This story was inspired by Teek’s story by the same name.
Timmy was sitting on the school bus on his way to his Middle School. Next to him, Betty, his bestest friend in the whole world was prattling about her afternoon tryout for the cheerleading squad. Timmy wasn’t really listening. Timmy was no Tiny Tim. If not exactly bigger than all the other boys in his class, he was taller than most. And if he was lean what was there was mostly bones, sinews and muscles. He very much resembled his father and grandfather at his age. Grandfather had played pro football. Unfortunately he had to retire due to injuries after one season. Timmy’s father had been the big football hero in the high school Timmy was to attend in a few years. The father had gone on to play college football, though only for one year.
So no surprise Timmy's mind was on the permission slip for his tryout he was crunching with his hand in his bag.
At that moment he decided that he would make sure his kids did what they wanted and not what he wanted. Even if it was with the best of intentions. Not wanting his kids to do what he had not been able to do. Not to live a second chance through his children. He had to break the chain.
Timmy’s father was not an ogre. In fact, he was a very good father in most ways and Timmy loved him very much. That really was the problem. Timmy didn’t want to disappoint his father. He could have told his father that what he wanted was not what his father wanted and thought Timmy wanted. His father would have been OK with that. The problem was that he would have been disappointed and sad and Timmy didn’t want to disappoint and make his father sad.
Timmy considered “losing” the permission slip or not doing his best in the tryouts. However, that would have been dishonest and Timmy was a very honest and earnest boy. Ernest was his middle name. Timothy Ernest Smith. Besides, that would have disappointed his father and as we know Timmy didn’t want to disappoint his father.
Oh well, he thought. Once the embarrassment in school had faded away and he had grown used to the black tights and the loneliness in the locker room he had come to quite like ballet and who knows, he might come to like cheerleading as well.
Comments
Cute U Turn
Hugs Doll, I had to re read that story three times before the light came on in my tiny little brain the hook or U turn you put into it. A double blind gotchu and there was no blinking red light telling me where the switch a roo was.
I'm guessing this one was written the day after your meeting with one of Putin's Generals? And how many secrets did you steal? I'm guessing you were wearing some little black number which is legal only in the darkest of the bewitching hours at night?
Hugs Bru
Barb
Some of the deadlyest creatures are one's who look the most beautiful, wearing high heels.
Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl
Kanga with the bright red nose?
Kanga and baby Roo don't have red noses. At least not the last time I read the Winnie-the-Pooh books. So no red blinking light for the switch a roo.
An LBD only fit for darknet?
Why bother with Russian generals? They have no idea what they are doing.
Besides I very seldom come across generals (only two of them). Admirals is another matter (four from three continents).
Don't know why...
... but this reminded me of "Sudden Russian Death Syndrome".
-- Daphne Xu (a page of contents)
The danger of being too close to a window high up
was well-known already in Soviet times.
Even more common
In the days of Putin. Either the window or Novichok. Your choice.
Samantha
Tcht-tcht-tcht
Pushing your son into trying out for things you could never do as a child -- ballet, cheerleading, etc. That's a no-no.
Of course, the man's role in cheerleading these days requires the kind of muscle and timing that would put a football-player to shame.
-- Daphne Xu (a page of contents)
Timmy agrees
That's why he decided to break the chain.
In father's defense Timmy has been playing along and not told Father he might not want the same as Father. Timmy is just too nice a kid and doesn't want to make Father sad.
Hopefully he and his bestest friend in the whole world will both make the team. Then he will have a friend there. Actually, Timmy met Betty in ballet class.
Two Minds Different Conclusion
Daphine my pet, the grandfather and father were both football players who never really made it. His father signed the permission slip for Timmy to play football. Ballet or cheerleader or dancing.was Timmy's choice or possible choices.
"Timmy considered “losing” the permission slip or not doing his best in the tryouts."
Don't know how they do it across the pond but long ago in the dark ages back when Hector was still a puppy, there was no permission needed for ballet, dancing, or cheerleader. Everyone could try and the best went on and the rest were either reserve, pep squad, and still allowed to practice.
Hugs Daphne
Barb
When looking back at the life road we traveled it should be, "Woo Hoo, that was a heck of a ride."
Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl
Oops, I did it again
Another Americana slip ;)
Actually...
...since the point of permission slips these days is to prevent the parents from suing if their kid gets hurt, they're probably needed for cheerleading, ballet and just about anything strenuous, But I'm just guessing.
Eric
Following your own path
Is never easy but always necessary.
Even harder when you're only in middle school
.
you got me, Bru
I totes did not that coming!
I tip my hat to you, and send you a huggle!
And I thought tipping wasn't allowed on this site :)
I have a suspicion you just might have needed a smile today.
Billy Elliot
I hope Timmy overcomes resistance to his desires to be a ballet dancer, as did Billy in the movie. Baryshnikov proved that male dancers are not necessarily gay.
Rudolf Nureyev not gay?
Per Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Nureyev) "On a tour of Denmark he met Erik Bruhn, soloist at the Royal Danish Ballet. Bruhn became his lover, his closest friend and his protector until Bruhn's death in 1986."
Changed
I replaced Nureyev with Baryshnikov. Thank you for pointing out my mistake.
Where the Heck
I've generally wondered where the heck anyone gets the idea that male ballet dancers are gay. (I once saw an assertion that male pianists are gay.)
Regarding the Ten Commandments posted in classrooms and elsewhere, I would like to see the Sixth and Ninth Commandments highlighted.
-- Daphne Xu (a page of contents)
Environment
In the dance world it has traditionally been more acceptable to be gay. Thus gay dancers have not been forced to hide in the same way as in other areas. Many have been very open about it. This contributes to the impression that male dancers are gay.
Male dance clothing reveals the body at the same time as dancing, while very physically demanding, doesn't conform with the strength with grunting macho stereotype.
Funny enough, when AIDS was high on the agenda a dentist relative of mine received information with the advice to be very careful with effiminate males but even more with the extremely macho types.
Bru story
This is most definitely a beloved Bru story, with a twist that causes people to read the story again to see what you really did.
I love the story and the twist. Poor Timmy, the things we do as kids to make our parents happy. We so willingly sacrifice our happiness in an attempt to make them happy, or not disappoint them.
Keep Smiling, Keep Writing
Teek
Thank you for the inspiration Teek
As you point out the real meaning of the story goes so much against the grain that people see what they expect to see rather than the quite unusual situation Timmy finds himself in. As usual I don't spell it out very explicitly.
I do hope that Timmy will like cheerleading even if it isn't his own choice. Of course, it would be even better if Timmy could have a clear communication with his father.
It does take a few reads
But one of the Bru hallmarks is the work required by the reader's brain to get enjoyment from the cleverly done word play.
>>> Kay
I missed to put in a tag: Advanced Bru readers
Oh, well
We must remember...
The Importance of Being Earnest.
A weakness of mine
I often include references to (older) anglophone culture. I blame that on my old English teacher. Bald. About 1.50 m tall when standing on the right leg and only 1.40 when standing on his left leg. This made for a very characterstic style of walking. Another characterstic was an unquenchable energy. Very anti-German but in springtime prone to quote Henri Heine (not Heinrich Heine, since the author in question lived and worked for a long time in France). A fantastic teacher. As you can see his teaching has left traces.