"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