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<p>Okay, so I goofed, but if this had been brought to my attention a
couple of days ago after I sent out the compilation, I would have
had time, but now, I can't give this story the attention and
feedback it deserves.</p>
I will try to be more attentive when checking email, but I'm often
rushed because I get so much of it, and I usually have a lot to do
in a day and only so much time. So if I see an attachment, I assume
it's the piece and copy it into my file without reading the message
first. For this reason, I suggest that you just include the piece
you want critiqued, either in the body of the message or as an
attachment, and nothing else. If you have information about your
piece you would like us to know, please include that in the
attachment. Also, if there is a mistake in the compilation, please
don't wait till the last minute to bring it to everyone's attention.
Thank you.<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 7/26/2018 1:36 PM, Alice Massa
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:7e6125ad-e011-4905-27e8-56d732715e48@wi.rr.com">
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<table class="moz-email-headers-table" cellspacing="0"
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<th nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">Subject:
</th>
<td>[Critique Group 2] Leonards submission</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">Date:
</th>
<td>Mon, 16 Jul 2018 21:53:31 -0400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">From:
</th>
<td>tuchyner5--- via Group2 <a
class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E"
href="mailto:group2@bluegrasspals.com"
moz-do-not-send="true"><group2@bluegrasspals.com></a></td>
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<td><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:tuchyner5@aol.com" moz-do-not-send="true">tuchyner5@aol.com</a></td>
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<th nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">To: </th>
<td><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:ajm321kh@wi.rr.com"
moz-do-not-send="true">ajm321kh@wi.rr.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">CC: </th>
<td>Critique Group 2 <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E"
href="mailto:group2@bluegrasspals.com"
moz-do-not-send="true"><group2@bluegrasspals.com></a></td>
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<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">I
group 2</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">Since
the first two chapters of Merlyn the Magic Turtle have
already been<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>sent
to the membership in general, I’m sending the 3<sup>rd</sup>,
as of yet, un submitted chapter. The first 2 chapters are
sent as attachments. You may comment on any or all of
these, but only the pasted chapter 3 version<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>is expected.</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<div
style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid
windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext
.75pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"
style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext
.75pt; padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial;color:black">Have
fun</span></p>
</div>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><br>
<br>
Merlyn Part Three</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">743
words </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">I
had always enjoyed paddling through the swamps and islands
in South Florida.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Whether
on the east or west coast of the state, they were pretty
much the same. It was upsetting for me to see the changes
that the dredging operations were having on them. But
right now, in the sixties, there is no shortage of these
mysterious, saltwater places where wild life was abundant.
Mangroves are the nurseries for huge populations of sea
life.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was
paddling through a series of narrow canals and open water.
Concentration was necessary if I didn’t want to get lost.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Mangrove islands and
thickets make up one of natures most complex and beautiful
mazes that grow along tidal shores.</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">Momentarily,
my attention was distracted by an impressive white ibis,
landing atop the<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>mangrove
tangle twenty feet away.</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“Hey,
you’re not listening,” Merlyn reprimanded. </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“I’m
sorry. It’s difficult trying to navigate, watch what’s
going on around us, and listen to your story at the same
time.”</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“I
believe you,” he said sarcastically.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“You said you could
walk and chew gum at the same time. By the way, I think
you just went off course.”</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“How
would you know?” I asked.</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“Because
I live here, Dummy.”</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“My
name’s Leonard, not Dummy.”</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“Okay,
I apologize, Leonard.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It’s
just that I’ve been blathering to deaf ears for the last
five minutes. Maybe I should save the story till we get to
your campground.”</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“Good
idea. Let’s stick to small talk until then. I really want
to listen with my full attention.”</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“You
got a deal, Buddy,” he said good naturedly. “By the way,
Leonard, you’ll get us there faster if you cut around the
left side of that island.”</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“Are
you sure? I’ll be lost if I do that.”</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“Do
Mexicans eat tortillas? I’m the navigator. You’re the
motor. Okay?”</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“Okay,
but if you get us lost, I’m going to have turtle soup for
dinner.”</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“That’s
not funny,” he said, as I suppressed a laugh.</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">On
the rest of the journey, I learned that a turtle could be
a very annoying back-seat driver. Only in this case, it
was a top-of-shoulder driver. </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“Point
your bow ten degrees right. Not fifteen degrees. That’s
better. There's an oyster bank where you’re headed. It’ll
cut your bottom to ribbons. I wish you had a hat so I
could get some shade.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He
went on and on until I was really tempted to throw him
overboard and call it a day, but finally, our little
voyage reached his destination. I could see my car and pup
tent perched on the packed sandy surface of my campsite. </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“The
next part of the ride might be a little rough on you,
little guy, I said. “ I’m going to have to do a lot of
bending over and getting into other positions.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That’s going to make
shoulder riding hazardous.”</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“Good
point.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’ll stay
in the tent and leave you to your labors.”</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">I
put Merlyn on top of the kayak, dragged it halfway up the
sandy beach, carried him to the tent, and said, “I’ll be
back in a jiffy. Make yourself at home.”</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“Do
you have any refreshments in a cooler or something?” he
asked.</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">As
I walked back to the kayak, gathered up my equipment and
stored it in my car, I wondered where the turtle had
gotten all his camp smarts and other worldly information.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I made a third trip
back to the water’s edge, swung the boat over my head and
carried it to my campsite.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Then I grabbed my dry ice cooler and dragged it
into the tent.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Merlyn
had crawled discretely into a corner to get out of my way.</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“What
can I get you, my friend?” I asked</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“What
kind of vegetables do you have?”</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“There’s
lettuce on tuna and rye.”</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“That
sounds good,” he said, “I haven’t had a tuna sandwich for
years.”</span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">I
thought about the absurdity of a turtle who used to eat
tuna fish sandwiches. I had to be dreaming. It turned out
he was partial to carrots and tomatoes, which he gorged
himself on. </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">Afterwards,
my new friend relieved himself outside the tent. I settled
down in a fabric camp chair and turned on my radio. I was
a little concerned that it might sound strange to a
passerby to hear someone talking to a turtle, and a little
music would offer some degree of auditory privacy. </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">“Okay,”
Merlyn said, “Where did I leave off?”<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">_______________________________________________<br>
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<pre wrap="">_______________________________________________
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</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Abbie Johnson Taylor, Author <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://abbiescorner.wordpress.com">http://abbiescorner.wordpress.com</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.abbiejohnsontaylor.com">http://www.abbiejohnsontaylor.com</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:abbietaylor945@gmail.com">abbietaylor945@gmail.com</a>
Order my new memoir at
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.abbiejohnsontaylor.com/memoir.htm">http://www.abbiejohnsontaylor.com/memoir.htm</a></div>
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