Previous Chapters:
April 6, 12, 18, 25 and May 3
Chapter 6
The next day found Abe following Barney down the hallway and into a room that turned out to be his study. This one was about a third the size of the elders office. It too had those large, many paned windows. Abe walked over and examined the light amber colored material. There were streaks and imperfections in random patterns. The panes were encased by irregular frames that grew like the branches of a tree.
Barney was scurrying around getting a chair and placing it facing of all things, an old-fashioned blackboard. When Abe thought of all the tools that would have been at their disposal if they had been on earth he shook his head. There were decent language translators now on computers and they might be able to have a pretty intelligent conversation within a few minutes. But as it was, they were starting with the basics.
Barney handed Abraham the chalk and motioned for him to write something on the blackboard. Abe hadn't a clue what he really meant. Doven slapped his forehead and sprinted over to get a large book, and after flipping through a few pages, he pointed to the large letters that were the headings of certain sections. Abe finally understood what he wanted was the alphabet.
Okay kindergarten here we come. Abe said. As he wrote, he spoke aloud, A, B, C, D, until he had written the entire alphabet. When he was finished he went back through the whole thing again aloud.
To his astonishment, Barney stepped up to the blackboard and after only hearing this alphabet twice, read it aloud himself, pausing only once or twice looking at Abe for confirmation. Abe then wrote his own name on the blackboard.
"Abraham." he said, pointing to himself.
"Abraham" said Barney.
Then he took the chalk from Abe and wrote his name, choosing the letters from the board saying them aloud.
D-O-V-E-N. He did an excellent job of copying the letters and placed his hand on his chest and pronounced,
Doven. Grinning from ear to ear, so excited he was vibrating. This only confirmed Abe's impression of the deputy in Mayberry and he said,
"No, Abe said, I'll call you Barney. He smiled, Barney Fife".
Doven seemed very confused by this, so Abe took the chalk and drew two stick figures standing close, with one arm around each other and the otherarm shaking hands. Doven got it right away. He was so excited. He motioned for Abe to stay where he was a sped out the door and down the hall he came back a few minutes later pulling the elder with him and in their own language said,
"Aeron, Abraham has given me a friend name! Barney Fife."
Aeron patted Doven on the shoulder and said,
"I expect good things from you two in the days to come." He waived goodbye and headed off back down the hall with an indulgent smile on his face. He was familiar with Dovens enthusiastic nature and he knew that Abraham was in good hands.
They spent the rest of the morning working out the rudiments of language. Doven got out some beautiful paper and what was to Abe, an ancient style pen that had to be dipped in an inkwell. He chose books here and there from his shelves and showed Abraham pictures. Common things, a chair, a table, something that looked very much like apple, and had Abe write them down on the paper. And on the right side of the paper Barney wrote the word in his language. So they were developing a vocabulary, much the way young children do, one word at a time and dealing mostly with nouns.
They spent the rest of the afternoon deep in their work, and Abe found he was enjoying the process in spite of himself. Mostly because of Barney's delight and the fact that he was an incredibly quick study, astonishingly so in Abe's mind. They both had their heads over the paper working out the word for horse when there was a knock at the door.
The doctor was there to collect him. He said goodbye to Barney and shook hands. Back in the infirmary there was a meal waiting, and this time Abe did it justice. The doctor changed his dressing he became aware that the light was fading. He also noticed that he was tired. The distractions of the day had helped keep his mind off his arm, but the thing was still quite sore. He got himself ready for bed and when he came out of the bathroom noticed for the first time the lights in the room.
They were affixed to the walls here and there, and there was one hanging fixture in the center of the room. He saw no switches or other way to turn them on, they just seemed to come on by themselves, or maybe they were always on and you just didnt notice it in the daylight.
Then he watched as the doctor pulled down shades that were built into them. He took a wooden pole and pulled the shade down on the one hanging from the ceiling. The light they gave off looked phosphorescent. He left one light partly exposed near the bathroom and bid Abe goodnight.
April 6, 12, 18, 25 and May 3
Chapter 6
The next day found Abe following Barney down the hallway and into a room that turned out to be his study. This one was about a third the size of the elders office. It too had those large, many paned windows. Abe walked over and examined the light amber colored material. There were streaks and imperfections in random patterns. The panes were encased by irregular frames that grew like the branches of a tree.
Barney was scurrying around getting a chair and placing it facing of all things, an old-fashioned blackboard. When Abe thought of all the tools that would have been at their disposal if they had been on earth he shook his head. There were decent language translators now on computers and they might be able to have a pretty intelligent conversation within a few minutes. But as it was, they were starting with the basics.
Barney handed Abraham the chalk and motioned for him to write something on the blackboard. Abe hadn't a clue what he really meant. Doven slapped his forehead and sprinted over to get a large book, and after flipping through a few pages, he pointed to the large letters that were the headings of certain sections. Abe finally understood what he wanted was the alphabet.
Okay kindergarten here we come. Abe said. As he wrote, he spoke aloud, A, B, C, D, until he had written the entire alphabet. When he was finished he went back through the whole thing again aloud.
To his astonishment, Barney stepped up to the blackboard and after only hearing this alphabet twice, read it aloud himself, pausing only once or twice looking at Abe for confirmation. Abe then wrote his own name on the blackboard.
"Abraham." he said, pointing to himself.
"Abraham" said Barney.
Then he took the chalk from Abe and wrote his name, choosing the letters from the board saying them aloud.
D-O-V-E-N. He did an excellent job of copying the letters and placed his hand on his chest and pronounced,
Doven. Grinning from ear to ear, so excited he was vibrating. This only confirmed Abe's impression of the deputy in Mayberry and he said,
"No, Abe said, I'll call you Barney. He smiled, Barney Fife".
Doven seemed very confused by this, so Abe took the chalk and drew two stick figures standing close, with one arm around each other and the otherarm shaking hands. Doven got it right away. He was so excited. He motioned for Abe to stay where he was a sped out the door and down the hall he came back a few minutes later pulling the elder with him and in their own language said,
"Aeron, Abraham has given me a friend name! Barney Fife."
Aeron patted Doven on the shoulder and said,
"I expect good things from you two in the days to come." He waived goodbye and headed off back down the hall with an indulgent smile on his face. He was familiar with Dovens enthusiastic nature and he knew that Abraham was in good hands.
They spent the rest of the morning working out the rudiments of language. Doven got out some beautiful paper and what was to Abe, an ancient style pen that had to be dipped in an inkwell. He chose books here and there from his shelves and showed Abraham pictures. Common things, a chair, a table, something that looked very much like apple, and had Abe write them down on the paper. And on the right side of the paper Barney wrote the word in his language. So they were developing a vocabulary, much the way young children do, one word at a time and dealing mostly with nouns.
They spent the rest of the afternoon deep in their work, and Abe found he was enjoying the process in spite of himself. Mostly because of Barney's delight and the fact that he was an incredibly quick study, astonishingly so in Abe's mind. They both had their heads over the paper working out the word for horse when there was a knock at the door.
The doctor was there to collect him. He said goodbye to Barney and shook hands. Back in the infirmary there was a meal waiting, and this time Abe did it justice. The doctor changed his dressing he became aware that the light was fading. He also noticed that he was tired. The distractions of the day had helped keep his mind off his arm, but the thing was still quite sore. He got himself ready for bed and when he came out of the bathroom noticed for the first time the lights in the room.
They were affixed to the walls here and there, and there was one hanging fixture in the center of the room. He saw no switches or other way to turn them on, they just seemed to come on by themselves, or maybe they were always on and you just didnt notice it in the daylight.
Then he watched as the doctor pulled down shades that were built into them. He took a wooden pole and pulled the shade down on the one hanging from the ceiling. The light they gave off looked phosphorescent. He left one light partly exposed near the bathroom and bid Abe goodnight.