
1 If you are in need of help, you need but ask...
2 ************************* INSTALLED: 20 JAN 85 *********************
3 Welcome to BWMS (BackWater Message System)  Mike Day System operator
4 ************************************************************
5 GENERAL DISCLAIMER: BWMS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INFORMATION
6                     PLACED ON THIS SYSTEM.
7 BWMS was created as an electronic bill board. BWMS is a privately owned
8 and operated system which is currently open for use by the general public.
9 No restrictions are placed on the use of the system. As the system is
10 privately owned, I retain the right to remove any and all messages which
11 I may find offensive. Because of the limited size of the system, it will be
12 periodically purged of messages. (only 629 lines of data can be saved)
13 To leave a message, type 'ENTER' and use ctrl/C or break to get out of the
14 ENTER mode. The message is automatically stored. If after entering the
15 message you find you made a mistake, use the replace command to replace
16 the line. To exit from the system, type 'OFF' then hang up.
17 Type 'HELP' to see other commands that are available on the system.
18 ************************************************************
19 
20 <o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>
21 
22                  Rainbows
23 
24     You came upon a storm filled night,
25        bringing light into my life
26          and rainbows to my eyes. 
27 
28          And now like in my youth, 
29     I find I am searching for the gold 
30         at the end of that rainbow.
31   Oh please let me find that gold at the end
32         of the rainbow that is you.
33 
34     It feels like I'm chasing a rainbow,
35        always just outside my reach.
36  Yes, it feels like I'm chasing rainbows again.
37 
38      Oh, please let me find that gold,
39         for I need someone to hold.
40 And it feels like I'm chasing rainbows again.
41 
42  Yes, it feels like I'm chasing rainbows again.
43 
44                                BH
45 
46 <o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>+<o>
47 
48 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
49 The coffee that they give us, they say is mighy fine.
50 It's good for cuts and bruises, and it tastes like iodine.
51 Gee I hate the army. Boy do I want to go home.
52 
53 The crackers that they give us, they say are mighty fine.
54 One fell off a table, and killed a pal of mine.
55 Gee I hate the army. Boy do I want to go home.
56 
57 They treat us all like monkeys, they make us stand in line.
58 They give us fifty dollars a week, and take back fourty-nine.
59 Gee I hate the army. Boy do I want to go home.
60 
61 yuk yuk yuk yuk yuk double yuk yuk yuk yuk yuk double yuk yuk yuk
62 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
63 `'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'
64     |_|_|_|_|_|_|, I warned you it was an emotional issue. You read a lot
65 into it that was not stated or intended, but only existed in your mind. The
66 only point was its not necessarily a virtue! (P.S. I'm not the infamous SC)
67     Guardian, make it one of the Inn's famous nut-brown ales and you've got
68 it. How about this for openers?:
69  Imagine, if you will, that at one time you were in possession of
70  ultimate truth. In knowing this truth you became aware that you
71  would, at some future time, forget this truth. By the same token
72  you would also know where to inscribe this truth so as to be able
73  to find it again. Where might you have chosen as this place?
74 `'`'`'`' -alchemist-  `'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'
75 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^     ("I'm sooo confused!"     J.Z.)
76 -alchemist-  I think that that makes two offers now...  I'll have to take you up on yours. Yes very intriguing (hosp?)
77      (I meant sp... grrr)  Your question brings as much intrigue as well. My selection of a place would seem rather odd beein
78 being that it would be on an inside rather than on something. What it would be, I won't say since I thought  I was supposed 
79 to be the cryptic type person here (CRYPTAC).
80      As to reading things into your writing, I can understand how they do it. I think that some people are taking some of
81 it too personaly, rather than letting it rest as a statement.
82 NOW, let us make way for those more intent in continuing the stroy lines...
83      (... I guess that pain would have been the right word for it ...)
84 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^     --->the Guardian     1733     Jul: 20
85 
86 IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIO []
87 ME: THEIR IS A FLAW IN THE LOGIC OF ONE WHO IS KNOWN TO I BUT NOT TO ME. TIME IS FLOWING OUT FROM UNDER TH
88 F MY SEED. I FEEL THE NEED FOR THE AGE OF DIFERNCE TO BLEND WITH MY PRIDE.
89                         
90                          []
91   POST SCRIPT:MY REALITY IS, AT THIS TIME,RESTRICTED.YOU MUST ACCEPT MY FLOWFOR WHAT IT IS.I LEAVE NOW.THE FEAR
92  IS CALLING.I MUST SUBJECT MY SELFE TO MAN-MADE ICONS OF WHAT IS NOT TO BE.
93 
94                           []
95 IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIO []
96 __________::::::::::__________::::::::::__________::::::::::__________::::::::::
97 Whomever "BH" is, the one who wrote the poem about Rainbows, WOW!
98 I just can't get over all the beautiful poetry I have been seeing here!
99 Please keep up the good work, poets!!!
100 ::::::::::__________:::::::::: The Jiz ///        __________::::::::::__________
101 TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
102 The party at Dr. Elizondo's would have been memorable even without the ex-
103 plosion across the hall. There were lots of tropical plants, a tank of iri-
104 descent fish, hangings of zebra and goat skin and a startling collection of
105 voodoo masks as well as an unlimited supply of champagne and elegant food.
106 The armed Rajneeshi hovering about the door intrigued rather than frightened
107 me, and I would have been quite at ease but for the gnawing remembrance of
108 my earlier behavior with Fleming.
109 When it came right down to it, I had withheld information from the NET 
110 solely because I didn't like Fleming's socks. As I have mentioned, he 
111 enjoyed being disguised as a tennis player or jogger and on these occa-
112 sions always wore spotless white socks that came up to exactly the same
113 spot on each calf, were never even the tiniest bit uneven like other peo-
114 ple's and never needed pulling up. To me, this excessive fastidiousness
115 combined with his obsession with the NET rulebook, his habit of sterili-
116 zing anything he ate with or slept on, and the fact that he never laughed
117 at my jokes added up to a positively Teutonic mania for order that bor-
118 dered on the compulsive.
119 Still.
120 He *was* a NET agent.
121 Even though he had once refused to bring in two Morroccan heroin smugglers
122 because the description of "Method of capture" given by L'homme for the file
123 was "overindulgence" accompanied by a requisition for $3000.00 worth of 
124 curry powder from an agent for harem dancers (Fleming regards proper paper
125 work as a sacred trust). Even though he had wasted weeks during the McKane
126 incident staking out an Eastern Orthodox priest in Oklahoma City simply
127 because he liked Albanian olive oil (prompting the normally placid Ian to
128 give him a longish assignment in Rarotonga). Even though he wore those mad-
129 denning impeccable socks.
130 Still.
131 He's on MY SIDE. And that's what counts.
132 Isn't it?
133 The explosion made the neon fish swirl about vibrantly while the masks, 
134 briefly illuminated, winked knowingly.  I waded to the hallway (the carpet
135 seemed three feet deep) and saw Joshua (found at last!) with L'homme and
136 Fellows and some other people. I felt elated and wanted to wave at them
137 and tell Joshua what a relief it was to see him, but they were moving off
138 in a funny jerky kind of way like they were behind wavy glass. I laughed,
139 feeling the top of my head rise slightly to let the giggles escape.
140 The Rajneeshie stood beside me. Now in what way, thought I, was he any worse
141 than a NET agent? He was an idealistic fellow doing, in the name of justice,
142 nothing that NET agents don't also do in the name of justice.
143 His clothes were made of a curious material that glowed from within and 
144 rippled softly although there was no breeze.
145 "So you held out on Fleming, eh, EX-agent Minsky?"
146 I could barely make sense out of this because a stream of musical notes 
147 dancing with hats and canes strutted out of his mouth as he talked and 
148 formed a teeny chorus line on his shoulder.
149 "Held out.  Yes.  EX ??!?!?!??" U  Uh-oh.
150 I stared at him. His eyes looked like the eyes on peacock tails and he 
151 smiled like a Chrysler.
152 "Don't worry, Gaudy, you won't be out of work.  We think you have a great
153 deal to offer. How would you like to work for us?"
154 It occurred to me that I had been drugged. I felt happy and trusting and
155 flattered although part of my mind kept saying "dangerdangerdangerdangerdang
156 erdangerdangerdangerdang"
157 I smiled being careful to hold on to my ears so my mouth wouldn't wrap 
158 around all the way and cut off the rest of my head.
159 "I'm not in a position to make such a decision at this time," I said chortl-
160 ing at the way my words formed as cloudy wisps in the corner.
161 TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT Gaudy Minsky TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
162 (Swish)>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>(Poof!)
163 "...I told Camille that she was very lovely.  Dragons, for all of their good
164 points, are terribly vain.  Fortunately for me, Camille was not an exception to
165 the rule.  The whole conversation went something like this:
166 "'How are you today, dragon?', I asked.
167 "'Hungry', Camille said.
168 "'What?  Isn't there a handsome strong male dragon around to court such a
169 beautiful dragon?', I said.
170 "Of course, since dragons are as intelligent as they are, Camille knew that
171 I was just flattering her to save my skin.  Still, I had pleased her for a
172 moment, and she didn't eat me.
173 "'No, there is no male here.  All I see is a delicious human moving his
174 mandibles.'
175 "At this point, I couldn't resist.  I Changed.  Into a male dragon, of course.
176 I couldn't hold the shape long- I was inexperienced and a dragon-form is a lot
177 of mass that hs to be projected.
178 "'You ARE an interesting human.  I have never seen one of your kind assume
179 other shapes like the doppleganger.  Tell me, how do you do that?'
180 "I was shocked.  Dragons were supposed to know everything.  I suppose that 
181 Changing was invented by man, and that Changers were too rare to be seen by
182 dragons.  In any case, Camille hadn't ever seen a Change before.  I used it to
183 my advantage.
184 "'And what will I receive in return, dragon, for the knowledge I will give
185 to you?', I said.  This was dangerous- most other people would be lucky to
186 return alive in this situation.  But I had interested her, and suprised her
187 (which is something almost unheard of in dragons, surprise), so Camille felt
188 generous.
189 "'I shall give you a ring from my hoard, tell you my name, and let you go free.
190  Will you agree?'
191 "A name is the most valuable thing you can get from a creature- for if you 
192 have its name, you can exert some power over it.  Of course, the ring and my 
193 life were also large considerations.  I consented, and told her the beginnings
194 of Change-lore.
195 "She seemed pleased, and bade me to take a ring of my choosing.  As I searched
196 through the tremendous pile of gems, jewelry, and weapons, Camille Changed
197 into several things: a bird, a toad, even a duck.
198 "Finally, I found a good ring.  Camille, finally, had found a good shape- that
199 of a human girl.
200 "The shape in itself is not dangerous, but Changing itself is.  Let me explain.
201 To Change, you must temporarily surrender part of your identity.  The key word
202 here, of course, is TEMPORARY.  The longer one remains in a shape, the harder
203 it becomes to change back.
204 "Camille, as I found out a few months later, remained in the girl-form much
205 of the time.  At the last, she had been in girl-form for about two months.
206 Suddenly, she was no longer a dragon, but a young girl.  She was adopted by
207 loving and understanding parents in a villiage nearby.  When word got out that
208 the dragon disappeared, the hoard was soon gone.
209 "I returned after I had heard the news to see what I could do.  But, try as I
210 might, I could not discover which girl was Camille.  She was to be a dragon
211 no more.
212 "Still later, about another two months, the village found out who was Camille.
213 Apparently, she had remembered her true form and had tried to fly.  The
214 mess she left at the foot of the cliff was not a pretty sight.
215 "And the point of this, you all ask?  Merely be yourself, for if you try to
216 assume another's form disaster will result.
217 "There is, however, a loose end to my story.  The ring that I chose among all
218 those in Camille's hoard was magical.  The magic, however, I have yet to
219 discover how to work.  One of the reasons I came here is to see if one of the
220 patrons here has any experience with rings, and if he/she could help me."
221 (Poof!)>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Master Changer >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>(Swish)
222 Master Changer: Hast thou perchance studied at the Immanent Grove? Or have
223 (pardon, HAST not HAVE) thou met he who is known as Sparrowhawk?
224 ................................the apprentice.............................
225 I heard an interesting set of riddles today:
226 Q. How many Afghanis does it take to chang a light bulb?
227 A. 3, one to change the bulb and two to ambush the Russian supply train.
228 
229 Q. How many Russians does it take to change a light bulb?
230 A. 4001. One to change the bulb and 4000 to set up a defensive perimeter
231    against the two Afghanis!
232 
233 Q. When will then Russiains leave Afghanistan?
234 A. As soon as they find the #%^$^& who invited them!
235 (Don't blame ME, blame my roommate!)
236 ____________________________________Leonard________________________________
237 RYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRY
238 KGEPD PTFLO DXMDP TAD[E _JAID TAJJF LZ[ED _SA[E _JAHB RAC^F LZ[\D _PTAU
239 DCJAD ZXFLZ DLGPE DPJUF LZDPX HBMFZ GJADX GPDST FNTD[ K_RAP PAJDV CFJ[K
240 DE_TY [EHB_ JAVJA EALPE [MHBB _FCLH B[HB_ A[^\_ NEWGC JAIHB BBBBB BBBBB
241 
242 To:certain concerned users
243        While secrecy is part of the intent of the "code", it is intended
244 as a puzzle for you to solve....
245 RYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRY
246 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ETC.^^^^^^^^^^
247 No episod X+3 yet, I tend to be easily distracted.
248 By the way, the rainbow poem is WONDERFUL. Encore please.
249 
250                           A FAMILAR VOICE
251 
252    I sat up in the dark and stared at the glowing numbers on the 
253 clock.  The little voices in my head were screaming at one another
254 for the second night in a row. Some of them weren't happy, they 
255 wanted to leave.  I didn't know why yet, let's hope I have grown 
256 past the attention getting stage.  I would hate to be that trite.
257 And if I said I wanted to leave now I would have to give an explain-
258 ation, and I didn't have one.  
259    Next to me was the nicest person (god that sounds sappy) I had 
260 seen since my divorce.  And one of my voices kept screaming to get
261 out of here.  It didn't make any sence.  I was happier than I had 
262 been in a year and this guy wouldn't let me sleep.  This was what I
263 had said I had wanted, just someone to be with without the pomp and
264 all the hassle.  Someone to fill the gaps when I felt the gaps. 
265 Someone to share with, someone I could talk to, or not talk to.
266    So why was this so insistant.  And why so familiar?  Why was this
267 particular refusing me sleep.
268    This voice had whisper black things before my wedding, and had
269 laughed when I went to pick up my divorce papers.  It was a cruel, 
270 I-told-you-so voice, a sadist.
271    I got up slowly, and dressed without turning on the light.  I
272 didn't even look at the softly breathing form on the bed, but the
273 sound of that breath roared in my ears.
274    I felt like a coward for not saying good-bye.
275    At home I turned over one and went to sleep.
276 
277                                                  Adrian
278 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ETC.^^^^^^^^
279 HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
280 A mouse can be useful at times, but it is distracting to have to take 
281   your hands off the keyboard--the best way to do it is to have the 
282   mouse on the floor.  It takes a bit of practice, but it gives you that
283   "third hand" you need for some programs...  What is needed in programs
284   is a way to switch off the menus as you become more proficient with 
285   it.  An ideal way(to me) to have a program set up would be to have a
286   program call a separate menu routine; when the user becomes suffic-
287   iently proficient(say that fast 3 times) that the menus get in the way
288   the program would no longer call the menu routine--and reduce the size
289   of the program.                            The Crimson Blues
290 HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
291 <?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?>
292 swish-poof: I thought a doppelganger was like a ghost or double of a 
293             living person that acted out his alter-ego.
294 adrian: Is that a true story? It's SO SAD;if it's true, go call up the
295         person you left sleeping and tell her(/him) about the cynical
296         mocking voice so she'll know what makes you tick; she won't
297         laugh really really really.
298 <?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?> CARCIOFO BENE <?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?><?>
299 
300 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
301 MASTER CHANGER: I LIKE THE SPEAK-WITH-DRAGONS STORY, BUT HAVE A 
302    QUESTION ABOUT SHAPE CHANGING THAT MAYBE YOU CAN CLEAR UP. IT
303    CONCERNS THE BASIC CLASSES OF MAGIC.  NOW IT IS OBVIOUS THAT A 
304    CHANGE AND A SIMPLE DISGUISE SPELL ARE OF A TOTALLY DIFFERENT
305    ORDER.  HOWEVER, IT IS ALSO TRUE(AND YOU ALLUDED TO IT IN YOUR 
306    STORY) THAT YOUR ESSENCE REMAINS WITH YOU, ie. THE CHANGE IN
307    APPEARANCE THAT ACCOMPANIES THE CHANGE IS NOT RANDOM.  WHENEVER
308    YOU CHANGE INTO A HUMAN YOU APPEAR AS YOU ALWAYS HAVE AS A HUMAN.
309       THE QUESTION IS WHEN YOU CHANGE INTO A FORM OTHER THAN YOUR 
310    NATURAL ONE (FOR EXAMPLE WOLF) ARE YOU FEATURES THE SAME (SUCH AS
311    MARKINGS OF THE FUR, EYE COLOR, WALK, RUN ?
312 ANYBODY: IS ADRIAN MALE OR FEMALE, AND IS /SHE/HE/ DELIBERATELY NOT
313    USING SEXED PRONOUNS IN ORDER TO HIDE /HER/HIS/ SEX?  WHY?
314                                             PERRY SMITH
315 """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
316 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^     (...)
317 Perry,  as I have said before, and I presume it applies to others as well, I for one enjoy what little privacy I have. 
318  Pseudonyms and ambiguity are a couple ways to retain that feeling of security. Even if you tell someone a little bit about
319  yourself, they will no know who you are if you construct for yourself the Wall of a 'pen-name'.
320 Adrian:  Fact or Fiction, the Inn is a wonderful place to bare the soul. Your latest entry was tactful and well written.
321 Mother: "Did it need to be so high?"    -P.F.
322 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^     --->the Guardian     21:040737
323 
324 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^     (a question concerning STATUS: ENTER ONLY on DA)
325 Cistop Mikey: How long will we remain on standby before we will be allowed to 
326        return to the happy days of ALL ALLOWED? Is it because one of the 
327        regular patrons is suspect? (bite my tounge)  My 'cadre' wants to know.
328 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^     --->Sondargaard     21:04 supplemental
329 
330 pppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
331   Meanwhile, on an uncharted tropical isle, somewhere in the labyrinthine
332 folds of the fabric of multiple realities, the piper is running down a white
333 coral beach.  Running beside him, a white pegasus dips her muzzle, and with
334 a feather touch against one bare foot brushes it slightly, and causes the 
335 piper to land in the shallow water in an incredible mixture of water, sand
336 and laughter.  The pegasus moves to stand beside him, the bright tropical
337 sun glancing off her flanks revealing only a thin line where the cruel claws
338 had inflicted grevious injury.  The pegasus wheels and darts away as the
339 piper reaches for her neck.  Only a slight tightening of the eyes betrays his
340 concentration as he watches her motions -- alert for any telltale hesitation
341 or stiffness in her motions.  The two play an improvised game of tag for
342 several more minutes, then the piper throws himself to the sand in the shade
343 of a picture-postcard palm tree.  The pegasus folds her legs and lies near
344 him in the soft warm sand.
345   "Peg, you're healing up fine," said the piper caressing the pegasus'
346 warm nose.  "We might be able to try a flight or two soon."
347   The pegasus' intellegent eyes gleamed.  Her ears assumed a new angle,
348 indicating interest.
349   "We've got to take it slowly, though," the piper continued.  "Your
350 muscles were pretty badly cut up in that last fight."  He sat up and began
351 running his hands over the pegasus' body.  "This cut," he continued,
352 "damaged your major flight muscles.  It seems to have healed right, but
353 it's bound to have weakened from disuse.  Peg, we've got to start exercising
354 your flying muscles before you try to fly again."
355   The pegasus turned her neck and rested her head against the piper's side.
356 pppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
357 IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIO []
358 ME/ALL:
359        It is interesting how the sexs express affection.The need for men to label things that thay feel affectio
360 to as feminine is not suppriseing.Men allways,it seems,have fely that their was something unnatural in giveing le
361 to something that was not labeled female.As though, their masculinity rests on the gender of their most adored
362 posestions.
363        Women don't seem to have this need.Perhaps it is that women have learned that affection is merely an aspect
364 of humanity.It is as much a part of masculinity as it is romance.While the man(perhaps subconcisely) sees it 
365 still as a weakness.
366       Just a thought....
367 
368                       []
369 IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIO []
370   The end of line 360 should have read'giveing love'.
371                       []
372 IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIO []
373 
374  
375 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
376  
377      Spray from the crashing surf stretchs its fingers into the air,
378 spreading into a fine mist by the time in reaches my perch high above the
379 beach.  The water swirls and boils angrily on the rocks, then sullenly
380 draws back in preparation for another sortie in its eternal war against the
381 land.  Gulls soar and dive nearby, quarreling noisily over food, or perhaps
382 they are in heated debate about the ramifications of some delicate point of
383 Laridaeian philosophy.  And I see that the fog is beginning to creep
384 landward, enveloping the beach and slowly obscuring my view of the world
385 around me.  Ah, this day might certainly rate high on someone's fog index,
386 if only they could find a way to properly measure it.
387  
388      Standing, I realize that my legs have gone to sleep, and I am colder
389 than I had thought.  I should really be getting back to the motel soon
390 before I become the home for a family of pneumococcus!  It's a long climb
391 down, and with feeling just beginning to return to my legs, I'll be slow
392 for the first part of the trek.  Arrrgh!  I have heard this feeling
393 described as "exquisite agony", and I rediscover the accuracy of that
394 phrase once again.  Stumbling occasionally, I descend along the somewhat
395 overgrown path, past trees whose forms have been fixed in a strange
396 grasping shape due to the wind that blows constantly from the sea.
397  
398      As I round the bend that leads onto the last portion of the path I can
399 see the motel to the east, and I scan the long stretch of beach that
400 separates the motel from this promontory I see..... OH SHIT!  There's water
401 below!  Stupid, stupid, stupid!  I begin to run, as well as I can run while
402 going downhill, and much faster than is safe.  Slipping, sliding, sometimes
403 falling, picking myself up again without slackening my pace, I fly down the
404 path.  My coat catches on a limb and tears, another branch slaps me
405 stingingly across the cheek, but I pay little attention in my growing fear.
406 How could I be so foolish?  Lost in thought, communing with nature, I so
407 lost track of time that I may have trapped myself into a cold and perhaps
408 even deadly night up here.  Nature is beautiful, but she is also fierce and
409 unforgiving of stupidity, an attribute that I sometimes display overmuch.
410  
411      When I reach the bottom I can see that the water is moving slowly, but
412 I'm separated from clear beach by a good distance.  Grabbing a large stick
413 nearby, I poke it down into the water and find to my relief that it's only
414 about two feet deep here.  I step down into the water and begin to walk
415 toward the motel, but I find that the current in the water is swifter than
416 I had thought at first.  Though the water is shallow, the pull below the
417 surface is great, and I find that I am having a hard time maintaining my
418 balance as I move forward.  Suddenly, the current grows stronger, my feet
419 are pulled out from under me, and I fall.  The cold of the water, combined
420 with the strength of fear, helps me to regain my feet, and I reach the
421 beach in short order.
422  
423      Back in my room, having taken a long hot shower, I begin to relax in
424 my robe in front of the plastic log in the fake fireplace of the cheap
425 beachfront motel.  I'm still shivering from the cold, and from the fear of
426 what almost happened.  "What fools these mortals be" cried Puck, and
427 tonight I not only proved that I can be a fool but nearly demonstrated my
428 mortality as well.  But even in the worst of events a lesson can be
429 learned, and a smile curls the corners of my mouth.  For one who sometimes
430 decries the uselessness of existence, I certainly clung strongly to life
431 when the time came.  An interesting point, and one that will be remembered
432 for at least a week I'm sure.
433  
434 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]PAM+[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
435 
436 
437 |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
438 PAM: It was the first entry I believe I've read by you. I can see why people 
439 awaited your return so anxiously. You cetainly have a way of describing things,
440 to say the least.
441 ADRIAN: I, too, wonder if your story was true or not.
442 ALCHEMIST: Perhaps, I did not read your entry on spelling carefully enough. 
443 Take my entry, not as an "attack" but a point of view. 
444 |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
445 |_|_|_|_|_|_|
446 One last thing I'm reminded of....
447 MAD ACTOR: You, perhaps, should read my entry on DB. Hopefully it won't be gone
448 by the time you log on next. Remember, it's no attack, just point of view. 
449 ALCHEMIST: I can see, though, how it would be taken that way, Sorry!
450 |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
451 ________________Melissa--------------------------------Melissa________________
452                             M A G E N (cont.-7)
453 
454   I spotted Raza a long way down the beach. He was trudging along in a
455 determined stride. His shirt and tie were thrown over his shoulder but he
456 still had those shoes on. I placed my own foot on the cool green moss and
457 felt the tingle of the connection. It was obvious from Raza's walk that he
458 was not going to want to climb up the hill. I should go down to the beach
459 and meet him.
460    Walking down the flower lined path I paused frequently to smell the
461 blossoms and marvel at the many colors and patterns. This was one of my
462 favorite walks. Part way down I climbed one of the trees to pick a luscious,
463 ripe mango for Raza. They can be so refreshing on a warm day. Before I knew
464 it I was standing under the palm trees at the edge of the beach. Raza was
465 past the end of the cove heading this way. I started walking toward him.
466 It's amazing how many things can run through your mind in a few seconds of
467 walking toward someone, anticipating meeting eye-to-eye.
468   "Hi Love, I'm so glad you decided to come back." I held out my arms to
469 Raza. As our eyes met my heart seemed to skip a beat. For a moment we held
470 each other and time melted away into that endless moment of ecstasy. All too
471 soon the tensing of his muscles brought me back to the present. He let go of
472 me, stepped back  and gave a long searching look.
473   "Magen..."
474   I took his hand and started toward the shade of the nearest palm tree. "I
475 brought you a ripe mango. Why don't we sit over here while you refresh
476 yourself from that walk in the hot sun?"
477   "I appreciate the thought but I've got to talk to you. Anyway I'd get
478 mango all over my clothes. Those things are so juicy and drippy."
479   "Have you forgotten how to eat a mango too! Just take off your clothes and
480 wade out into the water up to your neck. After you finish eating duck your
481 head under water and shake it." I smiled, and a little laugh bubbled out.
482   "I'm afraid I don't have time for jokes. I came over here to have a
483 serious talk with you about this preaching in the market on saturdays. Do
484 you realize a kind of a cult following is forming around some of your ..er
485 unusual ideas?"
486   "I was hoping we could be here together and just watch the sunset. If we
487 must talk I'd like to start off by saying I still love you very much."
488   "Yes Magen, I love you too, but you've got to stop some of this stuff your
489 doing and saying. Some people are starting to say your getting a little
490 crazy. Why don't you try to be reasonable. The power plant is here to make
491 life better for all of us."
492   "I hope this doesn't qound like I think I'm something special, but there
493 are times when I feel like the only person with sight, trying to explain to
494 the blind what it's like to see. In this case it's not that people are blind
495 it's that they have forgotten. Forgotten something essential."
496   
497 ---My goodness, gone two days and I seem to have missed a disk, or part of one.
498    I guess it has to happen to all of us sooner or later.
499 ----------------Melissa________________________________Melissa----------------
500 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ETC.^^^^^^^^^^
501 PAM
502    Your story is really wonderful.  The paceing (something I always have 
503  problems with) is perfect.  May I do as well someday.  It makes me wish
504  that I had a way to save this material, including my own but with the
505  way things are there is no way.
506 Everybody
507    I am... I was going to answer some of the questions about me, but I have
508  decided that that is not the best right now.  The wall is indeed high, and
509  it has been up for a long time.  If I said anything now I would lose the
510  chance to do the writing that I need the most, the kind that takes all the
511  dirt and poisons out of my head and puts them onto the screen.  
512    Sometimes it is such a pleasure to reach back and flip the swich and watch
513  those words disappear.  I can't lose that right now.
514    Besides it's kind of fun to be mysterious.
515                                                 Adrian
516 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ETC.^^^^^^^^^^
517 At almost an instant in time an entruder steps onto the scene.
518 What has transpired seemed to go unnoticed.The tripical sun and waves
519 of unrest only hinted of memurable
520 if not pleasent moments.
521 the police were of little concern in
522 that they were easily sidetracked.
523 That was the problem. It was to easy.
524     haEven the NET proved on contest.
525 What was one to do.
526 
527 
528 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
529 SORRY I ASKED.  WOW, SOMETIMES YOU PEOPLE CAN BE HARD ON A PERSON.  IT IS 
530 VERY DISTURBING TO THINK I CAN BE STEREOTYPED SO QUICKLY.  MAYBE I HAD BETTER
531 START OVER SOMEWHERE ELSE, OR IS THERE A CHANCE THAT I WILL RECOVER?
532 
533 ADRIAN: PLEASE TAKE NO OFFENSE.  NONE WAS MENT.  I WOULD NOT WANT TO TAKE SUCH
534        AN OUTLET FROM YOU.  I AM JUST THE INQUIZATIVE SORT AND SOMETIMES 
535        (USUALLY) LACK TACT. WE SHARE A DIVORCE IN OUR PAST (IF THAT STORY WAS
536        INDEED FACT) AND I GOT CURIOUS. 
537                                            PERRY SMITH
538 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
539 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=
540 To all NET agents:  WIMPS!!!!!!
541 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=**=*=*=* Elizabeth Ryan *=*=*=*=*=*=*=* 6:07pm on 1/21/85 *=*=*=*=
542 
543 whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop!
544  For all that remember the Grizzly - Ham cutter - J.C.   Well, the guy
545 finally went out and bought his modem so I can't keep him off the system
546 any longer.  He should show up around the beginning of the month.  Maybe
547 you don't remember him - he is the one true juvie, nerd, outspoken guy
548 who always thinks he is right.  
549  Get the children off the streets!  Shut the windows and lock them, here
550 he comes!  Hopefully, common sense will prevail and he will enter something
551 intelligent, maybe.  Whe can only hope.
552 whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop!
553 
554 -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> ->
555   BH: very nice poem, I liked it very much.  It hit something inside that
556 made me sit up and listen, very nice poem!
557   To all that sit and wonder if the entry is from a lady or a man, it is
558 possible to tell from the words the person used in a certain case, sometimes.
559 Some phrases are used by women more than men.  But even then it would be hard
560 to spot who is who. It is hard to tell but we should allow people to have
561 thier own privacy. Sticking my nose into people's business wouldn't be right.
562 They might get a little crabby about it.
563   There is another factor that is noticable, the ladies get more attention
564 than the men do. Unless the guy makes a bad ussumption about another person 
565 then they usually don't get the mail that the ladies do. But anyway, people
566 should be allowed thier secracy if they want it.
567 -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> ->       ( enter only, yuck )
568 RYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRY
569 Ms. Ryan
570   Unless you are part of "the underground", I fail to see what we have
571 done to deserve your comment.
572                  Ian MacHinery
573 RYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRY
574 
575 ........................................................................
576 (UPI Vancouver, WA)  A convoy of US Army trucks was hijacked today as
577 they moved from Seattle to Ft. Lewis.  While authorities will not 
578 comment on whether nuclear weapons were involved, an unnamed source
579 revealed that a "small shipment" of conventional weapons was taken.
580 Included in the shipment were Ingram sub-machine guns, thermite grenades
581 and classified communications gear, as well as a great deal of other
582 weaponry.  The motive for the theft is unknown at this time, but local
583 authorities, according to outgoing Portland Police Chief Ron Still, are
584 "preparing for the worst".  While no group or individual has yet claimed
585 credit for the theft, they are expected to soon.  "You don't steal this
586 kind of firepower without a reason", said Lt. General Bruce "Bloody 
587 Butts" Irwin.
588 ........................................................................
589 :::::::::::::O O:::::::::22:39:::::::::::::::::::01/21::::::::O O:::::::
590 PAM: another nice entry.  Was that the plastic fireplace log & electric
591 flames I overread you speaking to Mr. Wassir about on another board?
592 If I recall correctly, you did end up hosting that family of pneumo-
593 cocci.  Not a total loss, though, as it gave rise to another profitable
594 (from our point of view) visit to the Inn.
595 All: Prometheus Hawthorne (you remember him - he's the one that uses up
596 a years' quota of periods in one entry) and Lady S. have asked me to
597 remember them to you all.  It seems they are experiencing that all-too-
598 familiar problem--continuous busy signals while trying to access 
599 BackWater.  They vow to return ASAP, but given the recent accessibility
600 of our favorite board, who knows when that will be?
601 P. Smith: given the state of interpersonal relations these days, it's
602 a rare person who has 'enjoyed' adulthood for very long who has NOT
603 also acquired an 'ex-'.  (along with that delightful child support,
604 weekend fatherhood, et cetera ad nauseum...).
605 :::::::::::::O O::::::::::::::::::voyeur::::::::::::::::O O:::::::::::::
606     finally... after a week of terminal slashing... and three days of patient dialing... a carrier... and a set of disks that
607 y of the elusive archivists would love to put under wraps... including all sorts of hallucinogenics and stuff...
608 tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
609     voyeur... thank you for reminding others... it is truly annoying to call every few hours... for a week... and still find a
610 busy signal... annoying...!
611     pam... accurate entry... the way you described the fall into the stream felt right... it reminds me of many times... and i
612 thank you for it... i may now understand why it is rare for you to enter stories here...
613     as cistop mikey and piper have mentioned... all of your stories are ingrained deeply with self... they are important to
614 your life... and you... and it is rare to find situations appropriate for backwater...
615     anyway... i thank you for entering your stories as you wish... and sorry if i became to personal... if it were not for
616 enter only...
617 
618     gaudy minsky... net and their rulebooks be blasted... i offer you now an membership in thrike... we have dental benefits..
619     sondargaard... i approve... i meant to leave a message in the bin... i suppose tomorrow...
620     mark forsyth... lay off... i am not fond of your attitude... nor the way you abuse people when they are not capable of
621 even seeing they are being insulted... nor proving that you are wrong... lay off...
622 tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
623 
624   I often feel depressed, and sometimes Backwater provides the proper outlet for expressing myself, especially now.
625   I lifted my head, the couch was cracking my neck, it was now hard to move. There would be no sleeping on this couch.
626   I sat up, letting the sheet fall to the sides, and twisted my neck trying to shake off the pain.
627   In twisting, I saw her sleeping, on the bed. Softly I heard a nice little whistle. She did not appear to be breathing, it
628 was serene to watch the perfect curves of her female form.
629   I allowed myself one more look at my sleeping girlfriend, and then stalked off to the closet, in search of a pillow.

TOTAL NUMBER OF LINES = 629 
