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A silent moment passed, followed by a few more. Slowly the egg began to rock and crack, until finally it opened and a duckling stepped out.

Mama Duck rushed to her duckling. "I ain't goin' nowhere," she announced, "until you are safe. There are lots of things you need to learn, and together with love, we'll find the way. There are no walls that we can't climb."

This was a comfort and a mystery to the little duckling. "What are walls, Mama?" she asked. "Barriers put into place to keep us safe, keep us penned in, or learn how to get around them," replied Mom calmly. "Follow me, and I'll show you one." They waddled off together until they came to an old stone wall. It was seven times as tall as the duckling, although Mama Duck could hop and fly to the top of it in one whoooosh of a leap. After demonstrating this, she again asked little Myra to follow her, and carefully picked her way to the top with the little one following behind her safely.

"You've learned how to get up here, now we have to get down," said Mama Duck. "If you can do that, you're ready to learn a couple of things from your father." Well Myra didn't make it on the first try, or even on the third. But she kept going, she didn't fall, and in due time, she made it down. The next day her father took her to the same stone wall and followed her lead up to the top this time.

"Daddy, what's the point?" asked Myra. "I already know how to get up here, and see, I can get down too." Her father replied very seriously, "Yes I can see that heart of my heart, but there are many other things to learn about climbing. For instance, could you get to the top in time to escape being eaten if you were being chased by a predator? Do you know what predators to watch out for, and which ones will be able to reach the top of the wall? Or which ones can climb it faster than you can?" Myra had to admit she didn't have a clue about that, and her father patiently questioned and taught her until she did.

After many such lessons by Mom and Dad, Myra felt she was ready to be out on her own. She told her parents that today was the day she would fly the nest, so to speak. Her father just replied, "Let's climb that wall one more time darlin' - then if you still feel ready, I'm happy to see you spread your wings."

Myra and her dad climbed the wall. Myra led the way and Dad, feeling arthritic by this point, crept and crawled behind. "What else do I need to know, Dad?" she asked. "I know everything there is to know about this wall!" she continued confidently but not egotistically. "It's time to talk about not skills but feelings, darlin'," he replied. "Love is a high-wire act, I know. You can think you're safe, then fall to the ground and be hurt deeply." Myra countered, "But I can fly, Dad! What's the point? I'll just rescue myself." Dad, who was perhaps the most patient of all the ducks she knew, just shook his head. "You can't always rescue yourself from feelings, little darlin'. Sometimes the best you can do is remove yourself from a bad situation. Whether you want them or not, the feelings will come. And yes, you can pull yourself out of sadness, anger, etc. - I've seen you do it - but I have yet to see you pull yourself out of love gone bad."

Myra stared at her father in amazement. "But I can do anything, Dad - you and Mom have always taught me that!" Her dad replied, "Fine. Then answer this one question, and you're ready to fly. When does a fool stop being a fool, particularly a fool in love?" Myra stood frozen to the spot. She hadn't thought about it ever before. Finally, slowly, she said, "I'm just as empty as a canyon way out West. I have no clue how to answer that, Daddy." Her wise father replied, "You are intelligent beyond your years to say you don't know, child. Bide with your mother and I yet a while longer." Myra pouted a bit - she really did want to migrate south by herself this year - and reluctantly agreed.

A little time passed, and Myra fancied herself in love. Taylor was the sleekest-feathered, fastest-flying dude she'd ever seen, and he liked her too. He followed her around until she agreed to a date. Once she did, he took her out and they had a wonderful time. "Daddy," Myra said once she'd been dating Taylor a while, "Isn't it time for me to leave now? Maybe I'm not going to be a fool in love. Taylor's asked me to go away with him, and I'd really like your blessing." Mama put her two waddles in at this point, "Has he asked you to marry him, dear?" Myra shared a sad silent look with her dad. "Nooo," she admitted quietly.

That night, Myra asked Taylor when they would be getting married. He said, "Married? At my age? You've got to be kidding. I want to explore the world more first." He thought Myra was an old fuddy-duddy and said some pretty harsh things to her. Myra said, "But I thought you loved me!" to which Taylor snickered, "I'm just a good pretender in a great disguise," and left her to find her own way home. "Another lovely misadventure in the dark," thought Myra wryly before bursting into tears and somehow dragging herself home.

Myra didn't tell Mom and Dad what had happened. She sat in her room, quiet and morose, for two days, just thinking. Finally, she asked her father, "DaDa, when does a fool stop being a fool? Is it when you learn to think things through beforehand, when you learn to look beyond how someone looks to their personality? Is it when you learn not to love someone who doesn't deserve your trust? When, Daddy? I've been trying to understand." Her father replied, "What do you think, darlin'?" Myra said slowly, "I think that there are always opportunities to be a fool, no matter how much you try to be prepared. I think what matters is how you deal with it and what action you take to pull yourself out of it, learn from it, and hopefully not make that same mistake again."

Myra's dad was excited for his now-fully-grown duckling, but sad just the same. For she had now learned all that he and her mother had to teach her, and she would leave. He felt like a fool himself, for wishing he could hold onto her just a wee bit longer. He dealt with himself firmly, pulled himself out of it with the help of his wife who was feeling the same, and called sweetly to Myra as she flew the coop, "When you want us or miss us, darlin' we'll be here - just come see your ole Dad and Mom again."

Many years later after several ducklings of her own, Myra's mother passed away. Myra and her Dad dealt with each other firmly but lovingly, pulled themselves out of it, and wrote on the tombstone, "Here lies beloved Mother Duck, wife and mother. When your brave tales have all been told, your children will be as much a wonder to behold." Thereafter when Myra posed her own "fool" question to her ducklings, she asked them to explain the gravestone. When they did, she sent them onwards and upwards with the same heavy, but light, heart of her father. "Love is a high-wire act, I know.." she whispered softly to herself each time.

(:

I'm a woman. And as a woman, I know there are no walls we can't climb.(2) But there are things that men think we shouldn't do. And one of those is passing gas, especially while in the throes of passion.

When your brave tales have all been told,(9) let me regale you with one of mine. I'd been married for most of forever and for the last ten, I slept alone. I wasn't loved. Maybe, because of something I did or didn't do or because he couldn't see that I was changing. I know I'm just a good pretender in a great disguise.(8) I look like a sweet and classy little female.

But I eat and use the restroom like any other human animal.

I had hoped he would cut me some slack. When does a fool stop being a fool?(7) When there is no solution, that's when. So, we divorced. For two more long years, I didn't roll in hay or anything else.

This very night, I have a chance. I could once again, try love.

But, I must prepare." I'll stay in the latrine until I'm just as empty as a canyon way out West,"(4) I thought. When crepitation happens, it's always a comfort and a mystery,(10) because the release feels so good but you can't imagine what created that scent. I joined him for what should have been another lovely misadventure in the dark. (6) A silent moment passed.(3) And love is a high-wire act, I know,(1) but, this guy actually uses a trapeze! Well, wouldn't you know, while bent in half, I let one rip or two or three. You could hear the sound and the fury. Shamefaced, I said, "I suppose I'll never see you again." But my partner answered, "No, I ain't goin' nowhere!"(5)

Finally, my prince had come!

(Based on a true story- I expect that it will be deleted.)

C. :)!!

X 1. Love is a high-wire act, I know.

2. There are no walls that we can't climb.

X 3. A silent moment passed.

X 4. I'm just as empty as a canyon way out West.

X 5. I ain't goin' nowhere.

X 6. Another lovely misadventure in the dark.

X 7. When does a fool stop being a fool?

X 8. I'm just a good pretender in a great disguise.

X 9. When your brave tales have all been told.

X 10. A comfort and a mystery.

A silent moment passed as I contemplated another lovely misadventure in the dark. Peggy, my girlfriend, was intent on dragging me out for a midnight run to Original Tommy's for a burger, in Hollywood.

Now, love is a high-wire act, I know, but somehow I just didn't want to head out to Tommy's. "I ain't goin' nowhere," I said sullenly.

"Oh Emu! C'mon, it'll be fun. Doncha want a chili burger? I'm just as empty as a canyon way out West. Burger now!" said Peggy.

Oh, when does a fool stop being a fool? I grabbed my car keys, and we were on our way.

In no time at all, we were sitting at picnic tables, eating "heavy chili burgers" and wiping our smiles with paper towels. There's nothing like the Original Tommy's, that's for sure.

"Stop pretending you didn't want to come," said Peggy.

"I'm just a good pretender in a great disguise," I replied.

I looked up into the sky. There were no stars. There was no moon. Still, the night sky was somehow comforting -- a comfort and a mystery. From somewhere, I could hear a radio playing the Beach Boys:

"Wouldn't it be nice if we were older Then we wouldn't have to wait so long And wouldn't it be nice to live together In the kind of world where we belong..."

Yep, I thought to myself. It sure would, and the days would be sunny and happy, and I'd be spending them all with my best gal, Peggy. I mean, when your brave tales have all been told, all it really comes down to is to have your own little corner of happiness in the big blue world, right?

1. Love is a high-wire act, I know.

2. There are no walls that we can't climb.

3. A silent moment passed.

4. I'm just as empty as a canyon way out West.

5. I ain't goin' nowhere.

6. Another lovely misadventure in the dark.

7. When does a fool stop being a fool?

8. I'm just a good pretender in a great disguise.

9. When your brave tales have all been told.

10. A comfort and a mystery.

one day sam and todd were at pe. they saw a cute girl pass by jogging.''gosh is she fine!'' todd said.'' dont get your hopes up todd, you might get heart broken.''said sam

''its just like that dude said,''he continued,''love is a high-wi-'' ''love is a high-wired act i know,''todd interrupted. he started to think about what would've happened. a silent moment passed.suddenly todd started to walk toward her.''where are you going?'' ''i aint going nowhere.'' sam just shook his head in disappointed and thought, when does a fool stop acting like a fool? todd looked back at him to get a sign of approval & sam gave him the thumbs-up sign and also thought,I'm just a good pretender in a great disguise.todd came back a couple minutes later with a look of disappointment. ''what happened?'' sam asked.she didnt want to go out with me and said that I'm just as empty as a canyon way out West.'' sam said''Another lovely misadventure in the dark.'' ''that doesnt even make sense''todd said. ''its not suppose to''sam exclaimed.

sam told todd''There are no walls that we can't climb when we're together.'' todd smiled,''shes so weird though, she looks like a comfortand a mystery, im the hottest guy in school and she said no.''

''think of it this way, When your brave tales have all been told, youll be draping with girls all over'' the bell rang and they went together to the locker room.

"Suddenly, the room became pitch black. A woman yelled, “Help….please, somebody?...” Another retorted, “I aint goin nowhere.” Several people scooted uneasily in their chairs in the dark room. What had happened? One minute we were enjoying dinner and the next…All of a sudden, a noise erupted from the darkness! A silent moment passed. I chuckled silently. Another lovely misadventure in the dark. Although to me, a comfort and a mystery, I farted. I quickly regained composure. I’m just a good pretender in a great disguise. Just then the lights came back on. Everyone was scowling, holding their faces in disgust while pushing plates away. Of course, I'm just as empty as a canyon way out West, as I happily dig into my dinner once again."

I woke up this morning and sat on my bed. A silent moment passed, and I thought to myself that I was done with the life I had been living. I ain't goin' nowhere, but yet I was. Many people say that there are no walls that we can't climb, and that there is nothing we can't do if we set our mind to it. I however disagree, when does a fool stop being a fool?, when do people start beleiving in themselves?. We are all hidden in our own shadow of darkness and its up to us when we walk into the light. I'm just a good pretender in a great disguise. My own question, was just answered, a comfort and a mystery of my own, solved. I was finally ready to face my day.

Muriel looked down at her husband, passed out drunk on the couch. He had staggered in at 5 A.M……,reeking of alcohol, falling all over the furniture…. another lovely misadventure in the dark! Of course there were no apologies, there never were, she had gotten used to that! He made a brief attempt at……lovemaking, if you could call it that! Muriel shuddered at the thought.

Thankfully, he had fallen into a deep snore before anything happened.......for that she was grateful!.

"When does a fool stop being a fool?" It was a question Muriel had asked herself countless times. She had no answer...although by this time, she knew she should!

"There are no walls that we can't climb". At one time she truly believed that was true. "Love is a high-wire act, I know I can handle". There were many things she told herself to keep up the fight. In fact, she had done more than her part. Sadly, she couldn't do it all.

She looked down at him again thinking,

“I’m just a good pretender in a great disguise. My pretense is that I’m a woman in love and my disguise is that I'm really unaffected by all of this...."

The funny part was that the façade she presented to her friends and relatives…she had almost started to believe herself. In reality she was not that brave…or that strong.

A silent moment passed, he had ceased to snore for a breif spell. Muriel watched his big beer belly rhythmically rise and fall. It calmed her.

"I'm just as empty as a canyon way out West” she said aloud, referring to her heart.

"I know that as long as I stay with you, I aint goin' nowhere!" . She knew in her heart it was time to move on! She took a deep breath, reached down and gave him a final kiss. With that, she walked out the door...without looking back, ready to make a new start.

Together through the passage of time

I see there are no walls that we can’t climb

A silent moment passed, another must I wait

How, long will you be, how long must you hesitate?

I’m just a good pretender in a great disguise

But I will no longer masquerade with laughter and lies

For I must let you know of my hopes and my plans

You see my heart; it’s in your hands

When your brave tales have all been told and there are no more

And no one comes calling, knocking at your door

When all is lost and you wonder who will care

Just remember, I will always be there

A comfort and a mystery is what I may be

If you will just keep a small belief in me

For love is a high-wire act I know

But when nurtured it will bloom and grow

I must say that I find you noble and true

Yes, I think the world of you

For you are such a gentle and patient man

So don’t give up on me, if you can

:) I didn't name this one.

is this your homework?

yes, i can :)

can you?