# A real life story for my grandson



## Plasticweld (Jun 29, 2018)

Deleted by  author, permission denied for use


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## Jack of all trades (Jun 30, 2018)

I'm imagining I'm a kid getting a knife and a note as a gift. I think I'd toss aside the note and start inspecting the knife. Better tell the story in person.

A very good tale, though. You are indeed fortunate! You're right about it needing some smoothing out, if this were for publication. For a note, it'll do.


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## Plasticweld (Jul 1, 2018)

Thanks Jack, actually the knife is not his until he is older, not to be used but just kind of as an heirloom.  I had sent the company a note after it happened, telling them about how their knife saved my life and told them my intent.  They sent my grandson a brand new knife to use and mine to keep in a box.  My wife and I have been going back through and doing the ancestry.com stuff and it occurred to  me how little I knew about my past family and their history so I have made a point of trying to pass on some written record of who we are.  The knife and the story are for that purpose.  i have a couple of things that have been passed on to me in that fashion with only a verbal story which has been told from one generation to another.  I wish I had it in writing, I am sure i have forgotten some of it. 

Thanks for reading and commenting...Bob


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## Jack of all trades (Jul 1, 2018)

Ah! I see. So he won't be five when he gets it. Then I see why you want to fix it up.

The part about why you were transferring the fuel manually was awkward for me. As someone who has never done that kind of work I didn't know if the other truck would have brought the skidder, or even what a skidder is. A little more explaining there would help.

The list of who carries knives was also a bit clunky. You might try getting rid of the not and listing the women as "even Grandma and your aunt" to smooth it out.


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## SueC (Jul 1, 2018)

Bob, this is amazing. I am with you on written words to tell a family story. But this tale was breath-taking and I could feel your anxiety and fear. Yes, your grandson will appreciate this and keep the knife and even the story in a special place, to be re-read again and again, and shared with his own family. 

When I was living in Florida, I worked for a tree-trimming place. It was a large company and had several men working the fields. One day, the boss came back with a horrible tale of a young employee who had gotten tangled in the brush they were chipping and he went into the chipper. No one could help him; and his screams, they said, were horrific. The women in the office were not even allowed to see the pictures they had taken for insurance. But I think about that boy every now and then, think about how terrifying it must have been for those few moments when he realized what was happening. Your story brought that back to me, so to say it was realistic is an understatement.

Good job!


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## Kevin (Jul 1, 2018)

Inspiring, Bob. I remember you talking about this before. Great story.


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## Underd0g (Jul 1, 2018)

I'm sorry, but when you wrote that you drove to the hospital in just your boots, I was left wondering why you took off your shirt and underwear.

But yes, it was a compelling story. 

Gibbs agrees, never go anywhere without a knife... Rule #9.


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## SueC (Jul 1, 2018)

Under, you know, I do recall reacting to that bit of info and wondered the same. LOL.


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## Jack of all trades (Jul 1, 2018)

I thought that he kept his shirt and underwear on, but ....


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## Underd0g (Jul 1, 2018)

Sorry for the distracting remark. It is definitely a significant family history account, complete with witnesses, picture documentation and scars. Great idea to get it written out. Just be sure to print it out to be put together in the family album.


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## Plasticweld (Jul 1, 2018)

Jack thanks for the help. I made the changes you suggested it was just the kind of help I was after. 

I added some pictures which I will include in the letter to better clarify the story and give him, or the next generation a clear picture. 

I lost my sweat shirt and my overalls and was left in just my long underwear.  I did feel like I was walking around almost naked for the winter time.  There is a feeling about running around in public with no pants, I guess that made an impression on me. While I still had some clothes it felt like it was just my boots... I did make the changes and thanks for pointing that out.  I really appreciate the input...


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## Jack of all trades (Jul 1, 2018)

Welcome!


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## Guslar (Jul 6, 2018)

I'd suggest having a more "dramatic" ending in order to accentuate the point even more - that the knife is a family heirloom which isn't just for keepsake, but is also a useful tool for survival and defense. With this story and the knife being an heirloom, I'd try to paint it like the knife is an embodiment of the lessons you'd like your grandson to learn ( to keep calm and fight until the end ). I would suggest rewriting the last bit as to include the message from you signature ( God hates cowards ), "keep calm in a sticky situation" and "fight until the end with all you've got". Also maybe there could be a lesson about how you don't need to be looking impressive and dangerous like a war knife in order to actually be dangerous, since your small knife is literally an example of that principle as well.

Grand lessons in such a small thing and one working accident.


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## liminal_luke (Jul 30, 2018)

Very exciting story.  Gripping, really.

Grammar isn`t my thing, so please forgive me if I`m wrong about this, but is there a tense issue in the third paragraph?
_
The skidder needed to be coaxed to life with a shot of ether. It spins over slowly and finally catches, before coming to life.

_If it`s in past tense, I think it should read "It spinned over slowly and finally caught, before coming to life."


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## Underd0g (Jul 30, 2018)

liminal_luke said:


> Very exciting story.  Gripping, really.
> 
> Grammar isn`t my thing, so please forgive me if I`m wrong about this, but is there a tense issue in the third paragraph?
> _
> ...




Spun?


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## liminal_luke (Jul 30, 2018)

Underd0g said:


> Spun?



Yes, absolutely -- spun.  Thanks for correcting my correction.  This grammar thing is harder than it looks, at least for me.


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## Plasticweld (Jul 31, 2018)

liminal_luke said:


> Yes, absolutely -- spun.  Thanks for correcting my correction.  This grammar thing is harder than it looks, at least for me.



Clearly neither of you two have ever started a diesel motor in the winter time when it is cold.  

The motor spins slow because of the thick oil.  The engine fires only when there is enough heat made from the friction of the air and fuel compressed in the cylinder.    The engine does not start all at once, it often fires only when the starter is engaged and will only fire with the aid of the starter, both the engine and the starter working in tandem.    It often many times just limps along firing on a few cylinders until enough of them are firing to keep the engine going. 

This process on a cold morning defies any logic when it comes to past or present tense as it tends to be neither, it is both sort of firing but not yet, past tense, spinning in a effort to get going but not going on its own yet, present tense. 

Sometimes life does not fit in to neat little tenses.  Thanks to all that commented and read it :}


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## Underd0g (Jul 31, 2018)

Plasticweld said:


> Clearly neither of you two have ever started a diesel motor in the winter time when it is cold.
> 
> The motor spins slow because of the thick oil.  The engine fires only when there is enough heat made from the friction of the air and fuel compressed in the cylinder.    The engine does not start all at once, it often fires only when the starter is engaged and will only fire with the aid of the starter, both the engine and the starter working in tandem.    It often many times just limps along firing on a few cylinders until enough of them are firing to keep the engine going.
> 
> ...




Wow, what a cool distinction in grammar. Thanks for keeping track Plasticweld.


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