Wow.. Boy Scout finds out big secret (April Fools 2009)
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:23 pm
Hey all im new here. I havent read the guys books. but I know Ike he has scouting with me and told me about it. Is it this the forum he was saying about in the interview he did with the paper?
link www.abqjournal.com/archives/default.htmScout May Be Sued over Eagle Project
Author’s agent denies his client has Hansen’s
Keywords: leprosy; Hansen's Disease; Donaldson, Stephen; Scout
Albuquerque, NM. A scout working on his final Eagle project may now be facing a court battle with a local bestselling author over slander, trespassing, and invasion of privacy.
Ike Western, a High School senior and Star Scout working on attaining his Eagle rank chose to do his project in Journalism, rather than traditional project like building a bridge or raising funds. His intention was to land an interview with local bestselling author Stephen R. Donaldson. Western, who works as a delivery person, met Donaldson over an undelivered package.
“After school, I work delivering things on my bike for the A&P here in town, and the store pharmacy asked if I’d make a delivery for them. Apparently his [Donaldson’s] quarterly shipment was delivered to the pharmacy instead of his residence, and they were worried he’d just walk into town to pick it up himself like last time, so they asked me to deliver it. The Pharmacist then gave me a ten over my usual fee, and warned me against accepting a tip from Mr. Donaldson for the service. I didn’t think anything about it at the time. “ Ike later found out that this wasn’t the first time the shipment had been ‘mistakenly’ left at the pharmacy. The Pharmacist and staff on duty that day declined to comment.
Western then met Donaldson while delivering the prescriptions to his home and found out he was an author. After taking a few days to do some quick research and outline an article, Ike returned to the Donaldson residence and asked for an interview. Donaldson immediately refused, demanded that his privacy be respected, and walked back into the house. “I was dumbfounded. I mean, he seemed like such a nice guy, a little weird sure, but OK, you know.” Western commented. “But I had already put so much work into this, structuring the interview, deciding on the right questions to ask, researching his background. I was running out of time. The next Court of Honor is in April, and I have to be done by then if I want to get Eagle [rank].” So, with typical scout resolve, Ike improvised by directing his research on the author in another direction.
“I had done a lot research on him before. I mean, I spent like two hours at the library that day. I even bought his book, but it was unreadable. I guess [Donaldson] is a relatively unknown author. I did find an online forum where I tried to get some advice on approaching him, but they are just a bunch of wackos, apparently; I couldn’t get a coherent answer out of anybody there. So I started thinking about the drugs. The ones he gets quarterly are rifampicin and dapsone, so I started looking into that. At first I thought he had tuberculosis or something, but on wiki [ a reference to Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia – Ed.] I found an article where together they are used to treat something called Hansen’s Disease, which I had never heard of either. I was getting mad and desperate and thinking of doing another project, so I threw away the stupid book of his – the store wouldn’t take it back. It landed in top of the trash and I saw the word ‘leprosy’ on the back cover, and something clicked in my head. So I quickly snatched it up again. “ After attempting again to read what Western describes as “a page or two of the most god-awfully depressing book imaginable” he had his connection. The main character of the book, Thomas Covenant, had Hansen’s Disease, more popularly known as Leprosy.
“That was my ‘eureka’ moment. Covenant had leprosy. Donaldson had leprosy. I knew I had a story then.” Western related. “I mean, they were both authors, both reclusive. It just clicked. Donaldson was Covenant. He wrote the book about himself and his frustrations over the disease. Who could have missed that connection? Anyway, I was ready for another try right then. I realized I didn’t even need to read the book to do the interview; all anyone needs to know about it is on the back cover anyway, and I had already seen all three Lord Of The Rings, so what’s the point? No way was this guy not going to give me an interview now. “
Donaldson is best known for The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, a fantasy series about a best-selling author who contracts leprosy, becomes a social outcast, and travels to a mysterious land where he is hailed as a hero because of his white gold ring. Leprosy is also known as Hansen's disease, named after G.A. Hansen who in 1878 identified the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae that caused the disease.
While Donaldson’s literary agent officially denies the allegation that his client is infected, the claim is plausible, said a physician at the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta who asked to remain unidentified. "Most sufferers contract the disease when exposed as a child. Donaldson, whose parents were both missionaries, spent much of his childhood in India where leprosy is still common."
According to Answers.com, The World Health Organization (WHO) puts the number of identified leprosy cases in the world, at the beginning of 1997, at about 890,000. Seventy percent of all cases are found in just three countries: India, Indonesia, and Myanamar (Burma). The infection can be acquired, however, in the Western Hemisphere as well. Cases also occur in some areas of the Caribbean and even in southern Texas and Louisiana.
Western returned confidently to the author’s residence, this time with the book and the receipt for his last shipment showing what drugs had been delivered. His new confidence was soon turned to despair.
“He saw me coming up the walk, met me on the porch when he saw [the book and the papers]. He snatched them from my hands, looking first to the book, then to the receipts. He -- “ Ike stopped for a moment, clearly disturbed by the incident -- “ he went all Kung Fu on me!” Ike recalled, chopping his hands and kicking the air for emphasis. “He was coming at me, and I was backing up. He kept coming. He just kept coming.” Ike shakes his head. “I was thinking, this guy is crazy. He was yelling things like Bloody Damnation and HellFire! at me. Maybe he’s British or something. I mean, who says stuff like that? I never even heard of half the words he uses anyway. Then he reached down on the porch and picked up a rock he had spray painted bright green and held it over his head. He was raving mad, almost frothing at the mouth. That’s when I just got the hell out of there. “
The Star Scout’s troubles with Donaldson weren’t over yet, though. The next day, he was called to his School Principal’s office, where a Deputy served him a Restraining Order to stay away from the Donaldson residence, as well as a Cease and Desist order, effectively demanding Western forego his article on Donaldson’s alleged condition as his Eagle Project. “I had no intentions of going back, anyway. “ Ike despaired. “I will find something else to do, or just give it up. I’m not going near that guy’s house ever again. But I do want the world to know where the inspiration for Thomas Covenant came from. Thats why I'm telling you.“ To make matters worse, the Principal had a few strong words for Ike’s behavior, relating that Donaldson was “a member of the community, and to be respected, if from a safe distance.”
This reporter is also a fan, and related that fact to Ike as the interview concluded, showing him my bookcase. “Oh my God.” Ike exclaimed. “You mean he’s written Eight Books about that guy? Who reads that crap, anyway?”
