{"id":737,"date":"2013-01-25T15:21:59","date_gmt":"2013-01-25T20:21:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mayliang.us\/?p=737"},"modified":"2013-01-25T15:21:59","modified_gmt":"2013-01-25T20:21:59","slug":"storytelling-via-facebook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mayliang.us\/?p=737","title":{"rendered":"Storytelling via Facebook"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"aftermath<\/a>
aftermath of rainstorm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I posted the above photo on Facebook a couple of weeks ago, and a story emerged in the comments. \u00a0I am copying the story here for amusement and to illustrate the power of social media (and the creativity of people who have too much time on their hands). \u00a0The posters shall remain anonymous, to protect the guilty. \u00a0But a heartfelt thank you to all of them for their contributions!<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Coming soon, The Railsplitters, the long-awaited sequel to The Mole People<\/p>\n

“Watch as four homesteaders make their way in the wilds of Northern Virginia.”<\/p>\n

“After first purchasing designer sunglasses at the local mall to help their eyes adjust to the long unseen sunlight.”<\/p>\n

The parents told their two children, “NEVER open the basement door! There are terrible and strange things beyond the basement door, so you must NEVER open it!” But one day the children disobeyed. They opened the basement door and went beyond its threshold and saw strange and terrible things they have never seen before. Like . . . the Sun. And grass. It was a new world for them.<\/p>\n

And for a while, the parents were content to let the children live above ground in the Land of the Light. They felt comfortable doing this because they knew the children would never venture beyond the confines of the safe fence they had constructed. But then, one day during a rain storm, a mighty tree crashed through the fence and for the first time in their young lives, the children could venture beyond the their yard.<\/p>\n

The little boy looked up at his big sister and took her by the hand. \u2018Come on Sis, let\u2019s explore. This is our chance. Mum\u2019s out and we\u2019ll be back before she gets home.\u2019 The two nervously approached the broken fence which had, up to then, determined the limits of their existence. \u2018You first,\u2019 said Marcus, creeping a little behind Jade, Jade looked at the woods beyond the broken fence, \u2018I\u2019m not sure we should do this, Marcus, what if there is danger out there?\u2019 \u2018Oh,\u2019 said Marcus, \u2018don\u2019t be such a scaredy cat. I\u2019ll look after you\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n

As they stepped over the fence, their hearts in their mouths, Jade breathed deeply and holding Marcus\u2019s hand, led the way into the forest. Feeling Marcus shivering nervously alongside, she hugged him closer and looked up at the trees. \u2018It looks like they are alive, Marcus, look, see how they are moving. Shh! Can you hear them? It\u2019s like they\u2019re alive.\u2019 The cold east wind had made the branches of the trees sway and the rustling sound their leaves made was indeed just like whispered voices. \u2018I don\u2019t like it here,\u2019 said Marcus, \u2018let\u2019s go back.\u2019 \u2018You\u2019re the one who wanted to explore,\u2019 said Jade, \u2018who\u2019s the scaredycat now? Let\u2019s just go on a little bit more.\u2019<\/p>\n

The two crept slowly forward looking fearfully behind every tree they passed. The late afternoon sun lending the long shadows of the trees an ominous, almost threatening presence. Jade suddenly stopped and grasping Marcus closely to her, said \u2018Look, Marcus, there\u2019s a house over there.\u2019 They had arrived in a small glade, only dimly illuminated by the last of the rapidly disappearing sunlight, and the outlines of a small, timber cottage was just visible. \u2018No, I don\u2019t like it, Jade, let\u2019s go,\u2019 said Marcus; \u2018come on, Mom will be home now, we\u2019ll be in trouble, come on.\u2019 He broke free of Jade\u2019s grip and started to leave. \u2018Wait,\u2019 said Jade, \u2018look, the door is opening\u2026\u2026\u2026.\u2019<\/p>\n

As the door creaked slowly inwards, Marcus crept behind Jade and from between his fingers that were covering half of his face, peeked at the opening door. \u2018Oh, Jade, come on, I\u2019m scared. Let\u2019s go now, please..!\u2019 Jade was also scared but, made of sterner stuff than her brother, she was also intrigued. \u2018No wait, let\u2019s see what\u2019s within.\u2019 The door had by now swung completely open and, not seeing anything apparent inside, the children slowly approached and entered into the dark interior. As their eyes slowly became accustomed to the gloom, they espied the dark shape of a small person, kneeling in front of a fireplace, who appeared to be desperately trying to strike a spark from a flint in order to light the fire. Hearing the door creak and feeling the draft entering the room from outside, the figure stopped striking the flint and slowly turned towards the children\u2026.<\/p>\n

Jade summoned up enough courage to stutter \u2018who are you? Where are we?\u2019 The small figure paused and then continued its attempt to light the fire. \u2018I might well ask the same of you,\u2019 it said, the voice curiously high pitched, seemingly neither male nor female. \u2018What are you doing here? From where do you come? Do you not know this is sacred ground? Why do you despoil it?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018We were just looking for adventure,\u2019 said Marcus, \u2018we\u2019ve never left the estate grounds before; our mother would not allow it.\u2019 Why are these grounds sacred as you call them?\u2019 The small figure having managed to get a flame going lit a brand and slowly stood up. The light of the brand provided some illumination as it slowly peeled back the cowl hiding its face\u2026.<\/p>\n

To Jade and Marcus\u2019s astonishment, the removal of the cowl revealed the head of a little blonde girl, the curly hair of whom tumbled down across her shoulders. \u2018But,\u2019 stuttered Marcus, \u2018you\u2019re just a little girl. What are you doing her all alone? Aren\u2019t you frightened to be alone in the woods?\u2019 The blonde girl smiled, \u2018you mustn\u2019t always believe your eyes, Marcus. Things may not be what they seem.\u2019 \u2018How do you know my name? Said Marcus, clutching Jade\u2019s hand even tighter. \u2018I know all about you,\u2019 said the little girl. \u2018I know that you have never been let out to play like other children. That you are forced to do your homework every night and to practice the piano and to never, ever, watch TV. That is why you now seek adventure. That is why I caused the tree to fall across your mother\u2019s fence and help to liberate you. Now, you WILL have your adventures\u2026..!\u2019<\/p>\n

After the blonde girl finished speaking, she winked and a light twinkled in her eyes. Glancing briefly down she slowly reached inside the folds of her voluminous cloak and slowly pulled a rectangular box from somewhere within. The children watched in shocked amazement, not sure what to expect, wary as if they were unsure whether they should flee or wait to see what new adventure presented itself. The blonde girl held up the small box and smiled openly at the children. “Jade,” Marcus peeped. “What does T-W-I-N-K-I-E spell?” The little boy leaned in a little more closely to his sister, unsure what the strange letters spelled. For Jade’s part, she could not offer the reassurance her little brother needed. “I don’t know,” she whispered. I’ve never seen anything like it before.” Jade took a tiny step forward, peering more closely at the small rectangular box, studying the small yellow gold rectangular cakes pictured on the outside. “Adventure,” was all she could say.<\/p>\n

The blonde girl laughed; a weird, shrill, almost maniacal kind of laugh. \u2018What does \u2018TWINKIE\u2019 mean? What does TWINKIE mean? You mean you\u2019ve never heard of Twinkie?\u2019 She laughed again, \u2018Do you not know of the old man of the woods; The Wild, Insane, Naughty Ken, who, deep in the forest, bakes cakes that bring Inconceivable Excitement?\u2019 \u2018Oh,\u2019 said Jade, \u2018I did think they were some kind of cakeything, but I\u2019ve never tasted one, so I don\u2019t know really.’<\/p>\n

Marcus approached the box. \u2018Well they do look like cakeythings. I\u2019ve never had one either, can I try one?\u2019 The blonde girl laughed her throaty laugh again; \u2018You\u2019ve never tasted a twinkie? What sort of mother would deny her children such a wonderful adventure? Of course you may, my dear, they were brought in fresh by the TWINKIE this morning. Be careful, though, when you eat one of these TWINKIES, you may have to pay a forfeit. Are you sure you want to\u2026?\u2019 Marcus looked at Jade, \u2018well, I\u2019m ready to try if you are?\u2019 Jade looked at the box of delicious looking TWINKIES, \u2018But what will happen if we try one\u2026?<\/p>\n

Without warning, a bright light flashed, causing the children to shrink back in fright, shielding their eyes from the brilliance. When the light had faded, Marcus opened his eyes to see his sister crouching, her hands covering her face in fear.<\/p>\n

“Jade… Jade…”, he said, shaking her gently. Jade lifted her chin ever so slowly, her lips trembling. “It’s okay. We’re okay. Look… the girl has gone.” Jade lifted her face fully to discover that what her brother had just said was true. While the girl had suddenly disappeared, and without explanation, there occupying the space she had been only moments before sat the small mysterious box of cakes.<\/p>\n

With the caution of a woodland creature, Marcus stepped lightly towards the box and reaching out a tentative hand, touched the top of the box with his fingertips. When nothing unexpected happened, Marcus felt further emboldened to take the box in hand then stood, turning to face his sister, a grin spreading across his face. “Jade, look! I think she meant for us to have this!”<\/p>\n

Jade stood there looking blankly at Marcus, her face betraying the fear that gripped her heart.<\/p>\n

“Jade…”, Marcus said uncertainly. When his sister did not respond he added, “Let’s go. There is no more adventure here in this place.” His arm swept in a wide arc, indicating the expanse of the now dark and empty room. Jade only nodded, her face still blank and emotionless. “Let’s go find a place to hide. I want to open the box. They look really, really tasty!”<\/p>\n

“NO!” Jade shrieked! “We CAN’T! Marcus, we can’t!” Jade’s voice was shrill, panicky, and Marcus gave her a sidelong stare not willing to believe she would resist the beautiful golden cakes.<\/p>\n

“Why?” Marcus could not hide his doubt.<\/p>\n

“Well, because… because…”<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, come on Jade, don\u2019t be such a scaredycat. They\u2019re just cakes, after all. I want to try one; we never get to eat cakes at home!\u201d Marcus placed his arm around Jade\u2019s shoulders to stop her from shaking and led her outside. Looking around for a place to hide, he saw a small shed some yards from the house. \u201cLook, over there! That shed will be fine, come on! I\u2019m hungry.\u201d The children pushed open the door of the shed and were surprised to feel warmth where they had expected cold. Against one wall of the shed, which was empty and now seeming much bigger than it had appeared to be from outside, was a large open fireplace with a roaring fire above which, suspended by a cable, was a large cauldron from which steam and a bubbling noise emanated.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like this, Marcus,\u201d said Jade, \u201csomeone must live here and they might come back at any minute.\u201d \u201cOh, stop it,\u201d said Marcus, \u201cwe\u2019ll just finish off these cakes and then go home, ok?\u201d Marcus laid the box of cakes on a table next to a lamp and looked around for a knife with which to open the box. Jade had by now recovered somewhat, but as she approached the table, she noticed something glowing on the box. \u201cWait, Marcus, look. What is that glowing on the box?\u201d Marcus leaned over to better see. \u201cIt\u2019s writing of some sort, but its shimmering so I can\u2019t make them out.\u201d \u201cLet me try\u201d said Jade..\u201d I think it says\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018TWINKIE Golden Sponge Cake with Creamy Filling<\/p>\n

To be eaten before December 1930\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201c1930!\u201d said Marcus, \u201care you sure? That\u2019s more than 80 years ago, it can\u2019t be..\u201d The children looked at each other. \u201cI told you so!\u201d cried Jade, \u201cwe mustn\u2019t eat them, they are past their sell by date, we\u2019ll get ill.\u201d \u201cNonsense,\u201d said Marcus, \u201clook,\u201d he opened the box, \u201cthey look fine\u201d. He touched the top of one of the cakes and felt it yield. \u201cSee? They\u2019re fresh, Jade, I\u2019m going to have one.\u201d As he picked up the cake, Jade started towards him. \u201cNo! Don\u2019t Marcus, do\u2026\u201d Too late, Marcus had taken a big bite of the twinkie and smiled with delight, \u201cit\u2019s delicious, Jade, why don\u2019t you\u2026\u2026Why, what\u2019s the matter, Jade? Why are you looking at me like that? What\u2019s wrong\u2026..?<\/p>\n

\u201cMarcus, can\u2019t you see\u2026?\u00a0 You\u2019re floating!\u201d\u00a0 Marcus looked down and saw that his feet were now a foot off the floor.\u00a0 \u201cHey,\u201d he cried, \u201cI\u2019m flying, it\u2019s great!\u00a0 I\u2019ve always wanted to fly\u2014Jade, eat a Twinkie as well.\u201d\u00a0 Jade hesitated, she was scared, but she had been starved of Twinkies all her life and so she thought \u2013 \u2018why not?\u00a0 Just this once.\u00a0 What harm can it do?\u00a0 Marcus seems all right.\u2019<\/p>\n

She took a little bite and was immediately overcome by the delicious sweetness and lightness of her being.\u00a0 \u201cOh, Marcus, it\u2019s lovely.\u00a0 I\u2019ve never tasted anything so fine \u2013 and loo, I\u2019m floating too!\u201d\u00a0 As they both neared the ceiling of the shed, Marcus took Jade by the hand and they ducked under the door lintel and escaped to the outside.\u00a0 As they continued to rise, they could see their house and the whole neighbourhood far below.\u00a0 \u201cLook, Marcus,\u201d said Jade, \u201cThere\u2019s Mom, she looks very small, but I can see it\u2019s her because of her lovely hair.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s probably looking for us,\u201d said Marcus, \u201cit\u2019s time for our homework and our chores before supper.\u00a0 I expect she is worried Jade, why don\u2019t you throw her a Twinkie so she knows where we are.\u201d\u00a0 The Twinkie tumbled down and landed beside the startled May making her jump.\u00a0 She looked up to see from whence it had come and saw her precious children floating high up above the trees.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you doing up there?\u201d she cried.\u00a0 \u201cCome down at once, your supper\u2019s ready and I\u2019ve made your favourite spaghetti Bolognese.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cUgh,\u201d said Marcus, \u201cI had spag bol!\u00a0 Think I\u2019ll stay up here.\u201d\u00a0 Jade agreed and took a bite of another Twinkie.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re staying up here Mom.\u00a0 We\u2019re fed up of doing chores and all that homework and eating spag bol.\u00a0 Twinkies are much nicer and look what they can do for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmmmmm,\u201d thought May, \u201cI can play that game too.\u201d\u00a0 She took a bite of the Twinkie that had landed at her feet and was immediately overcome by the utter deliciousness of the taste and the overwhelming lightness of being.\u00a0 \u201cMy God,\u201d she thought, \u201cWhat have I been missing all these years?\u201d\u00a0 May floated up into the heavens and joined her children as they finished off the Twinkies.\u00a0 As the last three Twinkies disappeared into their mouths, each felt a strange sensation.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m getting heavier,\u201d said Marcus.\u00a0 \u201cMe too,\u201d cried Jade, closely followed by their mother.\u00a0 The three of them slowly tumbled head over heels to Earth, landing softly alongside the fence of their garden that was now mysteriously repaired.\u00a0 They got to their feet just as the little girl reappeared.\u00a0 \u201cLook, Mom,\u201d cried the children, \u201cThis is the little girl we met in the house in the wood.\u201d\u00a0 May was startled, but replied, \u201cdon\u2019t be silly children.\u00a0 There is no house in the woods.\u201d\u00a0 But there is, there is,\u201d cried the children, \u201cthat\u2019s where we found the Twinkies; she left them for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The little girl stared at the three.\u00a0 \u201cI wanted you to taste a Twinkie for at least once in your lives, for do you know that they are no more?\u00a0 For over 80 years, children and adults too, have enjoyed the sublime \u2018Golden Sponge with Creamy Filling.\u2019\u00a0 Countless children have felt the sweetness and lightness of being that a Twinkie brings and now, because of strict Moms, they will no longer have that pleasure.\u00a0 It\u2019s so sad and now, they have no use for me either..\u201d\u00a0 The little girl turned and started to walk back into the woods and within three or four steps, had disappeared entirely.<\/p>\n

May, ran her hands through her beautiful hair, put on her Jimmy Choo shoes that had fallen off as she had floated up and took the hands of her children.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m so sorry I deprived you of those wonderful Twinkies, but it\u2019s not too late, I own the Patent on them, so I\u2019ll start to make them myself.\u00a0 How\u2019s that?\u201d\u00a0 \u201cOh, yes Mom, pretty please,\u201d\u00a0 chorused the children skipping along happily.<\/p>\n

THE END<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I posted the above photo on Facebook a couple of weeks ago, and a story emerged in the comments. \u00a0I am copying the story here for amusement and to illustrate the power of social media (and the creativity of people who have too much time on their hands). \u00a0The posters shall remain anonymous, to protect […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[68,327,69],"class_list":["post-737","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-family","tag-facebook","tag-family","tag-twinkies"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p23QXm-bT","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mayliang.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/737","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mayliang.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mayliang.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mayliang.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mayliang.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=737"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/mayliang.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/737\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":739,"href":"https:\/\/mayliang.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/737\/revisions\/739"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mayliang.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=737"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mayliang.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=737"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mayliang.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=737"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}