Time

 Author's Note;
It is often hard to give up the joy of childhood but eventually we all need to.  Don't feel like I'm trying to insult the book or the author.  I don't mind if you have a different opinion, in fact I would really like to hear it. 


In life there is one thing that no matter how much we wish it isn't,  it is always here, haunting our every move.  It's name is reality.  To be out of tune with it makes you vulnerable to pain, deep, depressing pain of which nobody can relieve you of.  To live with reality by your side rather than behind your back you will take major steps in life and never will you have to worry about tripping because you have reality to help you up.  In that age we call childhood reality simply doesn't exist, as with Tom Sawyer.   Nightmares are over as soon as the morning sun shines through your window.  Unfortunately childhood ends  and eventually we must accept that otherwise you just might just be reality's next target.        

Wouldn't we all love to live a life with no troubles, with no pain or sorrow?  We all know that our days on this earth are numbered and to live them to their fullest,  so why give up all your hopes and dreams from  childhood when you reach a certain age? The answer is simply this; the world is a cruel place and to have people take you seriously you need to live in reality, not dreamland.  Tom Sawyer is the perfect child in all ways shapes and forms, and to him, life is an adventure, a treasure yet to be discovered a land soon to be inhabited.  He is the child that everyone wishes they were with no sense of discipline, only wanting more than the world could give him.  When Tom and Huck return home after running away and leading everyone to believe they are dead they are welcomed with open arms and gratitude thick with hugs and kisses.  A discipline would be unthinkable, I mean after all they did come home, but the true question to ask is why. Why did they come home? They wanted what every child seems to want more of: attention.  In this book, what Tom wants, Tom gets, but in real life, if you live by that moral,  you would only be looked down upon  by others as the selfish one who never grew up

Although childhood is often  of our lives there is a time when you just have to grow up and think normally.  Unfortunately those of us who lived the perfect childhood find it almost impossible to leave it all in the past.  Huck Finn seems to be surviving alone on the food that others give him and the education that he catches from his friends.  Later in life there will be no widow to take him in or to offer him supper.  There is just no patience in today's time to accept people like that, nobody wants to feed a full grown man as they would a child.  Deprived of an education as a child will lead a very unpleasant future.  Becky doesn't see wrong, to her everyone is perfect, every moment is perfect, even in the toughest of times she sees through the eyes of innocence.   It is almost like Santa Claus, it I cute as a child, but eventually people just tell you to grow up.  To see everything as perfect will most certainly annoy those around you as the world is not perfect, far from it.  Tom has had no discipline, his line between right and wrong has been scratched and crossed so many times he won't even know where it is anymore.  As an adult a direct knowing of right and wrong is necessary and self discipline is key. There is nobody to tell you that you shouldn't rob a bank just because you think that it would be fun, or inform you that putting a worm in your bosses lunch will get you fired.   People like the characters in this book don't get very far in life, and they end up irresponsible obnoxious human beings rather than  cute children. 

Time in general is simply an afterthought in a child's mind, they don’t need clocks or watches because they have people to tell them when it is time.  Time only interrupts playtime and play overrules all other factors in a fantasy .  Later is nonexistent for there is only now and to live each day like your last without a care in the world.  There are no days, weeks, years, there is only now, and now is forever , and forever is now.  

Chapter 31

Recently I have found that sometimes whether or not someone  will like a certain chapter depends upon whether or not the reader can connect to it.  Often I find stories where I can connect to the characters and their feelings more appealing.  Often, authors use fright as a connection that most readers can take in a variety of ways.

Fear is also like the fishing pole to a reader in this chapter.  The reader often knows that the bait is just a trick yet that still can't convince them not to take a huge mouthful of it.  That is what it felt like to me in this chapter; I knew that Tom and Becky weren't going to die, but I still fell for it.  The extensive  descriptions and the extreme discomfort Tom and Becky seem to rub off on me as they take on the toughest of challenges for survival and sanity.   It was truly a nightmarish vision on starving, slowly the life draining out of them until there was almost nothing left.  Shivers ran down my spine when they saw Injun Joe, they wouldn't have  the strength to run from him if he  did reveal a knife.  I think that Injun Joe would have killed them both if he too wasn't suffering from starvation.  Of all the horrible choices that Tom has made in this book the one to leave Becky and go exploring on his own was both the worst and best at the same time.  Best because he got them out and worst because there was always the issue of getting lost again if he ran out of string.  I found Tom and Becky's escape totally unrealistic because what are the odds that there would be a boat right there, right then that was willing to take them back to their town?  I say that they would be pretty slim.  Although this chapter was crazy and weird, I still do like it that Tom and Becky made it back just like I knew that they would. 

I enjoyed this chapter but I would suggest that they stretch it over the course of maybe 3 or 4 chapters instead of just one because it was a lot of content to take in for one chapter.  Of all Tom's adventures this one was definitely the one that they were all leading up to. It was a great chapter but I figure that the rest will be just as boring as the first ones, and as many generations that pass, Tom Sawyer will always be "that book I  read when I was a kid" type of  classic.

The Gatekeeper

The bus lurched forward, slowly making it's way over the last hole ridden dirt road that lead up the side of the mountain.  The sound of conversations were interrupted every jostle, and the more violent the jostle, and jolt the longer the silence that followed, until finally the bus hit one pot so deep that the underside of the vehicle gave way with a crash, and a dull thump.  The engine cut out and the driver yelled above the panic, "Alright! Everyone just relax.  We're going to have to walk the rest of the way."

"What!!" yelled a passenger,  "That 's at least 3 miles!"

"Well then just toughen up and lose a few calories, you look like you need to!" another one said

"Hey watch it!" the driver screeched.  "The longer you guys sit here arguing the longer it's going to take to get there!"

"Can't you just call a tow truck?" A woman asked

"The trucks don't come this high, besides you'll just love the scenery!"

"Arg!" yelled the passengers in unison, but they reluctantly got off the bus.

"This plant is called a yuckua plant," The driver/tour guide explained.  One passenger/tourist started to make fake snoring noises. 

"I have to go to the bathroom!" complained a young child.

"Oh, shut it!" yelled one of the more aggravated sightseers.

"But mommy……….," Was the child response

"Honey, just a little longer," soothed the mother

"And this, wow, it this really a shesha plant?!  Quick everyone gather round!" yelled the so-called man in charge.  No body "gathered round".  "Hello, anybody there?" He continued.

"Move your feet, not your mouth," commanded someone.

"Hey there are children here!" A mother yelled

"Does it look like I care?" he responded

"Shut it and walk! Another yelled

"Don’t you dare talk to me like that!"  yelled the man

"Oh, I will if I feel like it!" he responded

"Oh no you didn't!" the man screamed back

"Oh yes I did"

"I can't believe that you just said that!"

"I can!" A toddler burst out in sobs and that was it.

"THROWDOWN!"the two men shouted in unison.  The two men tackled each other to the ground and started rolling on top of one another.  A few short chuckles seemed to break the ice.  Soon everyone was laughing, that is but those two men fighting like two year olds at daycare.

"Okay- that- is- enough," The driver said in between bursts of laughter.  "Get up, come on now."

Slowly the fighting died down and they began on their walk again.  A little while later a small town came into view.

"Hooray!" They all yelled.  Even the two fighters allowed a small grin to creep onto their faces. Everyone launched into a run, racing to civilization at last.  As they reached the small gate leading into the city they saw a stout man sitting on a stool calling out names, "Suzanne, Gary, Kim……" The hikers soon realized that the man was calling their names. 

"How do you know our names?" a brave soul cried out

"Oh I have my ways," the man responded in a high pitched childish voice.  "You are allowed to enter,  come on- go ahead.  We've been waiting for you.

One of the tourists pulled a map out of his jacket pocket as a confused look came over his face, "Sir, where are we? This town isn't on our map,"

"Oh no, you're right here," The man informed them as he pointed to a small area in the middle of the mountains.

"But there's nothing there!"  The driver told him

"Look closer,"  the gentleman told them.  Everyone leaned in real close and squinted through the glare of the sun.

"Oh there it is!" shouted someone.  A chorus of "Oh, I see it" 's  echoed back.  There was a small town there, barely visible to the human eye.  The name next to the tiny dot said Lived, a town for everyone and anyone.

"Oh I don't care what your town is called I want some food," complained someone

"And some new clothes," added one of the men involved in the fight, "my wife's gonna kill me if I come home looking like this!"

"Well then come on in and we'll get you whatever you need,"  The man suggested.  The people crammed into the doors and not until they had each done more than their fair share of jostling did they realize that they weren't going to fit.  No body seemed to care, in fact, that just made them fight more violently.  A young child was crushed underfoot when the load of people finally squeezed through the door.  No body turned around to check her pulse or help her to the hospital, they didn't care, why would they?  No body turned around to see the gatekeeper quietly snickering to himself. 

As soon as everyone was in the doors slid shut behind them.  No body seemed to care, they were raving animals.  They were fed with the finest food, given the cleanest clothes, and the fanciest bedrooms.  Were they grateful? Of course not!

After a good long rest, and a continental breakfast they were ready to be on their way.  The pack of people walked back to the gate where they had come in only to find it locked!

"They probably just locked it so that others can't get in," someone announced, " We should go find the gatekeeper!"

"Yeah!"  His followers echoed in encouragement.  After  a short walk to the gatekeepers house they reached his door.  Someone rang the doorbell and the familiar man poked his head out. 

"Don't you people know not to wake someone this early in the morning!" he yelled

"This will only be a second, we promise.  We were just wondering if you could give us the key so we could leave.  Some of us have personal lives that we need to get back to."

"Oh you wouldn't leave now would you? There will be a festival this afternoon with dancing and singing and delicious foods!"

"Oh I guess a few more hours wouldn't hurt," someone said.  Nods of agreement came from all.

"That's the attitude!  Well I guess now that I'm up I'd better go help set up the festival, you can explore the town."  After only a minutes of walking they came upon a small chocolate shop.  Inside there were too many delectable candies to chose from.

 "I love it here!"  someone said as she picked up more candy than her short stubby arms could carry.  As she steped up to the counter to pay she realized something was different, there was no body there to check them out. "FREE CANDY!!" She screeched and started stuffing her face with it. 

At another store three teenage girls were browsing the racks of the clothing store when they noticed something was different too,  the aisles never ended!

"MILLIONS OF SHOES!!" They cried as they loaded their arms

At yet another store five businessmen were observing the ties at the suit store when  yet again they realized something was different,  all the ties came with free suits, what a bargain!

After all the shopping was over they all met at the town square for the festival.  It looked amazing, banners flying all over,  Many booths and stands with no body to occupy them.  The town we dead silent, not a singer dancer, or anyone in sight.

"Maybe we're just early," suggested someone

"No your right on time!" Everyone jumped where had that voice come from.  When they turned around they realized that it was just the gatekeeper who had said it.  "I think it's time for a little fun!" he roared.  All of a sudden the stages were filled with dancers and singers.  Street performers on every corner.  Every buffet had a sign next to them-

"FEED YOURSELF,IT'S FREE!!" howled the candy lady.  She shuffled of towards the buffet. 

"What are you waiting for, go have a great time!" commanded the gatekeeper.  They didn't need to be told twice.  Everyone shuffled off to his or her little piece of heaven while the gatekeeper allowed only a slight smile to sneak onto his face, his plan was working perfectly. 

After each had gorged, fancied or pretty much wiped themselves out having so much fun they returned to the town center where they met up with the gatekeeper. 

"You must be exhausted!" he said, "I can't possibly let you leave like this, how about one more night, is that alright?" Nobody did anything, they were too tired.  "I take that as a yes." he finished.  I'll show you to your rooms.  Again they were given the softest of pajamas, the most comfy of beds and the warmest of sheets before they dozed of to dreamland.

The next day everyone slept until noon and were given a huge buffet breakfast.  They were all in about as good of a mood as they were going to get, somewhere between sullen and unhappy.   An hour later they made their way over to the gatekeepers to ask to leave while the others stayed back, they weren't leaving!

Once at the door they rang the bell.

"Thanks for at least coming at a real hour of the day this time, now what do you want?" asked the keeper.

"I want to go home and see my children," one man said.

"I want to finish the sweater I'm knitting," said another woman

"Sh, sh," said the keeper, "You will be able to see them soon enough, I was just hoping that possibly you could help me with a little project, you know a little community service?  The festival yesterday left quite a mess and it is pretty hard for one man to clean up, would you help?" The glare that the people at his door gave him said it all, "Yeah, I though that it was a pretty stupid idea too," he exclaimed. "I'll go get the keys" The crowd waited and waited and waited, but he never came out.
"What's keeping him?" someone asked

"I don't know," the others said back

"We should go check," someone else said, and they all nodded their heads in agreement.  They creaked the door open and split up to look for the keeper.

"He's gone!" they exclaimed

"He probably found the key and went to unlock the door," a new person said.  More head bobs.  Then they began to walk to the gate.  When they reached the gate they found it deserted, but wait no, there was the keeper, standing right on the other side of the gate. 

"So you found me, and I admit, I am a little surprised.  By now I'll bet that your wondering who I really am, well try reversing the letters in the name of this town, that should tell you. Oh, and about the keys, I was lying!' He opened his mouth wide and before anyone knew what was happening, the keys were down the little man's throat. 

"No!" they all shouted

"Yes!" he screamed back, "We'll, see ya!"  Before anyone could say anything he was gone, locking them in.  After three hours of banging on the iron door with no results they gave up. 

"This is hopeless," one said.  Another one had already begun to go insane, screaming until his voice got hoarse and then disappeared altogether.  He didn't notice at all, his mouth still moving, but nothing coming out. 

They were trapped with no one but the devil to rely on.

To be continued