Get Off My Cloud

See when you belong to a "certain category" you are expected to sort everything out yourself, and someone will make that very clear to you. But when you are in "another category" you don't have to, you can tell that same someone who will tell someone else to send something on your behalf.

Equality? No.

Fool Me Once Shame on You, Fool Me Twice Shame on Me

Aphorism quoted by Captain James T. Kirk but I don't remember the episode title (any geeks listening?). Kirk was not shamed, as he recognised the bluff the second time, but I was. Oops.

Situation is advertised as having character X with (perhaps) a small element of Y, but the reality is rather the other way round - large amount of Y is expected and is in truth the primary objective, while character X is subsidiary, possibly political, and cynically looked at might be a way to give a gloss, a superficial attractiveness, to the otherwise ordinary dullness (and financial rewards) of the tasks demanded in fulfilling element Y so that a better class of applicant might be interested, or so that it might be presented that way. Scent of fish abounds.

The point is that it has happened before (with the same elements X and Y) to me, almost identically. The second time, the bluff has to be more plausibly constructed - quite plausibly, in fact, good job etc - but should I have spotted it? There were some clues that should have been more closely scrutinised (well I was sick).

Any third attempts will be regarded most carefully if they appear to come from God himself.

I did at least find out the true situation, albeit very late in proceedings, and endeavour was not without value. Still somewhat of a disappointment from a seemingly august body of men and women of supposed integrity, not to say faith. But I'm happy not to have got the job (if you can ever say that).

Hide and Seek

Lady Fuschia and the Lion went to play in the garden and who should turn up but Chicken-Little, who they hadn't seen in ages. So they invited him to join in their game. But he wasn't very good at it and never knew where to look, while Lady Fuschia, even if she didn't get it first time could usually get the right sort of area.

But they didn't make fun of Chicken-Little and still tried to include him by not hiding in very difficult places. And Chicken-Little knew he had some good friends.

The End of Chicken-Little

Chicken-Little had spent some time in the farmyard. He'd learned about pecking and crowing and digging for worms and why all the eggs were brown and he'd even hatched a couple. He'd met some ducks and seen the lake and he felt he'd really grown up. The badger had shown him some new ways of swimming and the silver fox had talked of the past. And the sky hadn't fallen on his head after all.

But the Rooster Council said that he couldn't enter the henhouse because his clucking upset them and his feathers were too shiny but anyway there was always plenty to do in the barn.

Chicken-Little was very sad. But he shook his tail-feathers, changed his name and ran off to join the circus. And he was never heard of again.

Goodnight children.

Chicken-Little Goes to Tea with the Ferrets

Chicken-Little knew he was well looked after. Although he was teased sometimes about his ragged feathers he knew that the other animals made him welcome, when some others like some of the wild geese were cooed at and even pecked, particularly by the swans but also among other animals. One goose in particular received a very severe pecking from a black swan and had feathers plucked out.

The ferrets did not always help either. They were supposed to help the visitors but sometimes they were a bit snarly.

Then he heard that in this case the ferrets - who had seen this incident - expected this swan to be taken into the aviary, and Chicken-Little was pleased. But he wondered if it was actually right to feel this way - wouldn't it be better if all the birds could live in the barnyard together? There was plenty of food, surely?

Chicken-Little Learns the Truth

The Bear spoke Latin hoping not to be understood, but Chicken-Little thought it all sounded rather familiar although he had forgotten most of it a long time ago. He knew it was not satisfactory though.

Army Boy knew the discipline but did not use a razor. Shaggy. It reminded Chicken-Little of The Great Stone Face.

Little Woman cleaned the house. Multi-tasking was at least useful but she didn't finish the job.

The Lion-Man was interested but Chicken-Little was of a mind with the Leopard who wanted meat not fresh air.

Chicken-Little Steps Out

Chicken-Little went to visit the Watchdog behind the Big Wooden Gate. He had heard that the Watchdog was fierce and chased buffalos and he wondered what he would find. And the Watchdog was indeed big and brave with a powerful bark, but he also had a lovely warm paw and he gave Chicken-Little a big hug. He showed Chicken-Little how not to be eaten by lions and introduced him to lots of other animals, so that Chicken-Little forgot all about the farmyard and even Badger's set. He was very sad when it was time to go home again, but he promised not to forget the Watchdog and to send him nice juicy bones to say thank you.

Chicken-Little gets an education

One morning, Chicken-Little said to Mother-Hen, "Can I play in the garden?" But Mother-Hen said, "No, I want you to practise your counting." So Chicken-Little counted all day. By bedtime he had got to 42 and he was very tired.

The next morning Chicken-Little said to Mother-Hen, "Can I play in the garden today?" "No", said Mother-Hen, "we are going for a walk". And they walked and walked and got to the end of the garden. And Chicken-Little was very tired.

The next morning Chicken-Little said to Mother-Hen, "Will you teach me to read?" But Mother-Hen was too busy. So Chicken-Little went to Goosey-Gander and said, "Will you teach me to read?" And Goosey-Gander sat down and taught Chicken-Little the alphabet. And Chicken-Little was very tired.

The next day Chicken-Little went to stay with Busy-Badger and Daffy-Duck.