14 Comments
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Dana Allen's avatar

Thanks Larry. Go Tigers!!! The problem is that I never even thought about the consequences. Like I said, my hand has a mind of her own!

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Larry Urish's avatar

And ... GO BULLDOGS! (Burbank High, class of '76.)

:)

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Dana Allen's avatar

Yes and Bulldogs! Whoop! Whoop!

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Alden Cox's avatar

Hi Dana, reading this again I find myself wondering about those couple of dozen students in your Honors class who knew the game was coming up and that their projects were due, but apparently DID NOTHING about getting them in on time? What were they thinking? I guess my parents leaned in on making me think about the consequences. I still handed papers in late, I just told my teachers in advance that they'd be late!

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Rick Lewis's avatar

Dana - what I love about this piece is that it both demonstrates and elaborates on, not just your own character, but the nature of integrity, agency and uprightness. That you had the courage to make those statements in front of your classmates is so beyond where I was at, in that very same school! I would have thought the same thing, but have kept my head, hand, and voice down. Stories that share what we do in challenging circumstances might teach others more about us than any other thing we could convey. I loved this.

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Dana Allen's avatar

Thank you my friend. You’re Always so encouraging with your comments.

For some reason I thought you were in that honours English class with me. If not, you should have been. Look at you now!

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Simon Emslie's avatar

I love how you talk about your hand having a mind of her own. Like she’s a pet that you can’t control — or maybe, better, who has been trained to react when she sees injustice.

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Dana Allen's avatar

or maybe a bit of both.

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Kathy Ayers's avatar

Your hand’s integrity and sense of fairness was impressive for a high school kid. Where’d you learn that from so early?

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Dana Allen's avatar

I think it was a reaction, a safeguarding method to make sure my life was safe and stable. If things were fair and people acted with honesty and integrity, life was not chaotic and I was ok. I learned that early on but cannot remember if I was taught that or what!

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Genie Joseph's avatar

Yes! Oh the pain of being RIGHT in a world that is got it wrong :) Yes, I feel for you -- trying to make the world a fairer place -- maybe we need a new world.

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Larry Urish's avatar

Dana, I admire your sense of justice AND your bold willingness to stick up for yourself and your friends. All three of you were responsible enough to start the assignment early and have it ready after the big game (Go Tigers! - I looked it up.)

If someone tried that today – especially where I went to high school – there might be gunplay; I'm only half kidding.

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Linda Kaun's avatar

Dana, I don't know you personally, but over these last months meeting you in write hearted I can so easily see you waving your hand in the air with utter conviction of your stance. I admire that rebel energy in you. And perhaps it's not so much a rebel as one who sees injustice and calls it out. A woman not afraid to speak up.

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Dana Allen's avatar

Oh my Linda. What beautiful things you have said. Thank you my friend!

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