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{Heart Touchers}   *Nicoteen Teen*  9/26/01

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Michael's long awaited book Straight From the Heart:
"A Celebration of Life," is finally here!  Close to 200
pages of true short stories filled with love and laughter
await you!  Visit our web site to order the EBook, or
to order by credit card! You can also read some
sample stories from the book here!

http://HeartTouchers.com/michael_t__powers/

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Yesterday we asked if our readers might join us in wishing
happy birthday to a special young lady in our life named Lindsey.
Her email address is:

Lidsey22@aol.com

A few people have written to me asking if I made a
mistake on her email address since it is missing
an "n".  If you wanted to wish her a happy birthday
for us, but were waiting to make sure the address
we listed was correct, worry no more!  It is the
correct email address.  Our thanks to those who wrote
to us and asked if it was a mistake.  I should have made
it clear that the email address was correct even though it
looked like I left a letter out...  If you haven't taken a minute
or so to email Lindsey at:  Lidsey22@aol.com  and wish her
a happy birthday, would you do so now for us?
Thank you for being a part of Lindsey's special day!

We are heading north now for some family time together
so there will be no stories for Thursday and Friday.
Next e-mail heading your way on Sunday night!

Enjoy today's story by gifted writer Alison Peters
and have a wonderful week!
Michael

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Nicotine Teen

By Alison Peters

I was in my 10th grade science class, wishing,
as always, that I wasn't. As if it wasn't bad enough
that I had absolutely no interest in anything scientific,
I was also totally entrenched in my own personal
addiction to nicotine

I was spoiled enough -- and sufficiently rebellious -- to
come to the conclusion, despite coaxing to the
contrary, that if I wasn't particularly crazy about
a subject, I certainly should not be expected to
put forth any effort whatsoever.

Furthermore, if I didn't happen to like any particular
teacher, showing respect was something I could
choose to do or not. Disrupting classes, ideally by
making people laugh, was my forte. Back in those
days, in the early 60s when "bad" students were
the ones who chewed gum in class or ran in the
hall or wrote with lipstick on the bathroom mirror,
I was the worst of the bad. Figuratively, I stood
head and shoulders above the rest.

I loved English. And what a lucky thing that was.
Mr. Tindall was fearsome. With a fixed grin, he
would zone in on unruly students who whispered
to their neighbor or were foolhardy enough to forget
to get rid of gum before entering his class. Looking
at the clock was slightly more serious than any
misdemeanor and he was sure to break any lippy
kid's habit of backtalk. For some reason, I had a
proclivity to respect and truly like the tough teachers.
Mr.Tindall was not only tough when it came to
teaching and grading, he was physical with his
toughness. I had seen him throw boys who temporarily
thought they were too cool into lockers and bounce
them off walls. I had witnessed the whacks he was
prone to give with a wooden paddle...Although
the displays were stunning and scary, there were
no injuries other than those to pride. Not once did
it ever cross my mind to test this teacher. Never.
You might think fear stopped me, but considering
my ignorance in those school days, I can assure
you the only reason this teacher and I did not tangle
was simply that I loved English and admired Mr. Tindall.

Although I had no use for science, I did like Mr.
Davies. He had a happy round face and he was funny.
He wasn't afraid of me, my attitude or my comebacks.
He was one of the few who somehow knew I was not as
tough as I pretended to be. He was good at bantering
with me and I enjoyed the competition. Even though
science stunk, Mr. Davies didn't. I generally tolerated
his class. Not that I learned anything in it. Not that I
studied. Not that I tried...I just put up with it...on
days that I came to school.

On this particular Friday, I couldn't get having a
cigarette out of my mind.

Being so securely hooked on this habit created a
real problem for one who happened to be a 16 year
old student, and one who had gotten caught sating
her desire for nicotine so many times that her
tendency to smoke in the john was common
knowledge. I was perpetually suspect.

Some of the teachers just plain didn't care. Maybe
they had given up. But Mr. Davies was not one of
them. I had to think how to do this...

Sneaky and slick, sitting at my desk toward the
back of the room, I managed to withdraw a cigarette
butt and a kitchen match from my purse.

Smoking, in those school days, consisted of long,
burning hot drags drawn as deeply into the lungs as
possible, in rapid succession, while waving one hand
furtively at the puffs of smoke so that they were
fairly dissipated by the time they curled over the
top of the bathroom stall into plain sight. Smelling
like a pool hall the majority of the time was par for
the course, and another dead giveaway that one
had just sucked in half a cigarette in record time.
The effect was dizzying, ---a rush not experienced
by adult smokers who do not need to satisfy their
addiction in a big hurry in a tiny bathroom stall.

Still seated at my desk, it was a snap to slip the
match into the top of my sock. It required a little
more care to fit the butt under my watch band. After
making sure it was covered by the long sleeve of
my blouse, I took a deep breath and prepared to lie.

Lying was different from just being a goof off, mouthing
off or just plain being a lousy student. It bothered me
to lie. I didn't like it. Besides an upbringing by Christian
parents, the meaning of my name is "truthful
one" -- two factors that matter. Fortunately they are
also factors that mean much more now than then,
since it was obviously not beneath me to lie if I wanted
something badly enough that I could feel the end
justified the means....

Nicotine was something I wanted badly enough.

I stood, left my desk and walked up to where Mr. Davies
was sitting behind his.

He wore his pleasant face and looked me in the eye.
By the twinkle in his, along with a slight smirk, I knew
that he knew part of what I was going to say. And
he knew that I knew he knew.

I gave the slightest little chuckle. "Mr. Davies..." He
leaned back and clasped his hands behind his head,
listening patiently, interested in hearing the
details of my latest, but clearly not expecting
to be fooled in the least...

"I need to use the restroom, but I am not going
to have a cigarette.  Look...I am not even
taking my purse...ok?...I am leaving it right
there, on my desk..."  I pointed to it, in case
he wanted proof. "Ok?"

By the time I finished my plea, I could see in his
face that he was going to let me. I just knew
he bought it...But then he looked away and
he didn't look so happy.

Quietly, he told me: "You dropped something."

I looked at the floor and saw that hideous
cigarette butt. Maybe I picked it up, but
I am not sure.

Oh humble moment. Oh humblest moment
of my entire life.

Instant death would have been welcomed. And deserved.

Here was this big-mouth, smart-alec class clown,
supposed to be tough as nails, now slinking
back to her desk, her face buried in her hands,
barely able to see to find her way.

Somehow managing to seat myself at my
desk while still trying to hide in my hands,
my head spun and my face burned crimson
as I waited to be humiliated still further by
whatever words the teacher chose to finish
me off with. I had lied. I had tried to trick him.
And I had failed. What an opportunity was his! 

He could have killed me with words at that moment.
I was certainly one to recognize the perfect chance
for him to get a good laugh at my expense from
the entire class. This was one competition he
could win so easily, so coolly, so smoothly.
On top of that, he could have sent me to the
principal. I would have been suspended for sure.
Once again. Clearly, I was at his mercy...

I remember bracing myself. I remember no one
laughed. And I will always remember exactly what
he said. Most of all, I feared his words. When
they came, after what seemed like about a
year, I could hardly believe what I was hearing:

"I want you to know that you are a welcome
part of my class. And I want to see your bright
an' smilin' face back in here for class on Monday morning."

That was it.

Mr. Davies was not a man to kick a girl when she
was down...golden opportunity or not...

He was a gentleman. Even though I was no scholar.
 

Alison Peters
Sweetpetes3@cs.com

Write Alison and let her know what you thought of her story!

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Alison is a single mom living in Florida who loves to write!
She is happy to report that SHE DID quit smoking. It only took her 37 years.

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Reader Feedback!

Michael,

My sister is the Director of the Big Brothers/Sisters program in El Paso.
Mr. Meltzer's touching story really hit the spot...I couldn't resist
forwarding it to her.  That is what your e-zine is all about.  Touching
lives.  Thank you for making my day!

Blessings,
Jennifer Oliver
fourears@hotmail.com
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Thought For The Day:

"There is nothing final about a mistake, except
its being taken as final." --Phyllis Bottome

Verse for the Day:

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord...
Though he fail, he shall not be utterly cast down."
Psalm 37:23,24

Kid's Thought For The Day:

"Your echo will always answer."

Parent's Thought For The Day

"To be in your children's memories tomorrow one
must be in their life today."

Coach's Thought For The Day

"Material possessions, winning scores, and great
reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord,
because He knows what we really are and that is
all that matters."
(John Wooden, College Basketball's all-time winningest coach.)

Deep Thought For The Day:

Q: What happens if you get a gigabyte?

A: It megahertz.

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REQUESTS:

Please pray for my friend, Kim Burns; I have been friends with her for 20 years and we have been very close. This evening, she called me; her Mom, who has been sick again for almost two months, died this evening at 5 PM. She had cancer return for the third time and she couldn't fight it this time. Satan defeated her body but not her soul and she is now in heaven with Jesus! Her name is Iris.
Please pray for Kim; she needs the strength and courage that can only come from Jesus to get through this time of grief. She is happy her mom is now in the arms of Jesus but is going to miss her a lot.
Also a praise that came from this: Kim's teen daughter, Alyssa, has accepted Jesus as her Savior today! She had planned on getting married to the son of a Pastor but had not given her heart to Jesus Christ yet. Now they can start their marriage with the blessing of God.
Thanks and blessings,
Karen Smith
isaiah@citlink.net

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  _
/_/\/\    MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\  /    HeartTouchers@aol.com  
/_/  \    "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no
\_\/\ \   longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I
   \_\/   live in the body I live for the Son of God, who  
           loved me and gave Himself for me."
           Galatians 2:20
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Video Imagery --Michael's Video Production Business

"I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch
the video we gave them. They loved it, to say the
least!  Within thirty seconds my mom was crying
and my dad did too. They said it was the best
Christmas gift we could have given them!!  You
did such a beautiful job!  They were so surprised
and so touched--they really, really, really loved it.
Thanks for helping to make it so special to us all.
My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect
for the video too! Thanks again!"
Kelli-- College Station, TX

Let me make you a video from your pictures or
home movies! Check out the web page for Michael's
video production business!  Visit:

http://www.hearttouchers.com/video_imagery/

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Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you?
http://www.greatcom.org/english/four.htm

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