“GIVING THE BIRD”….STORY*

I never knew this before, and now that I know it, I feel compelled to send it on to my more intelligent friends in the hope that they, too, will feel edified. Isn’t history more fun when you know something about it?
Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers. Without the middle finger it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore they would be incapable of fighting in the future. This famous English longbow was made of the native English Yew tree, and the act of drawing the longbow was known as ‘plucking the yew’ (or ‘pluck yew’).
Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major upset and began mocking the French by waving their middle fingers at the defeated French, saying, See, we can still pluck yew! Since ‘pluck yew’ is rather difficult to say, the difficult consonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed to a labiodentals fricative F’, and thus the words often used in conjunction with the one-finger-salute! It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the arrows used with the longbow that the symbolic gesture is known as ‘giving the bird.’
And yew thought yew knew every plucking thing

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A STORY WRITTEN BY YOU …Come follow along to see what happens!!! *

We are all going to write a story. I am going to start it. I am going to end it. Whoever wants to participate, can help write it. Please do not write anything inappropriate and spoil it for the rest of us. Please limit what you say to five sentences. Just look at the previous entry and go from there. Write your sentences as if you were talking them out. I will do all of the editing. This should be interesting. Use your creativity. Let’s try to make an actual story. All of my regular blogging friends….help!!!!! This could go two ways!!! We are doing this for one day only! Have fun!*(*

MY NEW BEGINNING IN A NEW CITY…..
~~~~~

Man, I do not know about this! This city gives me the creeps! I mean look at all these people! Look at these unimpressive stores! How do people live here without going crazy?

I guess I had better come up with a plan. I have to make it a GREAT one. I do not want a boring schedule. I can think of a few things. Let’s see, I will get new friends by tonight!

That’s dumb! I do not even know where to go! I guess I can ask someone. Maybe I will go to get a coffee and see what happens! Good idea!

I see a place, the Manhatten Corner. Sounds like a good place. It looks really busy, good sign. Lots of cute guys in here. I see a blond, blue eyed guy I am going to go talk to!

He catches my eye… “Hi” he says…
I flash him a broad smile. Everyone says I have a smile to die for!
“Would you like to sit down?” He offers me a chair.
Is this where I say something cool and interesting?

“So, are you new in town?” he finally offers. I shrug my shoulders sheepishly, “Is it that obvious?” I ask? He gives me the once over before replying, “You don’t look like the average girl from around these parts.”

Just what do girls look like from around these parts I ask him a little flirtatiously? I’m worried about my little friend in my purse. She may be thirsty from all the travel. Just as this cute guy sits down, my purse starts whimpering.

Peeking out of her purse is the cutest little puppy, her name is Zena. He takes one look at her and falls instantly in Love. Zena begins to paw at him. He offers up the idea to find a small bowl to fill with water. She must be thirsty, as they’ve been sitting there for awhile.

I began to think that things were looking up for me. I mean, here is a guy who “likes me and my dog!” We took care of Zena and then just kept looking at one another. Was this the start of my new life? I could just see me married to this man, but I did not even know his name!

I thanked him for helping me take care of Zena and our eyes locked onto one another. I flirtatiously asked “so what’s your name?” His eyes suddenly opened wide and his cheeks began to turn a pale shade of red. He sat back in his chair and began to nervously fiddle with the napkin on the table. I could tell that this simple question has made him uncomfortable, but why?

Now I know why this guy looked the way he looked! It was that “bad” guy I saw on “American’s Most Wanted!!!” Now what do I do? My life was just starting to look “brighter,” and then THIS! Should I just pretend I do not know?

Or should I keep acting like I was? My heart was thumping hard in my chest and Zena needed to go outside. I’m not about to leave this place with this guy. Suddenly, there’s a hand on my shoulder and I jumped out of my skin. As I slowly turn my head,

a friend from the past caught my eye. Relief, I felt, to my surprise came the hard cold object in my side. My whole life started to pass through my mind when,

my high school classmate said, “What brings you to New York, Chavela?” I was relieved, it was someone I used to be in the band with. I said, ” Hello, Eva, I got a new job as a model for Victoria’s Secret!”” Do you live here, too,?” I asked. She replied she was searching for someone who needed a roommate. I smiled at that!

Of course, I immediately asked her to come take a look at my place and see if she were interested. She was delighted to hear this offer! We left the coffee shop with an excited Zena, and were both looking to a brighter future in our new home, Manhattan!!

THE END………….

Immigration….

Theodore Roosevelt’s ideas on Immigrants and being
an AMERICAN in 1907.

‘In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good
faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact
equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any
such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon
the person’s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an
American…There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an
American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for
but one flag, the American flag… We have room for but one language here, and
that is the English language… and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that
is a loyalty to the American people.’

Theodore Roosevelt
1907

Every American citizen needs to read this!

…My friend Kristi sent this to me and I thought I would share it. My parents were immigrants of Italy and are now proud Americans since 1955. They never gave up their Italian heritage and beliefs..just their citizenship. They passed everything down to the next generation in America.