The next morning, when I awoke, I sat for a while, lost in thought. I think
about all sorts of things: my home, my friends at home, holiday rituals,
being on the island, my new powers as High Priestess, Celebrinor,
Merridew's rebelliousness, and physics. Out of the blue, a thought comes
into my head. 'No one is doing things the way that they are supposed to. A
meeting ought to be called to remedy their lackluster approach to the jobs
that they have been given. Also to address the ongoing problem of one Jack
Merridew.'
I exited my hut and started to walk along the cove, thinking all the while. I realized that I was being a total asshole. In realizing that, I resolved to change my attitude. 'I must be P.M.S.ing,' I thought. I continued to walk, and eventually came to the meeting place.
The conch shell is sitting on my log – which is probably the sturdiest log there – and the other logs are arrayed around it. Some have moss on them, while others do not. Mine, however, does have moss, and I find that it makes a very nice seat cushion. Merridew, Dae, and the rest of the hunters sit off to my left, on a patch of springy grass. The littluns usually sit on my right, but sometimes sit on the platform directly across from me, trading spaces with the older kids.
I blew the conch in the meeting sequence and sat down to await my rim's coming. Jack Merridew came first, leading Dae and the hunters.
"What's this about?" I asked.
"Nothin' much, priestess." Jack said with scorn. "We just think that you are an incompetent leader and that I should be the Chief of this group."
Dae cried out in protest, "Hey! Speak for yourself, Merridew. I think that Ary's doing a great job as High Priestess." She paused for a moment. "You know what? You're an asshole Jack. I'm leaving and taking myloyals with me." As she stalked off, all but seven of the hunters went with her and sat on the logs to my right. Jack and his crew sat on the usual patch off grass. By this time, all thirty-one of us are present. Celebrinor came and stood by my side, then handed me the conch in a very formal fashion. I was a bit taken aback by this gesture at the time.
Imperiously, I waved the conch shell to and fro. "Yo! People! Pay attention! I've got the conch. That means that I speak. There are a few things that I need to talk about this time around, and if we don't get through them I all, those who disrupt the meeting will face severe consequences. First, no one around here except for the hunters and the builders is doing anything productive. Second, no one seems to remember where the latrines are. If you need to go, ask Moron Merridew over here, since he's had a lot of experience in that area." At this, most everyone breaks into whirlwinds of laughter.
Celebrinor looks at me and smiles. "Cute joke, Ary," he said.
With that one look, he recalled me to the purpose of this meeting. "Third thing is that we were supposed to be collecting water in coconut halves for us to drink. What happened to those, you guys? Fourth –"
Jack interrupts me, "Fourth is that we need food, and in order to do that, we need to hunt. And what do we need to hunt? Hunters! I say that we hunters should get to choose a leader, one more competent than this charlatan priestess that we've gotten stuck with. Who's with me?"
At this point, I snatch the conch shell back. "No. Fourth is that the fire is key to our getting rescued. It has to stay lit. If it's not lit, then no one will know that we are here. That means that no one will come to get us off this godsforsaken island."
I put the conch down, showing everyone that I am done speaking. Celebrinor picks it up, and begins to talk.
"You lot are lazy. All you ever want to do is play and fool around. Ary's right. If we want to get rescued, then everyone needs to –" Merridew grabs the conch, and a small quarrel arises over whether or not Celebrinor had the conch.
"Give. It. Back!" he cries.
"No. You're a stupid head, Seal, did I ever tell you that? Of course I did, but you're just to stupid to remember it."
I stand up and take the conch from Merridew. "Merridew, stop picking on him. Just because Seal happens to be smarter that you doesn't mean that you can pick on him. Anyway, he had the conch, and that gives him the right to say whatever he wants to say."
"Yea? Well the conch was a stupid idea. We all know who really have important stuff to say – the hunters! Seal and the others never have anything of import to say. They're all a bunch of idiots."
"Merridew," I say, "this is outrageous behavior. I motion that we expel you from this community, along with all who share your views." I turn to the rim of people. "All in favor of this, raise your hands." Nearly everyone did. Those who didn't, were sent off to a nearby sister island – one that was within swimming distance, but just far enough away that Jack and his cronies would not want to return to my island to create havoc. Without Jack, the meetings have been a lot more productive.
I exited my hut and started to walk along the cove, thinking all the while. I realized that I was being a total asshole. In realizing that, I resolved to change my attitude. 'I must be P.M.S.ing,' I thought. I continued to walk, and eventually came to the meeting place.
The conch shell is sitting on my log – which is probably the sturdiest log there – and the other logs are arrayed around it. Some have moss on them, while others do not. Mine, however, does have moss, and I find that it makes a very nice seat cushion. Merridew, Dae, and the rest of the hunters sit off to my left, on a patch of springy grass. The littluns usually sit on my right, but sometimes sit on the platform directly across from me, trading spaces with the older kids.
I blew the conch in the meeting sequence and sat down to await my rim's coming. Jack Merridew came first, leading Dae and the hunters.
"What's this about?" I asked.
"Nothin' much, priestess." Jack said with scorn. "We just think that you are an incompetent leader and that I should be the Chief of this group."
Dae cried out in protest, "Hey! Speak for yourself, Merridew. I think that Ary's doing a great job as High Priestess." She paused for a moment. "You know what? You're an asshole Jack. I'm leaving and taking myloyals with me." As she stalked off, all but seven of the hunters went with her and sat on the logs to my right. Jack and his crew sat on the usual patch off grass. By this time, all thirty-one of us are present. Celebrinor came and stood by my side, then handed me the conch in a very formal fashion. I was a bit taken aback by this gesture at the time.
Imperiously, I waved the conch shell to and fro. "Yo! People! Pay attention! I've got the conch. That means that I speak. There are a few things that I need to talk about this time around, and if we don't get through them I all, those who disrupt the meeting will face severe consequences. First, no one around here except for the hunters and the builders is doing anything productive. Second, no one seems to remember where the latrines are. If you need to go, ask Moron Merridew over here, since he's had a lot of experience in that area." At this, most everyone breaks into whirlwinds of laughter.
Celebrinor looks at me and smiles. "Cute joke, Ary," he said.
With that one look, he recalled me to the purpose of this meeting. "Third thing is that we were supposed to be collecting water in coconut halves for us to drink. What happened to those, you guys? Fourth –"
Jack interrupts me, "Fourth is that we need food, and in order to do that, we need to hunt. And what do we need to hunt? Hunters! I say that we hunters should get to choose a leader, one more competent than this charlatan priestess that we've gotten stuck with. Who's with me?"
At this point, I snatch the conch shell back. "No. Fourth is that the fire is key to our getting rescued. It has to stay lit. If it's not lit, then no one will know that we are here. That means that no one will come to get us off this godsforsaken island."
I put the conch down, showing everyone that I am done speaking. Celebrinor picks it up, and begins to talk.
"You lot are lazy. All you ever want to do is play and fool around. Ary's right. If we want to get rescued, then everyone needs to –" Merridew grabs the conch, and a small quarrel arises over whether or not Celebrinor had the conch.
"Give. It. Back!" he cries.
"No. You're a stupid head, Seal, did I ever tell you that? Of course I did, but you're just to stupid to remember it."
I stand up and take the conch from Merridew. "Merridew, stop picking on him. Just because Seal happens to be smarter that you doesn't mean that you can pick on him. Anyway, he had the conch, and that gives him the right to say whatever he wants to say."
"Yea? Well the conch was a stupid idea. We all know who really have important stuff to say – the hunters! Seal and the others never have anything of import to say. They're all a bunch of idiots."
"Merridew," I say, "this is outrageous behavior. I motion that we expel you from this community, along with all who share your views." I turn to the rim of people. "All in favor of this, raise your hands." Nearly everyone did. Those who didn't, were sent off to a nearby sister island – one that was within swimming distance, but just far enough away that Jack and his cronies would not want to return to my island to create havoc. Without Jack, the meetings have been a lot more productive.