it is already too late.”
He sat down next to his younger brother.
Iz spoke up. “I am Jubal,” he stated. “Amir’s friend.”
“So,” asked Talsan, “are you the trouble-maker?”
Pal interrupted. “No, I am the trouble-maker. No, I mean—there is no trouble. We are just enjoying being together.”
Talsan shook his head. “Papa is worried. He has talked to the elders.”
Pal quickly shifted to his haunches. “Why did he talk to them?”
Talsan raised his voice. “Because he wasn’t going to talk to you out here in the desert, running from family and Allah.”
“I’m not running,” said Pal. “All my life I’ve done whatever I was told to do, even though there were questions exploding in my mind.”
“Questions?” scoffed Talsan, “what questions?”
Pal paused as if deciding whether to continue the conflict. “All right, Talsan,” he said with intensity. “Answer this. Why do we live in a religion, in a culture, that speaks so highly of family, friends and love, but then teaches us to hate these people walking nearest to us in the village?”
“We do not hate them,” Talsan spat. “They hate us. We are merely protecting our lives.”
Iz jumped in. “I don’t hate you. I don’t hate Pal. I don’t hate your father. I would just like to live—and have some fun.”
Talsan laughed scornfully. “Now I know you are a boy. Fun is out of the question. We are to become men and take our place—first at the universities and then, in leadership of our communities.”
“Without fun?” asked Pal.
Talsan heaved a deep sigh. “Papa has explained all of this to you. It is time for you to come home. He will not pursue you. He will pray for you but he will not come to you. It is a shame and a disgrace that you would wish him to defile himself by chasing his son down in the desert.”
“I don’t want him to chase me,” shouted Pal. “I want him to leave me alone and let my friend, Iz, and me, start a new life. Maybe a new town.”
“Or even a country,” piped in Iz.
“Iz,” said Talsan. “Listen to yourself, little boy. Our country has existed for thousands of years, filled with tradition and rich spirituality.”
Iz interrupted. “But how can it be spiritual when it is so full of hate?”
Talsan shook his head. “Do you hate the lamb when you take the wool? Do you hate the chicken when you collect its eggs? Do you hate the animal when you spill its blood to provide meat for your table? What you call hate is merely the way of nature. Things that are alike seek their own. In the process, they reject different species so as to keep purity within the ranks.”
Pal screamed at his brother. “You make no sense! Is this what they teach you at the university? These are just weird stories that don’t mean anything. My friend, Iz, here, is not a chicken. And I’m not an animal stuck in some herd. Talsan, you cannot tell me that you believe this.”
Talsan drew a deep breath. “What I believe has no power if it cannot change what I see. All of my wishes for peace and love are meaningless when I live in a world of bigotry and intolerance. I don’t want to change the world. I just want to keep the world from changing me.”
Both boys squinted at him, confused.
Talsan grabbed Pal’s arm, pulling him to his feet. “You will go with me,” he stated.
Pal collapsed, forcing his body to the ground, as Iz grabbed the grenade.
Talsan spied the weapon extended in the young boy’s hand. “So this is your answer to violence?” he posed. “How are you any different than anyone else? You would kill me to maintain your little society?”
Pal, lying face-down in the ground, spit back, “Talsan, I don’t want to kill you. You are my brother. I just don’t want you to decide my life.”
Talsan released his hold on Pal’s arm and stepped a few paces away, then turned and said, “I will tell Papa that your mind is deranged by the desert sun, and that you are under the power of some evil spirit. This should comfort him.”
He continued. “My little brother, I do not know what you’re doing. I do not know what in the hell this ‘Iz and Pal’ business is all about, but you are skin of my skin and blood of my blood. I will not hate you because I do not understand. This is where I am different from Papa. I pray you will change your ways, but I do not want you to starve and die of thirst. I will have food and water delivered here every morning until you decide to come to your senses. You are a childish idiot—but that should not be a death sentence.”
Pal stood to his feet and gingerly gave his brother a hug. Talsan nodded at Iz and concluded, “I do not hate you Jews. I just don’t believe that God chose you any more than He chose me.”
“No argument from me,” said Iz simply. “And thanks for the food.”
The boys perched in silence and watched as Talsan made his way down the hill. With each step he took they realized they were growing further and further away from their families and communities. Soon there would be nothing but the sand under their feet and the love they had in their hearts.
Still, it seemed like enough.
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation for this inspirational opportunity
Sit Down Comedy …February 8th, 2019
Jonathots Daily Blog
(3950)
The Alphabet of Weight Loss
A need for change
B uy it
C ry it
D iet
E Gads, this sucks
F ry it
G ain it
H ate it
I am looking pregnant
J esus, take the spoon and fork!
K ale fail
L ose, then cruise
M unch
N estles
O no, here we go
P oints
Q ueasy
R unning
S lipping
T urnover (apple)
U are not the biggest loser
V itamins
W eird, it is
X tra weight hiding
Y is my scale lying?
Zzz I need a nap
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