Tale from Pentapia, Chapter Five

Tale from Pentapia
An Alternative Childhood

J. E. McCarty


Chapter Five
As We Were Twelve

         The man standing at the front of the classroom addresses the class. “Good morning young people. For the sake of the newer students, I am Instructor Jim. Today is the first day of Cycle One of the twelve sub-cycles. It is a short cycle titled, ‘The Male and Female Minds.’ I will be your instructor for this sub-cycle.

         “We will address a little about how we all think. And, we will be discussing how the genders are different and alike.

         “The materials presented in the Relationships and Reproduction classes have been designed for students of ages twelve and up. There are students in this class that are under twelve years of age. However, we feel that all the students here have reached the maturity level of at least twelve. Therefore, we will treat everyone as if they are twelve and up. There is some basic information about all the students in your new class handout.

         “Before we begin, does anyone wish to ask any questions?”

         A young man raises his hand.

         Instructor Jim calls on him. “Yes, William, what is your question?”

         “Our performance has improved for the last set of cycles. Why are Brenda and I scheduled for a third time through the cycles and seated so far apart?”

         “Because your and Brenda’s behavior together does not demonstrate that the two of you adequately understand the materials of the class. The two of you have made too many unwise choices. And, I feel that it would be an unwise choice to discuss any of those choices here, at this time.”

         “Yes, instructor,” William responds, and sits down.

         Instructor Jim then states to the class, “For those who do not know me, my responses are not always so harsh. However, there is a time and place for everything. This is not the time or place for that young man’s question. I would prefer not to start the class on such a tone. Does anyone else have a question before I begin the class material?”

         George raises his hand.

         “Yes, young man, what is your question?”

         “My name is George. I think that is the first time someone has called me a young man. Angela and I are new in this class. What would be the correct time and place for a question like William’s?”

         “Leave a request for a consultation in the box at the front of the room. An appointment will be made to discuss your concerns. If that does not satisfy your issue, you can make an appointment with the Dean of Instruction. If the Dean does not resolve your issue, that office will advise you where to take the matter farther. Does that answer your question, George?”

         “Yes, it does, sir.”

         “Good. Does anyone else have any questions?”

         No one in the class responds. He places a large card on an easel with the cycle outline printed on it in front of the class.

         The instructor continues. “These are the subject titles that the male and female minds cycle covers. We begin with how all of us are different, and alike. And, I will add, we are all correct; I will explain that later.

         “Before I begin, however, I will give you a little Pentapia history. Early Homincommutons had many disagreements. At first, these disagreements were easily resolved by occupying different planes when living close to one another. However, before polydimental technology, many tasks required multi-plane cooperation. These disagreements in our early history grew into very significant conflicts.

         “Before it became common knowledge that we cannot survive very long in water, some would eliminate their opponents by luring them into finding something they wanted in a body of water in Kappa plane. When someone’s body comes apart in water, it happens violently; a bright flash leads an explosion.

         “This very unpleasant part of our history and the hazards in Kappa are the biggest reasons that young people know very little about Kappa plane. Learning about Kappa plane is a special cycle that we teach when you are about to graduate from this course. It includes a field trip to Kappa. Does anyone have any comments or questions before we continue?”

         A boy raises his hand.

         The instructor calls on him, “Yes, Michael?”

         “My first time through this cycle, I didn’t know what to think about that story. I still find it hard to imagine anyone doing that to someone. What kind of disagreements would make people do such things?”

         “It was mostly over the control of energy crops. People were trying to control others by controlling energy sources.

         “People were not civilized in those times. Civilization began to grow and evolve when it was discovered that it was more important to learn about ourselves and life than to figure out how to make things to serve us. Does that answer your question, Michael?”

         “Yes, it does for now, sir.”

         “Okay, are there any more questions?”

         None of the students responds.

         “Good. I will mention one more thing before presenting the first subject of this cycle. The path to knowledge and wisdom is a tricky path. We blaze it in circles. In the long term, it takes us outward and upward. It often takes us downward and inward. However, they are all temporary detours.

         “It circles as we experience the normal cycles in life. It moves outward as we expand our understanding to include a larger picture of life. It moves upward as we evolve as individuals and gain wisdom. We all go through many of the same kind of experiences over and over. Each time, however, we experience these things from a new point of view.

         “You may not understand this now. However, think back to it every now and then. It will serve you well.”

         Instructor Jim goes to the board and writes, We are all different, in large letters.

         The students begin looking up at the ceiling. The instructor looks up to see a bird perceivable in two dimensions flying around the classroom. Before anyone makes any remarks about the intrusion, a girl in the class puts on a digitation glove and holds out her hand. The bird in a neighboring plane lights on her glove.

         The instructor remarks, “This might be perfect in Cycle Eleven, where we discuss the world as a whole. I hope we can shift our attention back to today’s material until the science department finds this animal.”

         The instructor goes to the door and finds it ajar. He tells the receptionist about the bird, returns to the head of the class, and states, “Now we can continue with our lesson, I hope.”

         One of the students raises her hand.

         He responds, “Do you have a comment?”

         “It is true that we are all different. But, in many ways we are all the same.”

         “That is correct. It seems you were listening the last time through. Now, can you tell me some of the ways that we are different, and why?”

         “We all have different likes and dislikes. It has a lot to do with all of us having different experiences in our lives.”

         “That is also correct. I will list some of the ways that we are all different.” He writes under the heading on the board, History, Viewpoint, Likes, Dislikes, Interests, Strengths, Weaknesses, and We all create different kinds of experiences. He draws a line under the list, then writes, We are all correct.

         The instructor comments, “Yes that is not a difference. Actually, neither is the last item on the list above the line. It would have been more correct if I wrote, ‘the kinds of experiences we create.’ Nevertheless, that wording seems to work better there.

         “We create different kinds of experiences for many reasons, not just our history and the influences from our birth parents, and/or who raised us. Some of the reasons seem to come out of nowhere. The fact that we all create different kinds of experiences is one of the ways that we are alike.

         “By, ‘We are all correct,’ I do not mean that all the answers we give to questions are the correct answers. What it means is, from our point of view, our every choice, word, and act is correct at that moment in time, from our point of view at that moment in time.

         “Those last two pieces of knowledge are what began to civilize the Homincommuton race. And, they are very useful in personal relationships as well.”

         There is a knock at the classroom door. The instructor pauses and goes to answer the door.

         When he opens it, the man there says, “Sorry, Jim. I hear you have our Red Clawed Hobo.”

         The instructor responds, “The young lady in the center row has the bird.”

         The science instructor sees the translucent image of the bird on the girl’s glove. He steps into the classroom, and says, “It looks like you have taken good care of our feathered friend. I hope you don’t mind me taking him back to his home.” He opens a small bag, holds it up, and matches planes with the bird. The two dimensional image of the bird flies from the girl’s glove to the two dimensional image of the instructor holding the bag.

         The science instructor returns to Zeta plane, and says, “Sorry for the unexpected interruption of your class, Jim. I had best get him home before I lose him again.” He leaves the classroom and closes the door.

         Another student raises his hand.

         The instructor acknowledges him. “Yes, what is your question?”

         “Can you explain more about differences that seem to come from nowhere?”

         “When new lives come into this world, they seem to have some differences that do not seem to have anything to do with anything in this world. This seems to have a lot to do with why people have similar experiences, again and again throughout there lives. It also seems to have a lot to do with a person’s likes, dislikes, interests and abilities. Have I answered your question?”

         “Yes, but this seems a little deep for a class about having dates and such.”

         “All relationships are tricky, no matter what kind or relationship, or with whom. To understand another person in a relationship, it is very helpful if you understand yourself and the type of relationship you are in first. That sort of thing is sometimes a little deep. However, understanding helps make it all work. Does that help, young man?”

         “Yes, it does, sir.”

         “Good. I will now talk about the kinds of thought.”

         He goes to the board, changes planes to walk through the card on the easel, checks something on his desk, and returns. Now, back in Zeta plane, he writes the subject heading on the board and lists its categories: Perceptual, Emotional, Imagination, Concepts, Analytical thought, and Recall.

         Instructor Jim then continues. “Perceptual thought is simply your experience of all your present time perceptions in your mind.

         “Emotional thought is your experience of all emotions, present and past, and what you think another person is feeling.

         “Imagination is a personal experience we create in our minds. It never exactly matches the real world, in the past, present, or the future.

         “Conceptual thought is not about your experiences, but your understanding of your experiences. It is not experienced as something you have experienced; it is about what you have experienced. Often, you experience conceptual thought in the mind through imagination.

         “Analytical thought is the process of applying your experience, awareness, knowledge, imagination and conceptual understanding to reach a conclusion, or another understanding.

         “Recall is recreating a past experience, or thought, as a whole or in part, in your mind, in the present. It is also a major component of knowledge, in most cases.

         “All that may have seemed a little dull. However, it will help to understand yourselves, and each other.

         “The last part of this cycle is about how boys and girls differ from each other.”

         The instructor goes to the board and draws a long horizontal line and a vertical line down from about its center. He writes male on one side above the horizontal line, and female on the other side. He then says, “Let’s list the differences between the two. Who can give me one difference?”

         A boy raises his hand.

         The instructor calls on him, “Yes, Jon?”

         “Girl’s heads are a little wider, and boy’s heads are a little deeper front to back.”

         “Good, Jon. There is no problem with stating the obvious.” He writes Wider head and Deeper head on the board.

         A moment after he writes them on the board, another student raises his hand. The instructor calls on him, “Yes, Robert.”

         “Their voices sound a little different.”

         “That is another one,” replies the instructor as he writes them on the board. “Those two were good responses. Now, can anyone think of anything a little less obvious?”

         One of the girls raises her hand.

         “Yes, Brenda.”

         “Boys and girls seem to act and think a little different. And, when a woman is getting ready to have a baby, she is bigger in the middle.”

         “That was at least two differences. You seem bright, young lady, but you may want to work on becoming a good listener.”

         He writes, Boys don’t have babies, (some of the students chuckle) and, You can see when a woman will soon have a baby, on the board.

         He then writes, On average in both columns. On the boy’s side, he writes below, Better at analytical thought, and More controlling. On the girl’s side, he writes, Better at emotional thought, and, More nurturing.

         The instructor says to the class, “These are for the average boy and girl. Real boys and girls vary on these things. There are other average differences; however, these are the biggest ones.

         “Give all of what I have covered today some thought. Tomorrow, we will discuss and review this material, and we will have the cycle exam. We are finished for today.”

         The students pick up their bags and file out of the classroom. Angela and George look at each other quizzically.

         Angela says to George, “Just what have we gotten ourselves into? It seems that we are to pretend as if we were twelve.”

         “I guess so. But, it seems that some of the students in the class that are twelve are pretending to be younger.”

         “Be careful not to let anyone hear you. We don’t want to make any enemies on the first day of class. We have a few minutes, George. I would like to go back to the library and check out a book on early Homincommuton history.”

         “Yes, those conflicts the instructor talked about sounded bizarre.”

* * * * *

         At the end of the school day, George and Angela find Danny at his usual spot outside the front door of the school. Angela slips the book, Early Homincommuton Conflicts, into her bag.

         Danny sees them, and says, “Hey, you guys, I heard you started the older kid’s class today.”

         George replies, “Yes, Danny, we had the first class before energy break.”
         “What was it like?”

         “We’re pretending to be twelve years of age. But, it is interesting.”

         “You mean they think you are twelve?”

         “No, they know our age.”

         Angela interjects, “What that means, Danny, is that we are ten, but the class is made for twelve-year-olds.”

         “Okay,” Danny says. “I also heard that you guys were looking at a book all through energy break.”

         George responds, “Yes, Danny, we checked out a history book.”

         “Are you kidding?”

* * * * *

         They reach Angela’s home, and Danny says, “You two have been really quiet. How come?”

         Angela and George look at each other for a moment.

         George says, “We seem to be talked out today. But, just wait until tomorrow.”

         “I can hardly wait,” Danny replies sarcastically.

         Angela looks at George, and says, “I had better be getting in. I am still on curfew.”

         “Yes, you are. See you tomorrow. Oh, I hear that there is something big in the morning; a Great Elder is coming to visit the school.”

         “We best not miss that! See you in the morning, George, Danny.”

         They touch, and Angela goes to her door. Almost forgetting, she goes to Delta plane just as she steps through the door.

         As she enters her rest area, she finds Mary reading a schoolbook. “Hi, Mary; you don’t often leave the door open.”

         “I just felt like I needed more open space. How was the first day of the class, Angela?”

         “It was okay. I don’t see many books in Delta plane.”

         “Neither do I. It is a special assignment for communication class.”

         They hear a knock at their door. Looking up, they see Madam Leslie.

         She says, “Mary, Angela, the two of you seem to be doing well. I have some news for you, Angela. The staff has been closely monitoring how you have been doing. The instructors for the Relationships and Reproduction class have given us good reports. We have decided to lift your curfew, starting tomorrow.”