Colors of the Rainbow: pt. 2

Source: how to make this cake

William heard Caroline's voice and strode toward, his white cane sweeping the walkway.  His excitement quivered in the air.  "Green! I felt a lime, tasted it!  The fern fronds--like a kite!  And the sound!  The wind in the trees!...."

William's face glowed with such pleasure.  "Now, what will we do today??"

Today was blue.  The sky, William reached into the air, knowing that the sky was untouchable but the wind swept through his fingers.  Water--cold and warm--salty or not.  Blueberries, blackberries...even a Smurf.  'Blue is cold'  William thought as he squished a gel therapy pack from the freezer.

Orange...Red...Yellow...Violet...Indigo...Days flew by as colors gained meaning.  Caroline saw that William was experiencing color, even if his eyes saw only a dim foggy gray.

'This is the last day' Caroline realized sadly.  William was ready to go on to other teachers, other explorations.  'Today is a rainbow!'

Source: Photonut

Caroline led him to an arc drawn on a table  "This is a rainbow, with its curving side reaches into the sky and down again."  They knelt by one side.  

Guiding his hand along the top color, she asked, "What color is this?"  

William touched, tasted, and smelled the items--tomatoes, salsa, a cinnamon JellyBelly, a plastic chili pepper....."Red!  This is RED!  The first color is red!"  Caroline clapped as William worked his way through the colors.

"Red...orange...yellow..blue...green...indigo, but that is a weird color...and, violet!  That's it, isn't it?  That's the rainbow!  The rainbow in the sky after a rain..."

Then the time ended when William's mother walked to them.  "I'll see you soon, won't I? Miss Caroline?"

She patted his face, assuring him that soon, yes, soon.    William was led away with his mother, talking excitedly about the rainbow.

Caroline wiped the tears from her face.  "Go and find your rainbows, William!"  She picked up her own white cane and found her way back to her classroom, counting the steps memorized over the many years of her own blindness.

Delores @ Under the Porch Light  hosts "Wednesday Words", providing a list of six words and/or a sentence prompt, and/or an assignment.  This week I have chosen to do the assignment:  Describing a rainbow to a blind person.  This is part 2 (Friday, March 7th).  You absolutely MUST go to her site (by clicking the delightful stream on the side-bar)and read other participants' writing.  Go there!  I mean it!

Colors of the Rainbow...part 1

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‘A new student today…a blind teenager...William, oh the fun we will share!’ Caroline tied her apron, checking the full pockets.

William walked toward her, his white cane sweeping across the sidewalk and she joyfully called to him, “William!”  He swung toward her.

“Miss Caroline?”  William hesitated as Caroline gently laid her hand upon his arm, squeezing lightly.  “I’m…William.  Your new student… here to learn…colors,” he stammered.

William felt warmth and acceptance as she led him to the lawn where they both knelt.  Caroline took his hand, guiding across the grass.  “This is green.  Green is new life—in grass, in leaves, in foods both tart and sweet.”

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Tearing some grass, she crushed them between her fingers, then touching his face.  “I want you to smell grass….really deep breaths.  This is green, green grass.” 

William inhaled and smiled at the unique scent.  Then Caroline directed him to taste the grass, chew the grass.  The bitterness hit his tongue immediately and he spat it out.  “Not all greens taste so awful.  Here, try this kiwi.”  She placed the peeled pieces upon his palm.

He smiled at the delight of tart and sweet, soft and chewy.  “Now this I like!” 

Caroline helped William stand and head to the sidewalk. “That’s all for today.  Here is a list in Braille of items for you and your parents to taste, feel, and smell.  And this CD has as the first track. .  Explore them all.”  She noticed William’s mother walking down the walk and calling him.  “Tomorrow…we will discover…BLUE.”

William turned in the direction of his mother’s voice, but he paused.  “No one has ever done this…”

As Caroline turned toward her room, she was yellow and orange as she relived William’s words.  

Delores @ Under the Porch Light  hosts "Wednesday Words", providing a list of six words and/or a sentence prompt, and/or an assignment.  This week I have chosen to do the assignment:  Describing a rainbow to a blind person.  Part 2 (final) will be posted tomorrow, Friday, March 7th.  You absolutely MUST go to her site (by clicking the delightful stream on the side-bar)and read other participants' writing.  Go there!  Right now!

The Last Days of Pompeii

Artist: Karl Briullov

Most interesting and surprising discoveries are made by pure chance.  The discovery may something as small as the remote control under a newspaper, as a house key in the laundry basket. 

There was a discovery of monument size here, or so we thought.  One of my grandmother’s book given to me (in 1972) turned out to more interesting than originally thought:  The Last Days of Pompeii by Sir Edward George Earle Bulwer-Lytton, 1^st Baron Lytton.

Source: in his later life

My husband was delighted upon seeing that the book, published in 1884, was in mint condition.  We had just seen “Pompeii” at the theater---predictable plot, predictable ending.  To ease his excitement over the book’s possible value, Wikipedia® was accessed and Sir Bulwer-Lytton was there!!

Value of the 1884 edition mass printed book:  about $5.00, despite its age.

What discovery, you may ask.  Well, I’ll tell you.

Sir Edward B-L was an intelligent man who achieved many honorary titles and wrote many very popular books in the mid-1800s.  This made him wealthy and respected.

Considering some unwise romantic choices, his personal life was always in an uproar.  Even so, The Right Honorable Lord Lytton, PC is responsible for some amazing phrases that follow/haunt all writers who wish to avoid clichés.

Recognize these:

“…the great unwashed…”  

“The pen is mightier than the sword…” 

“…pursuit of the almighty dollar….” 

And, of course, 

“…It was a dark and stormy night…”

In honor of such a writer, there is a contest: The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, in which participants create the most terrible opening sentences for imaginary novels.

"It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents---except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness."  Bulwer-Lytton

While my copy of The Last Days of Pompeii is not a great discovery, the man Bulwer-Lytton surely is.