Nathaniel Laiet

April 16, 2008

Broken Steed

Filed under: Actually happend, Spiritual, My Brother's Wisdom, Short Story — Laiet @ 12:18 am
Nathaniel Laiet Copyright 2008
Vespa sketch
My brother went out riding with me on my motorcycle last week. It wasn’t difficult to convince him that it would be a fun trip to take part in.He is an outdoors kind of kid, the weather was great, his elder brother was going and there was a motorcycle - which 10 year olds just can’t turn a blind eye to.

A little effort was needed in convincing him that wearing the helmet was a worth while investment to make, even though it meant that he would no longer be able to feel the fresh musky evening air rush through his hair, splash across his face or push flies up through his nose.

And then we were off; the wind flowed over the tops of our helmets sucking out heads upwards from our necks and surely we would have flown had my brother stuck his arms out.
Our helmet straps were beating against our necks at 10 million RPMs leaving reds welt and stinging so badly that the pain told us we were living.

We were like cowboys. My bike that day was our steed as we galloped off into the sunset homeward bound.
But, we had to stop. The back tire went flat and our trusty steed would go no further (now you know the real reason behind cowboy movies ending when they do).

Misery!

Two cowboys with a broken steed are suited only for sitting and complaining about how life is difficult, unfair, miserable and unbearable! And I was going to make the most of the time I had to do just that.

There were two fallen power poles laying across the canal which I thought would serve perfectly for pacing while complaining.

I had paced only three steps when my brother had it in his mind that our time would better be spent trying to push me into the canal.

Life is unfair! My steed was broken and my brother was trying to push me into a canal.

But there was no time to consider these new facts, because it was necessary to direct all thought to directing my steps so as not to fall at my brother’s hand, for he is nimble and I am old.

So, time passed quickly while we waited for our slave, in the form of father to come pick us and our noble steed up.

I thought about how little time I had to moan because my brother gave me a push and wanted to play rather than pace and complain….

… and I thought that perhaps I would be happier too, if I left those things in life that I can’t control and which cause me anxiety by the road side.

I could instead give my Father a little push and say “Hey, let’s play while we wait!”

Loving Frogs True stories woven into parables about my brother. Proving that even autistic people have things to teach each one of us.Get professionally formatted PDF files of these stories from here
Single A4 PDF sheet with illustrations, suitable for classroom use.
 
  You may use stories to photocopy or print for your students or friends, but you may not sell them or publish them without permission.

September 14, 2007

30 Seconds

Filed under: Actually happend, Spiritual, Communication — Laiet @ 5:25 pm

Dear God,

 

Why is it that You must give us such a large learning curve?

When I was 16, I remember a time with friends.

 

Our singer in our jazz band had just told us that she had no parents. And I couldn’t stand the silence.

 

Trying to diffuse the situation, I said “Haven’t you read that book? Where do I come from?”

 

She looked at me, and I’ll always remember how her eyes narrowed and her face contorted when she said “They’re dead, you moron.”

 

She left quickly and my friends all just looked at me, while one of them drove the nail through my coffin saying “I can’t believe you just said that!”

 

It wasn’t until many years later I learned that my reaction to shock is to make a joke, hoping to diffuse the situation.

 

If only I had known, when I was 16 that people in shock react differently; me included. Then I could have avoided saying something so stupid.

 

Those 30 seconds were the most painful in all my life.

 

But God, through that experience, I’ve always tried to react slower and understand others emotional needs better.

 

So perhaps I needed to make such a blunder to learn that?

God, you always did know more than me.

 

~ Nathanial

September 11, 2007

Why’d you do that?

Filed under: Life, Actually happend, Mental — Laiet @ 5:09 pm

Ok. Here’s my true scenario. Choose your reaction and we’ll go from there.

 

~~~A motorcycle rider has two young ladies on the back of his bike. So naturally I’m watching closely. All of a sudden he does some tricky swerve. The girls nearly fall off and he merely continues as though nothing happened.~~~

 

I’m 100 meters behind him on my own motorcycle.

 

How would you have responded in your mind (or heart). How did I respond?

 

A. What was he thinking? Doesn’t he know that he has to girls on his bike and he should drive more sensibly!

 

B. What were his reasons were for swerving like that?

 

If you guessed ‘A’ as my thought, you get a gold star.

 

Yes, ‘A’ was what I was thinking about for exactly 3 seconds before my bike hit a gaping hole in the road.

 

Second thought. “Yay, now I have a case study for my theory (which I didn’t apply in this instance).”

 

“People (generally) have a reason for what they do”

 

So I try to remember this theory when I see people do what appears to be stupid.

 

If I’d remembered my theory in this instance, I wouldn’t have had to replace the inner tube in my motorcycle wheel.

 

July 24, 2007

Men’s Incompetence

Filed under: Culture, Laughter, Actually happend, Communication — Laiet @ 7:51 pm

Did you know that men are basically incompetent? Not only are we incompetent, but we are unable to learn to be competent in most areas.

Take picnicking for example. Only last week my family went for a picnic. My sister’s father and I both carried a large mat to sit on once we arrive to our spot.

“Where would you like to sit?” my sisters mother asked, “here” I replied, handing her the mat “you can show us where you’d like to sit.” She then asked my sisters father, but he said the same “you put the mat down and we’ll sit.”

I don’t know how many years my sister’s father has been married (never asked him). During these years though, he learnt a very important lesson. He has learnt this; that he can’t put down a picnic mat, he never will learn how to place a picnic mat and never will again attempt at placing a picnic mat.

And neither will I!

Don’t think that I’m dobbing on my sister’s mother here! This has occurred on numerous occasions with girls from various cultures.

If a female is in the vicinity, my manly placed picnic mat is going to be moved a multitude of times before we’re allowed to sit. If there is a female there, let her place it. Don’t even place it for her, because you’ll still get it wrong.

Hand her the mat and let her place it.

So this is how I know that we men are incompetent and unable to learn competence.

If you’re a man’ the faster you learn this, the happier you’ll be in your marriage.

July 22, 2007

Luxury Problem

Filed under: Culture, Actually happend, Quotes — Laiet @ 11:28 pm

“You’ve got what I call a luxury problem.”

Louise Wilbert – On making non-issues a larger problem than they are

Tibetan CoffeeThe biggest problem I faced while in Australia was coffee related.

Fussy about how my coffee is made, I must have my cup pre-heated before use. And the order the ingredients go in is of utmost importance.

Coffee (2 spoons) goes in first followed by the sugar. Hot water is then poured in before the milk, which is added last.

All my problems began when a well-meaning Aussie friend told me that the coffee burns if the boiling water is poured before the milk.

This caused me two problems.

1. Habit - I’d go as far to say it’s now a tradition to pour the water first. And who likes change?

2. Browness - How can you judge the browness of your coffee if the milk is poured in first.

Louise set me straight though, telling me not toworry as it was a ‘luxury problem.’

You know, I’m glad that many of my problems are of the luxury persuasion.

And my coffee?

Well I’d rather drink it burnt than break a tradition.

On a side note. Pouring boiling water onto fresh coffee will not necessarily burn it. Water boils at different temperatures depending on what altitude you’re at. Where I am right now for instance, my water boils at about 95 degree and last month it was boiling at 80 something degrees. Not enough to burn my coffee.

This is an excerpt from my book ‘Footprints’ found at www.globalnotions.com available free as PDF if you don’t want to order a published copy.

June 2, 2007

Showing Friendship

Filed under: Life, Love, Actually happend, Satire — Laiet @ 9:34 pm

I’m going to explain what friends will receive and should expect from me. If you’re not yet my friend and are contemplating adding me to your repertoire of acquaintances, be sure to carefully read through the following 9 points and accept the terms.

In an age where we require documentation for everything, I feel that this is very important and will only help to improve the society in which we live.

waves

1 | Social Obligation

Friendship requires one to be social. I see it as my responsibility to talk to you about everyone I know. Sharing their secrets and telling all of what they did. Some like to call this gossip or slander. Social obligation has a more pleasant ring I feel.

Waves

2 | Bonding time

When spending time together, I will ignore all others (unless she’s - cute in which case I won’t be listening). This will make it difficult for others to pass us in the mall or on the side walk, or pretty much do anything easily within our vicinity. This is because we will never watch where we’re going but instead carefully thinking only about what we want and what we’re doing. Looking out for those around us when we’re with friends is not showing friendship to our friends at all.

waves

3 | Happy hours

Despite the sign ‘Happy Hour’ (singular), our nights out should be long. I keep this in mind each time and will encourage you to have just one more and to stay a little later. I assume that you want to look like me and be like me. If I succeed, you should show the following attributes: beautiful round gut, difficultly getting up in the morning, lack of concentration at work, forgetfulness and laziness around work and home and lastly lose all self motivation during daylight hours.

waves

Flying with Laiet Lines4 | Hosting and visitation

When visiting you, I will make every effort to help you be a wonderful host. I will not bring anything nor pay for any meals. I will use your water, food, electricity and even expect you to pay for transport when you take me somewhere for my tourly pleasure. I do this because I know you want to display your friendship in monetary terms and since I’m traveling, I have less money than you do.

If you’re visiting me, I will expect your help with the groceries, transport and other costs. This is because if you’re traveling you have obviously saved money to do so. Naturally you have more money than I do at this time. As my friend I assume you want to bless me if you’ve traveled halfway around the globe to see me.

waves

The snail and the wallet5 | Money

At times when we’re traveling together, I will never use a ‘kitty’ – after all, we’re friends and trust and respect each other right? At the end of meals etc., I will wait for you to order the bill so it’s delivered to you. I will then always reach for my wallet slower than you when paying is necessary (incidentally, this is called the ’slow draw’). This is to help you display your generosity and love publicly.

waves

6 | Discourse

What you say is important but remember that it takes two to converse. I thus will wait for breaks in your discourse to air my own facts and opinions of which I don’t know where I’ve learned or what encouraged me to take the stance in the first place. Every remark you make, I will respond in 1 of 2 ways. 1- Immediately disagree and/or improve upon what you have said. As you are my friend, I feel it’s my responsibility to be your critic so you may learn from me. 2. I will suggest ways in which to fix your problem, starting with the most obvious - those which you have already thought of. Then I’ll move onto the impossible and ask you why it’s impossible. Often I’ll tell you that it’s not, even when I don’t know the full story.

waves

7 | Sharing

Sharing is very important in friendship, when I’m bored or sad, I will do my utmost to make you bored and sad. When I’m happy – I will ignore your emotions and try to make you feel as happy as me. My emotions and feelings also hang upon how you treat me. I feel that you are responsible for my happiness. Sharing is very important.

waves

8 | Taste and opinion

To improve your social status, I will help improve your taste and opinion in everything. If I prefer my wheet-bix soggy, I will make yours soggy as well. I will tell you what clothes you should wear – I should know because I read all the latest magazines on famous people and their do’s and don’ts with fashion. Often you will find that you’re not wearing something you’re comfortable in, eating foods that you dislike and going to places or spending time with people whom you hate. But be patient, this is for your own good. I know what you like and should like better than you do.

waves

Winnning friends and influencing them9 | Contact

Your emails mean a lot to me. I spend months thinking what to reply and will inevitably reply with an apology for replying so slowly. I will refrain from telling you any news at all. But, during times when I’m traveling to exotic places I will be sure to email you every 2 days or so with lengthy, unedited, poorly written emails telling you how much more fun my life is than yours.

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Further notes:

You can now see how much of an effort I make to retain good friendships with you all. I hope that you can now clearly understand why I much prefer to spend time with myself. It’s stressful to make sure I go out of my way to achieve my 9 goals in our relationship.

waves

April 7, 2007

Breathing

Filed under: Laughter, Actually happend — Laiet @ 3:14 am

Talking with a shop assistant, she was asking me about the scar I have on my throat.

I was explaining to her how after my accident I once needed a trachea so that oxygen could be pumped into my lungs as I couldn’t breathe for much of the time I was in hospital.

She looked at me seriously and said.

“Oh, and can you breath now?”

foot prints - a year of life and influencesThis is an excerpt from my book “Footprints”

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