"I. STEPHEN MARGOLIS" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Elaine and Denise, (Share one, share all!)
>
[snip]
>
> I recall being "beaten," hit pretty hard "for my own good," on
> many occasions, to be "taught" the tough lessons, for my own
> good, of course, to control my temper when my younger cousin or
> others took physical advantage of me.  What I tend to remember
> of little Stevie being so enlightened by his Mom was his
> discovery of a place within himself where he felt no pain.
> Sooner or later the lesson would end and he could spend several
> days silently sorting out his fury.  Many hours were spent
> plotting revenge, sometimes acted on, sometimes not.  I learned
> to hold anger better than happiness.
[snip]
I remember that place "no pain", it's a crock!!

After going through a memorable phase of being "beaten up" on a
fairly regular basis at school, I developed what I thought was a
blindingly brilliant stratagem.

I let it be known, due to brain damage of the pain receptors, I
couldn't feel pain (a lie). After the initial flurry of people
eager for empirical confirmation of this astounding theory,
usually resulting in a bloody nose (whilst inwardly chanting the
soothing mantra "Om, Om, Omy, Oh my that smarts"). My stoic
efforts appeared to have worked, for half a term - no beatings.

What my brilliant theory had failed to account for was Terry, a
boy of huge size and strength, but not of intellect. A veritable
collussus who though slow of thought possessed lightning
reflexes. A boy, who perhaps for that one time in his life,
grasped that age old scientific axiom, that to disprove a
hypothesis sometimes you need to test to destruction. Our
conversation proceeded as follows:-

    "I heard you feel no pain"

    "That's right - I can't feel anything" Mentally steeling
    myself for the forthcoming bloody nose.

    "I cut your hand off!!"

The fact I lasted 4 strokes of his metal comb on the back of my
wrists, owes more to the speed of his reflexes, than any stoicism
on my part. The blood curdling scream I emitted certainly marked
the definite end of my "no pain" theorem.

    "I fought yer wuz lying!!"

Cheers,

--
Deri James