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From: frye@cuuxb.UUCP (frye)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: Tracy vs. Eric.(8-)
Message-ID: <499@cuuxb.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Mar-86 11:53:14 EST
Article-I.D.: cuuxb.499
Posted: Thu Mar 27 11:53:14 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 30-Mar-86 02:34:29 EST
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Organization: AT&T-IS, Customer Support, Lisle, Il.
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I just read Tracy's article and Eric's reply to it. It
seems Eric though some of Tracy's thoughts were a bit
prejudiced. I just think this is a topic that's just
like any other can of worms. Discusions of this topic
will cause misunderstandings and disagreements. Its
just a strange topic. It must be strange, just look
who's posting about it now(8-). Me!

While I never skipped any grades in school (didn't
have that option) and, while I never thought of
myself as a genius anyway, I did get called nerd
and egghead in school. I found it helped if I'd
explain the way I felt to the people I went to
school with. They seemed to like being treated
like they knew something too.

I got to see the other side of the coin too. My
buddy Bill is dilexic and several other things
that handicapped him very seriously in school.
He could barely read well enough to use a feeler
gauge or a micrometer. He had an even worse time
with actual words and text. He was a wizzard with
his hands though. He could draw, paint, use tools
faster than anyone I ever saw. I had some trouble
with a "one lung" Biggs and Stratton engine. I
just couldn't figure out what was going wrong there.
And, I was GOOD with the suckers! He had it all
apart in 10 mintues and back together in twenty.
Minute twenty one saw the little thing running like
a champ. I guess some car warranty station grabbed
him up pretty quickly after highschool. He turned
into one of the best mechanics in that part of the
country. In the shop, some mechanics would be in
there measuring things. Bill would feel them most
of the time. He only used dial indicators and callipers
on rare occasions.

Most of the teachers I had would have probably given
up on Bill. I went to a small school though. Most
everyone knew everyone. The teachers knew that anything
Bill had that broke didn't stay broken long. Funny how
printed letters could all look alike to Bill, but a
worn out part didn't look like it could possibly work
well to him. He could never put a word in to fix a 
sentance, but he could sure fix messed up mechanical
items.

Anyone else out there know anyone like Bill?


Just thought I'd mention the fact that some people who
appear kinda stupid have more brains that you might
think. The best a person can do is get to know people
and hold off on the criticisms and put downs. I find
that I usually forget what the criticisms were after
a while...


Thanks for your indulgence.
Tom Frye