About a half punji passed, and they looked around the island while they waited.
-
A few minutes passed, and they looked around the island while they waited.
--
Karel looked at his watch. "One twenty-six." (Well, what he said was "8:F5". And, just to remind you, a punji can be thought of as about 5 minutes 37 seconds, and a saichi as about 21 seconds.)
-
Karel looked at his watch. "One twenty-six."
--
Bobbie drew her knees up under her chin and thought for another half punji or so.
-
Bobbie drew her knees up under her chin and thought for a few more minutes.
--
After walking about a punji, Karel drove another stick in the ground and checked directions.
-
After walking about five minutes, Karel drove another stick in the ground and checked directions.
--
So would Professor MacVittie and our parents.
-
So would Professor MacVittie and our parents, really.
--
After two or three saichi, the beach's level had risen about three punboh less than a boh, and the sand began to be covered with grass. Another three saichi brought them into low shrubbery, and in three more they had entered a wooded area.
=line=
A boh is two paces -- two teku -- or about a hundred eighty centimeters. A punboh is a sixteenth of a boh, about eleven and a half cm, or about four and a half inches.
=line=
-
After about a minute, the beach's level had risen five feet or so, and the sand began to be covered with grass. Another minute brought them into low shrubbery, and in another they had entered a wooded area.
--
-
Passing the luggage, they continued for another punji.
"Still heading slightly east. If we've been walking a stready boh per myochi, we've covered about two punlit of beach, and the beach doesn't curve much. Let's save this for when we come back." (Two punlit -- a bit more than a half mile, a bit less than a km.)
-
Passing the luggage, they continued for another five minutes.
"Still heading slightly east. If we've been walking about 80 yards a minute, we've covered about a half mile of beach, and the beach doesn't curve much. Let's save this for when we come back."
--
She leaned back against him, the back of her head against his chest and sighed.
-
She leaned back against him, head against his chest, and sighed.
--
"Well, of course sixteen. Just six years ago." Karel chuckled. (English decimal numbers are okay, aren't they?)
-
"Of course sixteen. Just six years ago." Karel chuckled.
--
They stood together for a few saichi, then Bobbie cleared her throat and said, "Is it almost two?" (Well, 9:60.)
-
They stood together for a minute or two, then Bobbie cleared her throat and said, "Is it almost two?"
--
[JMR201804202006: end edits -- back to alternate Earth]
[JMR201804202006: edits -- abandoned move to Xhilr]
A few minutes passed, and they looked around the island while they waited.
-
About a half punji passed, and they looked around the island while they waited.
--
Karel looked at his watch. "One twenty-six."
-
Karel looked at his watch. "One twenty-six." (Well, what he said was "8:F5". And, just to remind you, a punji can be thought of as about 5 minutes 37 seconds, and a saichi as about 21 seconds.)
--
Bobbie drew her knees up under her chin and thought for a few more minutes.
-
Bobbie drew her knees up under her chin and thought for another half punji or so.
--
After walking about five minutes, Karel drove another stick in the ground and checked directions.
-
After walking about a punji, Karel drove another stick in the ground and checked directions.
--
So would Professor MacVittie and our parents.
-
So would Professor MacVittie and our parents, really.
--
After about a minute, the beach's level had risen five feet or so, and the sand began to be covered with grass. Another minute brought them into low shrubbery, and in another they had entered a wooded area.
-
After two or three saichi, the beach's level had risen about three punboh less than a boh, and the sand began to be covered with grass. Another three saichi brought them into low shrubbery, and in three more they had entered a wooded area.
=line=
A boh is two paces -- two teku -- or about a hundred eighty centimeters. A punboh is a sixteenth of a boh, about eleven and a half cm, or about four and a half inches.
=line=
--
Passing the luggage, they continued for another five minutes.
"Still heading slightly east. If we've been walking about 80 yards a minute, we've covered about a half mile of beach, and the beach doesn't curve much. Let's save this for when we come back."
-
Passing the luggage, they continued for another punji.
"Still heading slightly east. If we've been walking a stready boh per myochi, we've covered about two punlit of beach, and the beach doesn't curve much. Let's save this for when we come back." (Two punlit -- a bit more than a half mile, a bit less than a km.)
--
Bobbie leaned back against him, head against his chest and sighed.
-
She leaned back against him, the back of her head against his chest and sighed.
--
"Of course sixteen. Just six years ago." Karel chuckled.
Bobbie giggled.
-
"Well, of course sixteen. Just six years ago." Karel chuckled. (English decimal numbers are okay, aren't they?)
Bobbie giggled, relaxing into the rhythm of his chuckle.
--
They stood together for a minute or two, then Bobbie cleared her throat and said, "Is it almost two?"
-
They stood together for a few saichi, then Bobbie cleared her throat and said, "Is it almost two?" (Well, 9:60.)
--
[JMR201804202006: end edits -- abandoned move to Xhilr]
[JMR201802171422: edits on unrecorded intermediate -- ]
But, part of what makes physics difficult is when we describe a cannonball and a feather interacting with the earth in a vacuum to children who haven't really ever properly experienced a vacuum.
-
But, part of what makes physics difficult is trying to describe a cannonball and a feather interacting with the earth in a vacuum to children who haven't really ever properly experienced a vacuum.
--
I hope that's what he's doing.
I hope that's what he said.
--
A few minutes passed as they looked around the island.
A few minutes passed, and they looked around the island while they waited.
--
"I think we have the time. We could put off our return a day or two when we get back to the main island, and have them fly us back out here to explore."
-
"We could put off our return a day or two, and then we'd have plenty of time to explore."
--
"Sounds good. So, Karel, we're coming back after Wycliffe fixes the plane."
"Yeah."
They walked down to the water and followed it back to where the stuff was sitting in the sand.
"Is it almost two?"
"Yeah. Maybe we should move the luggage up to the grass, anyway."
"I'll need your help with my trunk."
"And I'd appreciate it if you helped me with mine. I'm not quite into showing off my muscles today."
"Hah."
Moving the luggage occupied a half an hour.
-
Sounds good. So, Karel, we are coming back after Wycliffe fixes the plane."
"Yeah." Karel chuckled. "Wycliffe can think he persuaded us."
Bobbie laughed softly. "We could ask him to be our chaperon."
"He'd be an interesting chaperon."
They walked down to the water. Bobbie took her shoes and socks off and waded in.
Karel stopped before the water with a bemused smile on his face.
Bobbie bent down and cupped some water in her hand. "Such clear water." She lifted it to her mouth and checked the taste with her tongue. "Salty."
"You expected sugary?"
Laughing out loud, Bobbie turned and threw the water at Karel, then began splashing more water at him with her free hand.
"Okay, okay," he said, backing up. "It's really nice water. Definitely going swimming in it when we come back. Not now."
"I'm going swimming now." Bobbie threw her shoes and socks up on the sand and waded in, letting her traveling skirts trail behind her in the water.
"Highly impractical," Karel said. "Plane ride back is going to be cold."
Bobbie turned around. "Come on," she said, tilting her head. "A little wading wouldn't hurt."
Karel looked perplexed, then laughed. "Just wading," he said, bending down to unlace his shoes.
Bobbie scooped up more water, and before Karel could react, ran back up the beach and dumped it on his head.
Karel started chuckling again, removed his socks, and stood up, growling.
Bobbie screamed a little scream and turned to run for the water, but Karel caught her around the waist, drawing her close. Bobbie leaned back against him, head against his chest and sighed. "I don't think I've been so silly since I was sixteen."
"Sixteen?"
"Well, ..."
"Of course sixteen. Just six years ago."
Bobbie giggled.
"Do I get to get my feet wet?"
"I don't know. I think I like this."
Karel wrapped his arms tighter around her and whispered in her ear, "I think I'm glad you like this."
They stood together for a minute or two, then Bobbie cleared her throat and said, "Is it almost two?"
"Yeah. Maybe we should move the luggage up to the grass, anyway."
"I'll need your help with my trunk." She released herself from his arms and picked up her shoes and socks.
"And I'd appreciate it if you helped me with mine. I'm not quite into showing off my muscles today." Karel collected his shoes and socks.
"Hah."
Carrying their footwear, they followed the water line back to below where the luggage was sitting in the sand.
Moving the luggage occupied a half an hour.
--
"Something of Wycliffe's?" Karel picked one up, and Bobbie picked up the other.
"There seems to be a tag on this one." They carried the boxes to the grass and set them down and Karel looked at the tag.
-
"Something of Wycliffe's?" Karel picked one up, and Bobbie picked up the other.
"There seems to be a tag on this one." They carried the boxes to the grass and set them down and Karel looked at the tag.
--
Silence for about three minutes as they thought their own thoughts.
Silence prevailed for about three minutes as they each thought their own thoughts.
--
"I have mixed feelings about this. Flying out from the main island early, with time for a little hiking and a picnic, and flying back after a day trip, that would have been a fun vacation. We might even have had Wycliffe or Zedidiah join us while we camped out for a night. But this is not going to make our bishops or stake presidents happy, either."
-
"I have mixed feelings about this. A day trip would have been a fun vacation. An overnighter or two with Wycliffe or Zedidiah to chaperon would have been a really fun vacation. But this is not going to make our bishops or stake presidents happy, either."
--
Karel again prayed. "Father, we hope that Wycliffe's life will be spared. And we hope that he will be able to return as he promised, in three days."
-
Karel again prayed. "Father, we hope that Wycliffe will be okay. And we hope that he will be able to return as he promised, in three days."
[JMR201802171422: edits end ]
[JMR201801061305: backup of http://free-is-not-free.blogspot.com/2016/03/economics-101-novel-ch10-bobbie-and.html.]
[JMR201609111927: Moved the link to the abandoned almost-final draft to the bottom. ]
Now that we have the framing story for this simplified economic system (http://free-is-not-free.blogspot.jp/2016/03/economics-101-novel-ch00.html), we can perform the first thought experiment. (If you haven't read the framing story, please do so. It will help the rest of this make more sense.)
You may note that this is not the simplest economic system we could, ideally, describe. Part of the reason for that is, as I noted in the framing story, that we think we know too much about interstellar travel.
But, part of what makes physics difficult is when we describe a cannonball and a feather interacting with the earth in a vacuum to children who haven't really ever properly experienced a vacuum. Simple is not simple without preparation.
A proper Adam and Eve story requires laying too much groundwork -- and there's too much of the models inside my head that I would have to explain.
I thought, by the way, of stranding Wycliffe on a different uninhabited island, for the one-on-one with nature and God experiments, but that kind of story is for another day. He will have a bit more direct interaction with God.
Even the uninhabited island part is a bit outside the ordinary experience, but it's much more within reach, I think.
Let's continue with Karel and Bobbie's story.
"Where is Wycliffe going?" Bobbie asked, almost to herself, as they watched the airplane disappear over the horizon.
Karel shrugged. "I suppose he needs to do more prolonged checks on the engine. I hope that's what he's doing. Or maybe he's going back to civilization for parts or something."
A few minutes passed as they looked around the island. They could see the beach stretching fairly straight away from them, and the sea seemed smooth enough. Inland, the land sloped up easily for a ways, with a small mountain off in the distance.
"How long will it take?" Bobbie leaned back on one of the trunks.
"How should I know?"
"What time is it now?"
Karel looked at his watch. "One twenty-six."
"Just wanted to know. Do you think he was acting a little strange?"
"Strange?" Karel thought for a moment. "Well, most of the people out here are not what we would call normal back home."
"And?"
"It would be hard for me to tell what strange would mean for him. The island natives are a little easier to read."
Karel looked around the beach again, then at Bobbie. "You need something to keep the sun off you, I think."
"No, I'm okay. But I'm wondering whether we ought to move our stuff up the beach a bit, beyond the tide line."
"He should be back before the tide rises too far. I hope."
Bobbie drew her knees up under her chin and thought for a few more minutes.
Then she said, "Let's explore."
"Agreed. We've been sitting here for long enough."
And they both stood up and dusted themselves off a bit.
"But we need to keep the beach and the luggage in sight."
"True."
Karel picked up a stick of driftwood and drove it into the sand upright. Bobbie watched him check his watch and the position of the shadow.
"East seems to be that way." He pointed out across the water.
"I do hope we're not here long enough to find out for sure."
So they walked north, along the beach, first. After walking about five minutes, Karel drove another stick in the ground and checked directions.
"The beach seems to be curving a little towards the west."
"Do you want to draw a map?"
"If we had the time, it could be interesting."
"I think we have the time. We could put off our return a day or two when we get back to the main island, and have them fly us back out here to explore."
"Sounds fun. Maybe so. Wycliffe would approve. So would Professor MacVittie and our parents. Heh. Let's head inland a bit."
After about a minute, the beach's level had risen five feet or so, and the sand began to be covered with grass. Another minute brought them into low shrubbery, and in another they had entered a wooded area.
Karel said, "We could lose track of the stuff if we go further."
"I think I do want to come back here to explore." replied Bobbie, and they turned back and walked south, keeping just outside the trees. Passing the luggage, they continued for another five minutes.
"Still heading slightly east. If we've been walking about 80 yards a minute, we've covered about a half mile of beach, and the beach doesn't curve much. Let's save this for when we come back."
"Sounds good. So, Karel, we're coming back after Wycliffe fixes the plane."
"Yeah."
They walked down to the water and followed it back to where the stuff was sitting in the sand.
"Is it almost two?"
"Yeah. Maybe we should move the luggage up to the grass, anyway."
"I'll need your help with my trunk."
"And I'd appreciate it if you helped me with mine. I'm not quite into showing off my muscles today."
"Hah."
Moving the luggage occupied a half an hour. They had a trunk and a suitcase each, and Bobbie's purse, Karel's shoulder bag, a backpack each, and some other small personal stuff.
"I didn't really think about it at the time, but is it a little odd that Wycliffe put our personal stuff off, too?"
"Maybe. He is taking a long time."
And there was a box of emergency supplies, and the rubber dinghy and the tent in canvas carrying bags. And two boxes that they hadn't really taken notice of until the rest of the luggage was moved.
"What're those?"
"Something of Wycliffe's?" Karel picked one up, and Bobbie picked up the other.
"There seems to be a tag on this one." They carried the boxes to the grass and set them down and Karel looked at the tag.
What Karel had thought was a tag was an envelope. "Oh, for, ... It says, to us."
"Huh?" Bobbie took the envelope. "to Bobbie and Karel." The envelope was not sealed, and inside was a card with a heart and cupid's arrow drawn on it. "You guys need a vacation. There's enough food in these boxes. I'll be back in three days. Have fun."
"That ..." Karel didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Bobbie turned the card over to see if there was any more. "I'll call your professor and tell him you decided to postpone your return for a little adventuring. There aren't any dangerous animals on this island. Don't worry about a thing. See you in three days. Love Wycliffe." And she took a deep breath.
"How sweet." she said. "In a twisted sort of way."
"Meddling busybody." Karel muttered.
Silence for about three minutes as they thought their own thoughts.
"Professor MacVittie will uhm, have mixed feelings about this." Karel started.
"I have mixed feelings about this. Flying out from the main island early, with time for a little hiking and a picnic, and flying back after a day trip, that would have been a fun vacation. We might even have had Wycliffe or Zedidiah join us while we camped out for a night. But this is not going to make our bishops or stake presidents happy, either."
"Or us. Blast Wycliffe. Legally, this is kidnapping."
"And a bit worse, but swearing at him won't bless us."
"Okay. Bless him."
More silence.
"I think we should pray." This was Bobbie's suggestion.
"Indeed." Karel dropped to his knees. "I'll go first?"
Bobbie also knelt down. "Okay. Go ahead."
Karel prayed for Wycliffe to be forgiven, and for his heart to be softened, and for their safe return to civilization. Then he prayed for help for him and Bobbie, that they would be guided and kept out of spiritual danger as well as physical.
Bobbie concurred with a heartfelt amen, and then added her own concerns:
"... Father, we don't know what the future will bring, but please, keep us from doing anything that would offend our future companions or prevent us from being married in the temple. ...."
And Karel concurred with an equally heartfelt amen after Bobbie's amen.
They stayed on their knees, listening with their hearts. And got an answer:
Wycliffe is in my hands.Karel looked puzzled and checked with Bobbie. She nodded, she'd felt the same impression.
Karel again prayed. "Father, we hope that Wycliffe's life will be spared. And we hope that he will be able to return as he promised, in three days."
Bobbie added, "We'd rather it were sooner, if he could change his mind, but please at least bring him back by then."
I want you here, now, for a while. I know how to save Wycliffe's soul, and I know how to save yours. It's time for both of you to start preparing.Bobbie and Karel repeated together what they had each felt, and watched each other's eyes as the words matched exactly.
And they prayed together for Wycliffe's friends and family, and then for their own, as they realized the possible meanings of the impressions they had received.
Then, following the instruction they had received to prepare, Karel opened the emergency supplies while Bobbie opened the boxes of food that Wycliffe had prepared for them.
"Bread, cheese, water. Sausage. Thoughtful of him about the water. Wine. We won't need that."
"Keep it in case we need crude antiseptic. We have one tent. It could fit four in an emergency. You get that. I'll make a lean-to or something. Oh, good, we have a water filter and some fishing string and hooks. Rope. A hand shovel, an axe, a good knife. It looks like a good scout packed this, or someone who knows what you need in the wilderness. We'll be okay for a while." And he put the supplies back carefully.
Bobbie closed the boxes of food and got her lunch out of her purse. It was
Karel got out his lunch. "Let's eat what we brought, so it doesn't spoil, and then we'll start exploring for real. We'll set the tent up before it starts getting dark." He paused.
"Bobbie."
"Yeah?"
"Where I was reading in the Bible on the plane this morning. Book of Job."
But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face."That's in the first chapter. God doesn't hate us, he just figures he can let us be tested."
"I reckon so."
Let's look at the values Karel and Bobbie put on things here. Consider how the values change as their understanding of their situation changes.
Now think about what Wycliffe has exchanged with Bobbie and Karel, and to what purpose.
Also think about the ways in which Bobbie and Karel have been cooperating and sharing, and what it is that allows them to cooperate and share.
Finally, note how their ideas and priorities were in agreement when they prayed, and how that allowed them to hear the answers they got.
The link to the next chapter
http://free-is-not-free.blogspot.jp/2016/03/economics-101-novel-ch11-wycliffe.html
If you want more background about Karel and Bobbie, you can read about how they got here at this link: http://free-is-not-free.blogspot.com/2016/05/economics-101-novel-ch01-introducing.html.
(The chapter index is here: http://joel-rees-economics.blogspot.jp/2016/04/economics-101-novel-index.html)
[JMR2010911:
The above is where I am currently re-working and rewriting this chapter.
An abandoned almost-final draft of this chapter is here: http://joel-rees-economics.blogspot.com/2016/06/econ101-novel-ch100-bobbie-karel-priorities.html.
]
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