the 501 monk

I have had this story in my head for quite some time.

- It's pretty dark  

-they say you should choose a person as an audience, and write the book to them.  I choose myself, at age 14.  The year after I read "A Clockwork Orange"  which had a BIG, but very negative impact on me

-they say you need a beginning, a middle, and an end.  I have a beginning and an end.  I think those are the hard ones.

-it's about a kid, no family, no friends, raised in the "foster care" system being kicked out on to the streets with no supports as he turns 18.  And an old man, who may be a Taoist monk, or may be a delusional coot, no family, no friends, being pulled into the "long term care" system against his will.

-they become unlikely friends, and try to help each other make a life for themselves as the system throws obstacles in their way

the moral of the story is this:

you know how in the Karate Kid, Mr.Myagi teaches poor bullied Daniel-san how to fight, to defend himself from a bully?  That's a classic tale.  Told over and over, in all languages and cultures.  But why?  Why is the solution always to turn the weak into warriors?  Why does the bully deserve no chance at redemption?

What if Mr.Myagi lived next door to the bully instead?  Instead of teaching the weakling to be strong enough to fight, he teaches the bully how to be strong enough   NOT to?

Interesting twist on an oft told story..why do bullies bully and what will stop them?  I think bullies are really cowards or have low self esteem so need to feel good by belittling someone else..or they need to fit in with other bullies. Is this your sad story..if so, why?

I don't necessarily agree.  I think most bullies are victims of violence.  They are taught  from childhood that violence is the only language that makes any change.  So they became fluent.

But, even if a bully is the worst kid in the neighbourhood, isn't it better to give him a chance to change, than to let him grow up to be a serial killer, a wife beater, or Stalin?

By teaching the weak kid how to kick the bullies ass, what changes in the world?  How does anything get better?

In the movies, we just see the beaten bully skulk away, defeated.  But what then?  Did he just become a better person?  I don't think so.

Yes, good point..but i don't think its always violence that makes a bully..certainly it makes some bullies and you could go down that route.  So how do you teach violence isn't the answer?

well that's sort of the point.  teaching non-violence isn't easy.  If it was you could just crochet the answer on a pillow.

But it will require at least a book to just put the idea that it's possible out there.

if the monk is incredibly charismatic he might be able to capture the imagination of the bully..you know, one of those people you just listen to..plus characters like that are great in films.

exactly

he may be a compassionate, wise old monk, with hard earned truths to share.  Or he may just be a homeless lunatic.  We never learn which.  But charisma, he's not short on.

excellent..that would be an engaging story

my version..made up on walk at 4 am...based on yours but slightly different..

Boy A (the bully) sees the monk (who is also an illusionist and mentalist) on his way home from the benefits office every day

At first Boy A calls out rude comments as the monk sits on the street (he seems to be homeless)

One day Boy A crosses the street to the monk and asks what he is doing

The monk, who is a magus and illusionist knows this will happen and is ready

He puts on a simple but very effecting illusional display and captures Boy A's attention, from that time Boy A can't stay away

Every day the monk reveals more through illusions and mind reading

Boy A starts to change his outlook, grows fond of the monk and seeing the monk becomes the highlight of his day

He stops bullying and becomes a nicer person..he is even a bit happy

Last chapter..Boy A is hurrying to tell his friend the monk that he has a job at last and things are looking up..but he finds the things where monk sat are all trashed and strewn around and the monk is gone.

The reader is left to decide what happened...was the monk really ever there at all?

what dyou think?

I like it, but it sounds like a short story.  

I'm really interested in exploring psychological trauma, and the institutions mainly responsible for it.

It's a BIG subject

it would be a short story...exploring psychological abuse is a big story..i read a book called Instrumental which was a true story of a man getting over sexual abuse using music..ive read books about PTSD too.