Thursday, August 24, 1972 - Page 237
LOCATION: Bethlehem, South Dakota
10:30 AM [continued from previous entry]
was read (Bruce is a big Bradbury fan and he said the story was like "Fahrenheit 451"). Yesterday (Wednesday) was a very good day. Fr. Gil left last night at 10:00 P.M. to drive to the Canadian border to pick up a defector from Jerusalem who's at the border. So he'll be gone when I leave. I found out the "committee" is made up of Brad, Mary, M.R., and Gil. [It was this esteemed "committee" that decided I didn't belong at Bethlehem. I agreed with them: it was time to move on.]
(10:30 AM 8/25/1972)
Thursday I wrote Soozwol a letter and put it in the package with the peace symbol pendant I made. I worked on an alabaster ring for myself and was almost through with it when I put it under water to see what color it would be. As I was drying it it broke into four pieces. I've given up working on alabaster for the time being, but I'm bringing home a couple of chunks with me.
Took a much needed shower. Watched T.V. (The Julie Andrews Special) among the other Tom [that's Tom Scheuring not Hildebrand], Mary, Joe, Jim and Ed. Ed was lighting [wood] matches, so I thought I'd do the Lawrence of Arabia stunt -- letting the match burn down to your fingers until it goes out and acting as if it didn't hurt.
[There is a scene early in the movie in which Lawrence demonstrates this in front of fellow soldiers -- one of them tries to do it but shouts and drops the match saying, "Ohh! It damn well hurts! What's the trick then?" Lawrence replies, "The trick is not minding that it hurts." This attitude is put to the ultimate test when our hero becomes a prisoner of the Turks and is brutally tortured. Try not minding that, Lawrence.]
[After the second or third time the heated skin became thick and numb so the flame didn't hurt at all anymore. There's the "trick." But the blisters eventually turned into little circular scorched patches that looked like black plastic. This took a long time to go away as I mention in the days that follow, finally reporting that the blisters were mostly healed on October 2, 1972.]
Got to sleep at about 12:30. Began the last story in the last anthology -- Asimov's "Waterclap" (about an unclean porpoise, I told Joe).
(11:35 PM 8/26/1972)
By the way, as Tom S. was packing I noticed some pictures Tom H. had taken. Tom S. let me have the ones I wanted and they are on PAGES 116 & 117 [April 25 & April 26] or they will be when I put them in.
TOMORROW: "Guess Who" concert in Rapid City
LOCATION: Bethlehem, South Dakota
10:30 AM [continued from previous entry]
was read (Bruce is a big Bradbury fan and he said the story was like "Fahrenheit 451"). Yesterday (Wednesday) was a very good day. Fr. Gil left last night at 10:00 P.M. to drive to the Canadian border to pick up a defector from Jerusalem who's at the border. So he'll be gone when I leave. I found out the "committee" is made up of Brad, Mary, M.R., and Gil. [It was this esteemed "committee" that decided I didn't belong at Bethlehem. I agreed with them: it was time to move on.]
(10:30 AM 8/25/1972)
Thursday I wrote Soozwol a letter and put it in the package with the peace symbol pendant I made. I worked on an alabaster ring for myself and was almost through with it when I put it under water to see what color it would be. As I was drying it it broke into four pieces. I've given up working on alabaster for the time being, but I'm bringing home a couple of chunks with me.
Took a much needed shower. Watched T.V. (The Julie Andrews Special) among the other Tom [that's Tom Scheuring not Hildebrand], Mary, Joe, Jim and Ed. Ed was lighting [wood] matches, so I thought I'd do the Lawrence of Arabia stunt -- letting the match burn down to your fingers until it goes out and acting as if it didn't hurt.
[There is a scene early in the movie in which Lawrence demonstrates this in front of fellow soldiers -- one of them tries to do it but shouts and drops the match saying, "Ohh! It damn well hurts! What's the trick then?" Lawrence replies, "The trick is not minding that it hurts." This attitude is put to the ultimate test when our hero becomes a prisoner of the Turks and is brutally tortured. Try not minding that, Lawrence.]
The "match trick" scene from Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Everyone was properly astounded so I had to do it several times. Now, of course, I have blisters on my thumb & index finger.
[After the second or third time the heated skin became thick and numb so the flame didn't hurt at all anymore. There's the "trick." But the blisters eventually turned into little circular scorched patches that looked like black plastic. This took a long time to go away as I mention in the days that follow, finally reporting that the blisters were mostly healed on October 2, 1972.]
Got to sleep at about 12:30. Began the last story in the last anthology -- Asimov's "Waterclap" (about an unclean porpoise, I told Joe).
(11:35 PM 8/26/1972)
By the way, as Tom S. was packing I noticed some pictures Tom H. had taken. Tom S. let me have the ones I wanted and they are on PAGES 116 & 117 [April 25 & April 26] or they will be when I put them in.
2012 French PROMETHEUS Trailer -- A disturbing fascination with Lawrence of Arabia
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