All the books in the world, but one...

[sckao]

I finally got to read this (using IE on another PC) and found it a bit strange. I mean, he just carried the book for a few minutes, never even read it, and it clearly wasn't that important to him at the time. I just didn't see the motivation for this life-long guilt.

 

Are we to read into it that the little Tea girl became more important to him later, potentially dating or marrying her later on, or maybe she died young, never forgiving him? Or maybe it's something that actually happened to the author, and we're purposefully not being given the necessary background?

 

Once again, no motivation and although it started extremely well, the flashback made little sense.

 

She (Tea) wrote and drew the book herself and gave it to him as a gift. It was a sweet gesture and he felt terrible for succumbing to the peer pressure and letting "some girl" destroy it. He even tried to retrieve it when his friend was waving it about in the air. There's really not a lot happening "between the panels"; it's a pretty simple read.

 

I think you should try giving it a closer look.

 

 

Agreed. It was what you would call a "defining moment" and he failed. He lost a lot more than the book that day.

 

 

 

 

[JLA_ALL_THE_WAY]

You worry me, Vince.

 

I guy as smart as you can't see a simple, yet poignant, message like this? This makes me very nervous to the point that...

 

You know what? I'm over it now.

 

OK, moving on...

 

Rick

[joe_collector]

I guy as smart as you can't see a simple, yet poignant, message like this?

 

Obviously you didn't read any of my posts, as there are messages galore, but the poorly-implemented flashback just got me curious, then wondering if the writer just "didn't want to go there" and dredge up any personal demons.

 

But otherwise, it's a pretty basic story and I doubt a chimp would have trouble "getting it".

[joe_collector]

She (Tea) wrote and drew the book herself and gave it to him as a gift. It was a sweet gesture and he felt terrible for succumbing to the peer pressure and letting "some girl" destroy it. He even tried to retrieve it when his friend was waving it about in the air. There's really not a lot happening "between the panels"; it's a pretty simple read.

 

Well Duh!

 

I'm not talking about the story, as presented, I am referring to why the "book" has such importance decades later, when he never even read it?

 

The story is about a young man losing his innocence, his good friend Tea, and a part of himself, along with the guilt he feels afterward - it has virtually nothing to do with the book. It's just a plot device like the dock or his girlfriend.

 

But everyone sees these things differently - most just read the surface, but the writer's obvious ability combined with the illogical character motivation got me wondering which closet he got this skeleton from, and whether it was written this way on purpose.

[mjacobs8]

She (Tea) wrote and drew the book herself and gave it to him as a gift. It was a sweet gesture and he felt terrible for succumbing to the peer pressure and letting "some girl" destroy it. He even tried to retrieve it when his friend was waving it about in the air. There's really not a lot happening "between the panels"; it's a pretty simple read.

 

Well Duh!

 

I'm not talking about the story, as presented, I am referring to why the "book" has such importance decades later, when he never even read it?

 

The story is about a young man losing his innocence, his good friend Tea, and a part of himself, along with the guilt he feels afterward - it has virtually nothing to do with the book. It's just a plot device like the dock or his girlfriend.

 

But everyone sees these things differently - most just read the surface, but the writer's obvious ability combined with the illogical character motivation got me wondering which closet he got this skeleton from, and whether it was written this way on purpose.

Exactly!

It's not about a book or books. I'ts about him being able to provide others with what they need, but unable to grow a pair and leave his own pity party.

Can't find that in no book.

 

[mjacobs8]

Then again, maybe something was lost in the translation.

[joe_collector]

It's not about a book or books. I'ts about him being able to provide others with what they need, but unable to grow a pair and leave his own pity party.

 

Interesting. So, his inability to drop the past, move on with this life, and stop the melodrama about this stupid kid's book, is the guy's fatal character flaw, and this unattainable psychosis ensures that he'll always have "all the books in the world, but one..." and thus he will never need to deal with the real world.

[mjacobs8]

It's not about a book or books. I'ts about him being able to provide others with what they need, but unable to grow a pair and leave his own pity party.

 

Interesting. So, his inability to drop the past, move on with this life, and stop the melodrama about this stupid kid's book, is the guy's fatal character flaw, and this unattainable psychosis ensures that he'll always have "all the books in the world, but one..." and thus he will never need to deal with the real world.

...as the last panel suggests.

[joe_collector]

It's not about a book or books. I'ts about him being able to provide others with what they need, but unable to grow a pair and leave his own pity party.

 

Interesting. So, his inability to drop the past, move on with this life, and stop the melodrama about this stupid kid's book, is the guy's fatal character flaw, and this unattainable psychosis ensures that he'll always have "all the books in the world, but one..." and thus he will never need to deal with the real world.

...as the last panel suggests.

 

If you really think about it, the guy's nuts - he built an entire business on his guilt-psychosis, which is pretty freaking insane.

[mjacobs8]

I thought the story was a little creepy anyway, not so "sweet" when you think about it.

[joe_collector]

Yeah, when he found that personal copy of Anton's book, I was getting that "Needful Things" kinda vibe, and was half-expecting him to sprout horns at the end.

 

Or maybe this is meant to represent his real or self-created Hell, where he is able to provide absolutely anything to his customers, yet denied the one thing he desires.

[conditionfreak]

Some of us will "relate" to the premise of this story, and some will not. Some apparently have not made a decision they have regreted all of their life, and some of us have.

 

Some of us understand how a small thing can affect us throughout our life, and some can not relate to how a seemingly insignificant event can haunt one for a very long time.

 

Some of us read a book and "fill in" the parts not written or pictured. Some do not and just say things like "that doesn't make sense, how can a T-Rex get through the small doors to the lobby of the building without anyone even know that it is coming?", like in Juraissic Park.

 

It is about your life experiences and not about what makes "sense". Many a man has dedicated his life to living up to his fathers expectations, and some could care less if they live up to their fathers expectations. Some become who and what they are PRECISELY because of a small incident like the one described in this short story. Some just become who and what they are because of day to day twists and turns.

 

Some like chocolate ice cream and some do not.

 

Some get it, and some do not.

 

It is a nice little story, no unlike several with the same theme I have read over the years. Small things that change your life and give you direction, and regrets of decisions and actions that haunt you throughout your life. Sort of like the one and only time I went deer hunting and shot one. I was a Marine and all of the rest of my fellow Marines were going hunting and I borrowed a shotgun and joined. I shot one that ran away and we had to track it down and shoot it again, as it lay there terified of what was happening to it. A small thing in my life that has affected me greatly. I have killed humans and suffered less. They were trying to harm me, the deer wasn't. I have been feeding and providing refuge for wild deer ever since. During hunting season, my ten acres is hopefully, a refuge for the deer as I absolutely do not allow hunting on my property. Remind me sometime to tell you about a special little deer named "Kobe" that was my friend, living in the wild. At least he was until the hunters killed him. But, I digress.

 

Yea, a very good story.

[joe_collector]

Some get it, and some do not.

 

You were doing okay, and then you had to post something idiotic like that.

 

There's no "getting it" or "not getting it". What you see as a sweet story of innocent nostalgia, someone else may view as a cautionary tale of what can happen when you let the past rule your future.

[conditionfreak]

Joe, as usual, you are the forums "contrary one". Try and be human once in awhile. You ain't all that, no matter what your opinion of yourself is.

 

I have tried to ignore you but your constant interjection of yourself as the most intelligent fellow around is getting tired.

 

I did not state anything about you as being idiotic, stupid, stuck up, full of yourself, a jerk, or anything close. Yet, you have to critic my posting (which did not address you) and state that I posted an idiotic statement.

 

Why do you think that most of the regular members of this forum always have to get you back on track when you ALWAYS take an opposite view of just about anything or subject? I'll tell you why. You enjoy taking the opposite view, even if you do not agree with the stance you are taking. You just love stirring the pot and being contrary. That is okay with me though. Instigating thought is a good thing, but name calling is another thing. I know ALL of the bad words and can spell most of them backwords to make new bad words, so let's not go there as you will lose that battle.

 

If you want to debate anything, then debate, don't denegrate with slander or put downs.

 

We are talking about a comic strip for goodness sake. If we disagree about something, why take it to the low levels you do? It ain't that important. It was a nice little story and you are trying to take it to a whole new level of importance.

 

Grow up.

 

You may "get it", but you sure don't want to.

[He11blazer]

Some of us will "relate" to the premise of this story, and some will not. Some apparently have not made a decision they have regreted all of their life, and some of us have.

 

Some of us understand how a small thing can affect us throughout our life, and some can not relate to how a seemingly insignificant event can haunt one for a very long time.

 

Some of us read a book and "fill in" the parts not written or pictured. Some do not and just say things like "that doesn't make sense, how can a T-Rex get through the small doors to the lobby of the building without anyone even know that it is coming?", like in Juraissic Park.

 

It is about your life experiences and not about what makes "sense". Many a man has dedicated his life to living up to his fathers expectations, and some could care less if they live up to their fathers expectations. Some become who and what they are PRECISELY because of a small incident like the one described in this short story. Some just become who and what they are because of day to day twists and turns.

 

Some like chocolate ice cream and some do not.

 

Some get it, and some do not.

 

It is a nice little story, no unlike several with the same theme I have read over the years. Small things that change your life and give you direction, and regrets of decisions and actions that haunt you throughout your life. Sort of like the one and only time I went dear hunting and shot one. I was a Marine and all of the rest of my fellow Marines were going hunting and I borrowed a shotgun and joined. I shot one that ran away and we had to track it down and shoot it again, as it lay there terified of what was happening to it. A small thing in my life that has affected me greatly. I have killed humans and suffered less. They were trying to harm me, the deer wasn't. I have been feeding and providing refuge for wild deer ever since. Druing hunting season, my ten acres is hopefully, a refuge for the deer as I absolutely do not allow hunting on my property. Remind me sometime to tell you about a special little deer named "Kobe" that was my friend, living in the wild. At least he was until the hunters killed him. But, I digress.

 

Yea, a very good story.

 

(thumbs u

 

I can hear just you're saying regarding your regret at hunting. A desire to join in or show off has caused me to do or say things I've regretted in the past. But I think I learned from them, and you clearly did

 

[joe_collector]

If you want to debate anything, then debate, don't denegrate with slander or put downs.

 

, this is a the biggest nerd putdown available, and a very popular fanboy insult:

 

Some get it, and some do not.

 

This states that you, the super-intelligent person that you are, "gets it", while the rest of us neanderthals, "do not". That usage is not even open to debate, so don't play innocent.

 

What's most amusing about this statement, is that you're just skimming over the surface story, and truthfully, mjacobs here likely offered the most profound interpretation of the story.

[He11blazer]

 

Some get it, and some do not.

 

This states that you, the super-intelligent person that you are, "gets it", while the rest of us neanderthals, "do not". That usage is not even open to debate, so don't play innocent.

...

 

I'm pretty sure (from the context) that he meant to say "Some relate to it, and some do not."

 

i.e. much as anyone might understand the writer's intentions, it will most vividly strike a chord with some, whereas others are moved by other things. Not to say that either are smarter or whatever.

 

 

 

 

[joe_collector]

I'm pretty sure (from the context) that he meant to say "Some relate to it, and some do not."

 

But my point is that there is no "get" or "don't get", "relate" or "don't relate" - we all understand the basic story, it's so simple even a monkey could grasp it.

 

But how we feel about the story and what we take from it, is colored by our own personality and views.

 

Like I said before, some may look at it as a bittersweet trip down memory lane, someone else may see a guilt-stricken soul who needs to let go of the past, while others may find him a true psychotic shut-in who has built an entire business and life around a single childhood trauma.

 

There is no right or wrong, they're all valid given the framework of the story, and depend only one your overall world view.

[conditionfreak]

Apparently I am not as smart as I think I am, because I can't understand you.

 

As to your statement concerning how I feel that everyone else is a "neanderthal", you are not correct. It seems to me that a large majority of the posters actually git it and got it, even better than I did. It's basically just you.

 

But, it takes all kinds to make the world go around. So, I guess you are a necessary evil.

 

As to the nerd put down statement, all I can say is that (1) You have big chip on your shoulder to make that leap, and (2) "I are one" so I have the right to call someone else one. It's sort of like using the "N" word if you are of that persuasion, or like calling someone a "hillbilly" if you are one. I have the right to call you a nerd if I am one also, but I do not have the right to call someone an insufficiently_thoughtful_person unless I know them to be for a fact an insufficiently_thoughtful_person, or I am one myself.

 

Not going to argue with you anymore on this thread. PM me or lets take it to another appropriate section if you want to play. No sense hanging your dirty laundry out for everyone to see, fan boy.

[joe_collector]

It seems to me that a large majority of the posters actually git it and got it, even better than I did. It's basically just you.

 

I see you're late for your appointment on the Star Wars forums. Go get 'em nerd-boy.

 

EDIT: Wait a minute, you're the genius who stated something like: "if you have boxes and boxes of Bronze Age, that ain't Hulk 181, then it's worth hundreds, maybe thousands at most, no matter what the Guide says."

 

Your statements above make so much more sense now.