Whose on First?😉 And other ‘stereotypies’

Written in response to: Write a story about someone who is cursed to always say the opposite of what they mean.... view prompt

0 comments

Christian Inspirational Kids

Who is on first?

Who is first?

Who goes first?

Who was first?

Whose on first?

Whose is first?

Whose goes first?

Whose on first?

The first shall be last and the last shall be first?

Who is on last?

Who’s on first?

Who’s was first?

Who’s goes first?

Who’s is last?

Who is last?

Who goes last?

The last shall be first and the first shall be last?


I have a headache.🤕

I forgot where I was.

Where I left my head.



Who, Who’s. Whose. Whom. Whomever?

How now brown cow. Rolling in the green, greens grass.

In the manure, just for a break.


Fidget. Widget. Slimming. Or. Stimming. Swimming. Skimming and other fun times.


Where to begin.

Where to end.

Let’s begin in the proverbial middle. May be then we will actually get somewhere, accomplish something. Anything.


Stevie the stereotypie awoke one day to find life had changed and the routine, the grind, the 9-5 was gone. Panicking, Stevie stereotypie began to rock back and forth to call on the nerves to calm. Maybe remember that which he used to want to forget, but now, was not so sure, he wanted to forget, even though remembering was a harsh reminder of the forgetting and was worse than running the wrong way on the football field in front of his peers that left a mark he could not shake and implanted in his brain a memory of embarrassment he would never


want to think about again. Because it would never go away anyway, so why did he have to try and remember to forget it, even if he wanted to forget to remember it.


Jeez. I gotta sit down.


And then if on cue, Stevie stereotypie began a pattern of stimming to figure it out:

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Standup.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

The dialogue in Stevie steretypie’s head continued.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

The dialogue in Stevie stereotypie’s head told him to

Stop.

So he did.

However, he was so detached from his thoughts he did not know what to do next.

So he rocked some more.


Flapped his hands briskly to and fro as if to “will” his brain to either make it stop or make it go faster. Weirdly. He heard not a sound from around him.


He needed to be heard, needed to express frustration at not being heard, needed some kind of reinforcement.


But did not know how to ask.

For help.


Punding for funding?

Funding for Punding?


Punding is a compulsion. A compulsion to perform repetitive mechanical tasks, such as sorting, collecting, or assembling and disassembling common items.(wk)


Punding is found in some drug users, some users of medicine with Parkinsonian tendencies.


Tweaking, not to be confused with twerking which may also looks a bit “strange”, distorted, or un natural, dis jointed, compulsive even—is a slang term for compulsive or repetitive behavior.


Stevie stereotypie was a human with stereotypie needs. There are certain birds and carnivores who also have these needs. In animals, examples of stereotyped behaviors include pacing, rocking, swimming in circles, excessive sleeping, self-mutilation, and mouthing cage bars. Stereotypes are oftentimes found in stable horses as a result of being confined.(wk)


Once the behavior is established, it is sometimes impossible to eliminate due to alterations in the brain. (wk)


Like tics, stereotypies are patterned and periodic, and are aggravated by stress, fatigue and anxiety. (wk). Can be benign. Can be lifelong. Can be used as weapons against one another for personal gain.


What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.


Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.


The dialogue in Stevie stereotypie’s head continued. And then a kid, another kid walked up to Stevie and asked,


”What are you doing?”, Looks like “fun”. “Can I play?”

To which Stevie stereotypie dead pan stared back at him and replied without a word:

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.

Stand up.

Sit down.


The other kid joined in, but quickly, the other kid grew tired and weary. Did not find the activity “fun” anymore, so he bid farewell to Stevie stereotypie, who did not even acknowledge his existence in the first place. The kid shrugged his shoulders and walked away.


Walked away.

How sad.

Some may even say “normal” behavior.

But sad. Still.


The power to understand is the power to be understood. Power in the hands of a weak leader leads to only wretched-ness. To be understood is to understand.











February 02, 2023 21:16

You must sign up or log in to submit a comment.

0 comments

RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

Bring your short stories to life

Fuse character, story, and conflict with tools in Reedsy Studio. 100% free.