E. David Hopkins's Blog
June 9, 2016
What happens when a greedy man finds a genie lamp
A man finds a genie lamp. He rubs it, and a genie pops out. "Thank you for setting me free!" announces the genie. "I will now grant you three wishes, but you cannot wish for any more wishes, and you cannot wish for another genie."
"Okay," says the man. "I wish for a million dollars."
Poof! The genie grants the man's wish and the man instantly has a million dollars.
Next, the man says, "I wish to live in a castle."
Poof! The genie makes the man a grand, splendid castle for him to live in.
Then, the man, thinking that he can trick the genie into granting him more wishes, says, "Genie, I wish that I haven't made any wishes yet."
And so, the genie vanishes the million dollars, vanishes the castle, and tells the man, "Now that I have granted you all three of your wishes, it is time for me to move on," and the genie, himself, disappears.
"Okay," says the man. "I wish for a million dollars."
Poof! The genie grants the man's wish and the man instantly has a million dollars.
Next, the man says, "I wish to live in a castle."
Poof! The genie makes the man a grand, splendid castle for him to live in.
Then, the man, thinking that he can trick the genie into granting him more wishes, says, "Genie, I wish that I haven't made any wishes yet."
And so, the genie vanishes the million dollars, vanishes the castle, and tells the man, "Now that I have granted you all three of your wishes, it is time for me to move on," and the genie, himself, disappears.
December 15, 2015
First chapter of novel "The Sheltered Life of Betsy Parker"
Chapter 1: A Late-Summer Romance
It was August 31. Carl Parker was sitting under a big Beech Tree, in Lilly Park, in a town called Meriton, soaking up the late-summer sunshine. The warm air was carrying the first mellow tinge of autumn, swaying a few leaves on the tree, and caressing Carl in a loving, tender, natural embrace.
As Carl relaxed in the sun, he was thinking about what the finest attire could be that would attract a woman. He had always felt nervous around women. Every time Carl had met someone with whom he felt he could build a relationship, he had never felt the confidence, nor the readiness to proceed.
As Carl was focussing on the current trend, trying to think of the optimum suit that would please a woman, he heard someone sit down at the other side of the tree and he jumped to his feet with a start.
“No need to be scared,” a voice replied with a chuckle. It was a female's voice; a young woman, about Carl's age.
Carl turned to the other side of the tree, and found an attractive girl sitting just as he had been, gazing up into the leaves of the tree.
Carl didn't know how to respond. “Hi there,” he smiled sort of timidly. “Beautiful day isn't it? Not going to be many more like them. Might as well enjoy the last bit of summer while you can.”
“Oh, don't be so negative. It's still August,” the girl commented. “We've got a good few weeks of warm weather ahead of us. Besides, summer always comes around every year. It's not like it's the last summer on the face of the Earth.”
“I know,” Carl chuckled, “but summer always takes forever to come around again. What brings you out?”
“It was just such a mellow, warm day, I had to catch the sun's rays,” she paused, “under this gorgeous Beech Tree.”
“That's just how I feel,” Carl replied. “Do you consider yourself into fashion?”
“No!” Carl thought. “There I go again; asking another personal question to someone I don't even know.”
However, much to Carl's relief, the girl answered with a sincere smile. “Well, I don't give a whole lot of thought about fashion, but I do enjoy the classy dress now and again.”
“I'm not really a fashion guy,” Carl grinned sheepishly. “I was just hoping to know what the current trend was. Just my curiosity I suppose.”
“Well, I wouldn't dwell too much on it,” the girl chuckled. “Name's Megan, by the way. Megan Willow. How do you like that?”
“I'm Carl ... Carl Parker,” Carl replied.
Carl Parker had always thought his name, particularly his first and last name together, sounded rather odd. Therefore, he rarely introduced himself to anyone as “Carl Parker” and had taken to introducing himself as simply “Carl,” but this girl seemed so happy and kind that Carl saw it fit to introduce himself by both his first and last name.
“I like that,” Megan smiled, “Carl Parker,” she whispered to herself.
Carl was pleased at how sincere Megan's tone was. He turned to Megan and asked, “Hey, can we go grab dinner at Nico the Greek?”
“I would love that,” Megan nodded.
***
From then on, a whirlwind romance developed. That one simple date turned into more conversation, which turned into more dates, which turned into the two seeing each other almost all the time, which turned into marriage, on August 31, exactly one year after they had met under the tree.
On their second wedding anniversary, Carl and Megan were enjoying a sumptuous meal at that same Greek restaurant where they'd eaten that first dinner on the day they'd met. Carl was eating chicken souvlaki with rice, and Megan was enjoying moussaka.
Not only were they enjoying their favourite dinner on their second wedding anniversary, they were also expecting their first child. Megan was due to give birth in four-and-a-half months.
“What will her name be?” Megan smiled to her husband.
“What makes you think it will be a girl?” Carl chuckled. “It's got just as good a chance to be a boy.”
“Oh I don't know. I'm the mother and I can feel it. So, what should we name her?”
“How about Anne, or Susan, or Judith?” Carl suggested.
“Oh no!” Megan cried. “Nothing like that. A girl should have a name that carries dignity, that sounds sweet, that feels pleasant and soft on the tongue.”
Megan paused in thought for a few moments before she spoke again.
“I have always adored the name 'Elizabeth' but it's not used so much nowadays. Seems a terrible shame.”
“Then why don't we name her 'Elizabeth?'” Carl asked, but his wife wasn't really listening anymore. She was off in her own world savouring this sweet name she had in her head.
“And you know what else?” she continued. “There are so many fascinating ways to abbreviate Elizabeth; I suspect more than any other name in the world: there's Liz, Lizzy, Eliza, Tess, Tessa, Beth, Bess, Bessie, Betty and,” she paused again
“Betsy, such a cool combination of those last two.”
“So you want to name our daughter Betsy?” Carl asked dumbfounded. He didn't think 'Betsy' sounded any more dignified, sweet or princessly than any of the names he had suggested. “That is if our baby is even a daughter at all.”
“Sure I do. Betsy Parker. That sounds grand, doesn't it?”
“I suppose it does,” Carl smiled. He was surprised that his wife had settled on a name so quickly, one he thought he'd have never considered even if he'd had a lifetime to think about it, but he decided that 'Betsy Parker' had a fine ring to it all the same. “Very well. We will name our baby Betsy then.”
Then, Carl paused in thought, “And what if it happens to be a boy?”
Megan looked pensive for a moment, and made a sigh as though she had been beaten at her own game. Then, her expression turned into a joyous, laughing smile once again.
“I thought up a good girl's name; I will leave you to think up a good boy's name,” Megan beamed at her husband.
“I will do that,” Carl smiled, as they polished off their dinners.
It was August 31. Carl Parker was sitting under a big Beech Tree, in Lilly Park, in a town called Meriton, soaking up the late-summer sunshine. The warm air was carrying the first mellow tinge of autumn, swaying a few leaves on the tree, and caressing Carl in a loving, tender, natural embrace.
As Carl relaxed in the sun, he was thinking about what the finest attire could be that would attract a woman. He had always felt nervous around women. Every time Carl had met someone with whom he felt he could build a relationship, he had never felt the confidence, nor the readiness to proceed.
As Carl was focussing on the current trend, trying to think of the optimum suit that would please a woman, he heard someone sit down at the other side of the tree and he jumped to his feet with a start.
“No need to be scared,” a voice replied with a chuckle. It was a female's voice; a young woman, about Carl's age.
Carl turned to the other side of the tree, and found an attractive girl sitting just as he had been, gazing up into the leaves of the tree.
Carl didn't know how to respond. “Hi there,” he smiled sort of timidly. “Beautiful day isn't it? Not going to be many more like them. Might as well enjoy the last bit of summer while you can.”
“Oh, don't be so negative. It's still August,” the girl commented. “We've got a good few weeks of warm weather ahead of us. Besides, summer always comes around every year. It's not like it's the last summer on the face of the Earth.”
“I know,” Carl chuckled, “but summer always takes forever to come around again. What brings you out?”
“It was just such a mellow, warm day, I had to catch the sun's rays,” she paused, “under this gorgeous Beech Tree.”
“That's just how I feel,” Carl replied. “Do you consider yourself into fashion?”
“No!” Carl thought. “There I go again; asking another personal question to someone I don't even know.”
However, much to Carl's relief, the girl answered with a sincere smile. “Well, I don't give a whole lot of thought about fashion, but I do enjoy the classy dress now and again.”
“I'm not really a fashion guy,” Carl grinned sheepishly. “I was just hoping to know what the current trend was. Just my curiosity I suppose.”
“Well, I wouldn't dwell too much on it,” the girl chuckled. “Name's Megan, by the way. Megan Willow. How do you like that?”
“I'm Carl ... Carl Parker,” Carl replied.
Carl Parker had always thought his name, particularly his first and last name together, sounded rather odd. Therefore, he rarely introduced himself to anyone as “Carl Parker” and had taken to introducing himself as simply “Carl,” but this girl seemed so happy and kind that Carl saw it fit to introduce himself by both his first and last name.
“I like that,” Megan smiled, “Carl Parker,” she whispered to herself.
Carl was pleased at how sincere Megan's tone was. He turned to Megan and asked, “Hey, can we go grab dinner at Nico the Greek?”
“I would love that,” Megan nodded.
***
From then on, a whirlwind romance developed. That one simple date turned into more conversation, which turned into more dates, which turned into the two seeing each other almost all the time, which turned into marriage, on August 31, exactly one year after they had met under the tree.
On their second wedding anniversary, Carl and Megan were enjoying a sumptuous meal at that same Greek restaurant where they'd eaten that first dinner on the day they'd met. Carl was eating chicken souvlaki with rice, and Megan was enjoying moussaka.
Not only were they enjoying their favourite dinner on their second wedding anniversary, they were also expecting their first child. Megan was due to give birth in four-and-a-half months.
“What will her name be?” Megan smiled to her husband.
“What makes you think it will be a girl?” Carl chuckled. “It's got just as good a chance to be a boy.”
“Oh I don't know. I'm the mother and I can feel it. So, what should we name her?”
“How about Anne, or Susan, or Judith?” Carl suggested.
“Oh no!” Megan cried. “Nothing like that. A girl should have a name that carries dignity, that sounds sweet, that feels pleasant and soft on the tongue.”
Megan paused in thought for a few moments before she spoke again.
“I have always adored the name 'Elizabeth' but it's not used so much nowadays. Seems a terrible shame.”
“Then why don't we name her 'Elizabeth?'” Carl asked, but his wife wasn't really listening anymore. She was off in her own world savouring this sweet name she had in her head.
“And you know what else?” she continued. “There are so many fascinating ways to abbreviate Elizabeth; I suspect more than any other name in the world: there's Liz, Lizzy, Eliza, Tess, Tessa, Beth, Bess, Bessie, Betty and,” she paused again
“Betsy, such a cool combination of those last two.”
“So you want to name our daughter Betsy?” Carl asked dumbfounded. He didn't think 'Betsy' sounded any more dignified, sweet or princessly than any of the names he had suggested. “That is if our baby is even a daughter at all.”
“Sure I do. Betsy Parker. That sounds grand, doesn't it?”
“I suppose it does,” Carl smiled. He was surprised that his wife had settled on a name so quickly, one he thought he'd have never considered even if he'd had a lifetime to think about it, but he decided that 'Betsy Parker' had a fine ring to it all the same. “Very well. We will name our baby Betsy then.”
Then, Carl paused in thought, “And what if it happens to be a boy?”
Megan looked pensive for a moment, and made a sigh as though she had been beaten at her own game. Then, her expression turned into a joyous, laughing smile once again.
“I thought up a good girl's name; I will leave you to think up a good boy's name,” Megan beamed at her husband.
“I will do that,” Carl smiled, as they polished off their dinners.
December 14, 2015
Novel honouring creation of unclothed human form
On my goodreads author page, I have the novel that I wrote in the summer of 2014, "The Sheltered Life of Betsy Parker." The book chronicles the life of a girl named Betsy Parker who is forced to life a clothes-free life due to a unique allergic skin condition and how she must cope with living this way. You can find Betsy Parker as a paperback for $15 American on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Sheltered-Life-...
