Story: "Little and Broken, but Still Good" Part 16

[ysabetwordsmith]

This story belongs to the series Love Is For Children which includes "Love Is for Children," "Hairpins," "Blended," "Am I Not," "Eggshells," "Dolls and Guys,""Saudades," "Querencia," "Turnabout Is Fair Play," "Touching Moments," "Splash," "Coming Around," "Birthday Girl," "No Winter Lasts Forever," "Hide and Seek," "Kernel Error," "Happy Hour," "Green Eggs and Hulk," and "kintsukuroi."

Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Phil Coulson, Nick Fury
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: Minor character death. Bullying. Fighting. Suicide attempt (minor character).
Summary: This is the story of how a little boy named Flip grows up to save the world a lot.
Notes: Hurt/comfort. Family. Fluff and angst. Accidents. Emotional whump. Disability. Sibling relationship. Nonsexual love. Parentification. Manipulation. Coping skills. Asking for help and getting it. Hope. Protection. Caregiving. Competence. Toys and games. Comic books. Fixing things. Martial arts. Gentleness. Trust. Role models. Military. BAMF Phil Coulson.

Begin with Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15. Skip to Part 18, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21.


"Little and Broken, but Still Good" Part 16


For his tenth birthday, Flip asks for a human anatomy puzzle and a filing cabinet. The human puzzle will be fun to play with, but also useful for learning about bodies. Flip is studying anatomy in science class at school, and vulnerable points in karate. He likes the way that ideas from different lessons can fit together. The filing cabinet will be ideal for saving finished paperwork and extra blanks. He's building up such a big collection that he's running out of room for binders in his bookcase. This way, Flip can keep his just current favorites in a binder.

Mom laughs and says that a filing cabinet isn't a real present, and he should pick something else. She takes him to buy a filing cabinet anyway, though, at a thrift store. Flip finds the perfect one tucked into a dusty corner of the office section between two dilapidated desks. His filing cabinet is tall and black, marred by scratches that gleam silver against the obsidian surface. Every drawer locks with its own unique key, all fastened together on a metal ring.

"That's the one you want?" Mom asks, although Flip hasn't said anything out loud.

"That's the one," Flip says, and she gets it for him. Flip loves it instantly.

While they're at the store, Flip also spots a bicycle. It is a girl's bike and loud pink, with blue handles and a white seat. It needs a bit of work, but it's only ten bucks.

"Is a bike an okay birthday present?" Flip asks.

"It sure is," Mom says.

He gets the bike too.

He gets a broken arm falling off the bike a week later, but it's so worth it.

Alexa's present comes a little late, because she has found -- somehow -- six issues of classic Captain America & the Howling Commandos comics. Flip spends hours reading and rereading the comics, even though the pages are awkward to handle with one arm in a cast. Finally Alexa takes pity on him and holds the comics for him to read so that all he has to do is say, "Page, please," and she turns it for him.

Flip falls in love all over again when he discovers the team of misfits who save the day. Each of them has a different knack, and he can see how they work together. Dum Dum Dugan handles explosives. Jim Morita is silent and serious, adept at karate. James Montgomery Falsworth is something of a clown, but also a highly trained fighter. The jazz trumpeter Gabriel Jones speaks both German and French, which helps him connect with the Frenchman Jacques Dernier, who is adept in subterfuge and forgery. Flip likes the fact that some of the Commandos have subtler skills than just shooting the bad guys.

Then there is Bucky, Captain America's best friend. Flip knows that Cap needs somebody to watch his back, because he's always so busy watching everyone else's that he gets shot a lot. Unlike the other boys, Flip has never wanted to be Captain America. He knows that he's not a hero. Now he traces his finger over the shadowy figure of Bucky standing guard while Cap sleeps. Flip thinks, not for the first time, that it would be a grand adventure to be the guy who looks after the hero. Somebody has to do it.

* * *

Notes:

See the anatomy puzzle, filing cabinet, and pink bike that Flip gets for his birthday.

The Howling Commandos have appeared in many versions. I'm using the one from Captain America: The First Avenger. They're led by Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. Dum Dum Dugan is the explosives expert. Jim Morita knows karate. Montgomery Falsworth provides some comic relief. Gabriel Jones speaks foreign languages. Jacques Dernier handles subterfuge.

Leadership means taking care of your people. That way, when you need it, they'll take care of you. There are tips on how to be a good and caring leader. Know how to take care of other people and yourself.

Most heroes don't think of themselves as heroes. It's one of those titles, like shaman or master, that's meant to be bestowed by other people.  So don't argue. Just say thanks if you appreciate their work.


[To be continued in Part 17 ...]

Comments

Re: From: The Tadpole

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Thank you. I have noticed that there's a lot of emphasis on leadership in just about every aspect of life. <<

Yes, there is. It has its uses, but ah ... who are all these leaders supposed to LEAD if nobody's taught how to be a good follower? It sucks if there are 20 people and none of them have any followship skills. They fight. The job doesn't get done, or not done very well.

>> While I can lead and even enjoy it in some settings, I enjoy making myself useful to whoever is leading more. <<

I enjoy leading. Following is tiffy for me, because I can only follow someone I respect who is competent at their job. But for the right person, I make a terrific second-banana. For a lot of things, my skills are best suited to doing work rather than running a whole organization -- there are different levels of leadership skills.

>> It's not a skill I've seen emphasized as something that should be learned. <<

Here, I wrote an article on this topic:
http://www.ic.org/balancing-powers/

Re: From: The Tadpole

[tadpoleacorn]

I have no idea how people expect it to work if no one follows. I just don't know. Wrestling for dominance has its place, but it's not actually always that productive.

I'm... kind of picky about who I'll follow as well, though I can follow most people. I draw a line in places where I really don't think they understand what they're doing, but that gets smoothed out if they're willing to explain when I ask or at least assure me that they do have a plan. People that I trust to lead and who have proven themselves get my best though. Those are the people I'll try to anticipate the needs of and take over little details they're too busy for before the problem even comes up.

Thank you for pointing me towards the article! I will keep the tab open and read it in the morning. If I try to read it right now, I won't be able to communicate about it properly.

Re: From: The Tadpole

[heatherbelles.livejournal.com]

I like to think I'm much more of a follower. If I have to cover for the one in charge, that's one thing, or take the lead in something smaller that builds toward the bigger picture that's another but I don't like permanently being out in front.

I'm not nearly as organised as Phil/Flip but I do like the idea of being the support for the heros!

Re: From: The Tadpole

[tadpoleacorn]

Being permanently in front is a exhausting to me. I tend not to enjoy it much. I'm fine with being first mate the entire time, but being captain is usually more than I'm up to giving. I am getting better at it though.

How organized I am is complicated. Most of my own belongings seem scattered and messy though it is easy for me to find what I need. When I'm organizing for a cause, I'm... a little obsessive about it. I need my notes to be complete even if it means going back and filling them in later. I need everything to be in an order that is intuitive. Everything should be labelled. My high school Biology teacher talked about the "bus test" where if you were hit by a bus, someone needs to be able to pick up your notebook and know exactly how everything happened. I tend to follow that rule when I'm organizing for a community or cause.

Oh! I read your article this morning. By the definitions given there, I definitely display a trend towards followship. I'm not sure if I'm a particularly good follower, but it is what I like and how I prefer to act.

Re: From: The Tadpole

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Being permanently in front is a exhausting to me. I tend not to enjoy it much. I'm fine with being first mate the entire time, but being captain is usually more than I'm up to giving. I am getting better at it though. <<

It's good that you know yourself, your abilities, and your preferences. Do what works for you. There is usually a glut of leaders and a dearth of followers.

>> My high school Biology teacher talked about the "bus test" where if you were hit by a bus, someone needs to be able to pick up your notebook and know exactly how everything happened. I tend to follow that rule when I'm organizing for a community or cause. <<

That is an awesome rule and I wish more people would follow it.

>> Oh! I read your article this morning. <<

Thank you!

>> By the definitions given there, I definitely display a trend towards followship. I'm not sure if I'm a particularly good follower, but it is what I like and how I prefer to act. <<

From your descriptions, it sounds like you're a good follower. Really. I could wish for half that skill.

Re: From: The Tadpole

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I like to think I'm much more of a follower. If I have to cover for the one in charge, that's one thing, or take the lead in something smaller that builds toward the bigger picture that's another but I don't like permanently being out in front. <<

That's fine. It's a really valuable role.

>> I'm not nearly as organised as Phil/Flip but I do like the idea of being the support for the heros! <<

The world needs more people like you. I'd be thrilled to have that kind of help. I think most organizations or leaders would. You should have no trouble finding opportunities, and anyone who tries to shove you out front should be abandoned in favor of someone who will appreciate what a treasure they've been offered.

Re: From: The Tadpole

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I have no idea how people expect it to work if no one follows. I just don't know. Wrestling for dominance has its place, but it's not actually always that productive. <<

Exactly. I've seen this problem a lot. Okay, part of it is because I won't follow just anyone, but a lot of people seem to be either unwilling to follow anyone ever or just don't know how. So there's almost always an argument, and it just wastes time. People need to have followship skills as much as leadership skills.

>> I'm... kind of picky about who I'll follow as well, though I can follow most people. I draw a line in places where I really don't think they understand what they're doing, but that gets smoothed out if they're willing to explain when I ask or at least assure me that they do have a plan. <<

That's sensible. Another toxic trend is pretending that followship should be blind. Quite the opposite, a good follower is alert and responsive.

>> People that I trust to lead and who have proven themselves get my best though. Those are the people I'll try to anticipate the needs of and take over little details they're too busy for before the problem even comes up. <<

See now, that's the kind of thing that makes me say you're a good follower. It's exactly what a leader needs. Ideally, the leader should be a big-picture person and the follower should be a details person. A big-picture person usually won't remember to make sure the copy machine has paper in it and all the apppointments have been written in the community calendar. That's what the detail person is for. And most detail people aren't happy being asked to design vision statements or make large-scale plans. The world needs both kinds.

Re: From: The Tadpole

[tadpoleacorn]

>> A big-picture person usually won't remember to make sure the copy machine has paper in it and all the apppointments have been written in the community calendar. That's what the detail person is for. And most detail people aren't happy being asked to design vision statements or make large-scale plans. The world needs both kinds.<<

You know, this helps explain why I have some of the problems that I do. I'm all about details and sometimes that screws with my ability to lead properly. Thank you for explaining this!

Re: From: The Tadpole

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> You know, this helps explain why I have some of the problems that I do. I'm all about details and sometimes that screws with my ability to lead properly. Thank you for explaining this! <<

You're welcome! In general ...

Leadership skills:
* Deciding WHAT things to do
* Long-range planning & vision
* Large-scale projects and whole institution
* Sees the forest
* Imagination
* Coaching people to develop their skills
* Anticipating and avoiding possible problems
* Keeping things on track.

Followship skills:
* Deciding HOW to do things
* Short-range planning & implementation
* Small-scale projects or department
* Sees the trees
* Organization
* Supporting people in what they do
* Anticipating and meeting others' needs
* Keeping track of things

Most people have a mix of leadership and followship skills. Most also have a preference for one or the other role. That's okay.

Then there is a lovely idea I got from my friend Bard Bloom, called situational authority. It means the best cook runs the kitchen, while the best gardener runs the garden, and so forth. Each person leads in their own area(s) of expertise, and follows someone else with better skill in other areas. Because everyone is good at some things and not at others, this is why it's ideal for people to have familiarity both with leading and with following.

Re: From: The Tadpole

[peoriapeoriawhereart]

While I don't have any footnotes for this, and thus it may verge toward being suspect, there are intimations that this was the procedure in certain First Nations, that your chief for a specific task was someone that knew it well- and sometimes it resulted in Europeans conducting negotiations with utterly Not This Office persons.

Re: From: The Tadpole

[ysabetwordsmith]

It is historically recorded that some tribes had multiple leaders. One common division was having a War Chief and a Peace Chief. Another was having a Chief and a Lead Hunter. Many tribes had a woman, usually a grandmother, who led the domestic matters. Most had a medicine person in charge of spiritual affairs such as the timing and organization of ceremonies. Then there were often other subgroups such as lodges or hunting societies or mystery groups who each had their own leader for internal activities.

Because humility is a virtue traditionally lauded in most tribes, people usually knew followship skills. Leaders were not imposed from outside but rather were the people that others naturally turned to for advice.

If you look around today, you can still see echoes of this in Pow Wow organization. There is usually a Head Man Dancer and a Head Lady Dancer. Then there is the Drum, which is a group of people drumming, and a major part of the organizational structure because they will be signalling a lot of what happens, not just providing background music. Finally there will be one or more people in charge of the event, who may be called the Announcer or Master of Ceremonies or whatever.

Re: From: The Tadpole

[tadpoleacorn]

I think situational authority actually fits how I tend to think of things? If someone knows about something better than I do, they should lead because they'll understand interconnecting parts better. If I understand about it better than they do, I should lead because I'll know. This actually feels like it makes the most sense socially.

Re: From: The Tadpole

[ysabetwordsmith]

Yes, exactly. I do a lot of that.

In Bard Bloom's World Tree setting, it's a Cani concept called "affan." They have contests to establish affan, which are called "choofs." There is an entertaining outsider's description of a sample here:
http://sythyry.dreamwidth.org/177882.html

Ever since I encountered the more detailed description in the gaming manual, I've been in love with the terms. I can lay out the description once, have a name for things, and people will know what I mean.

Re: From: The Tadpole

[tadpoleacorn]

I have never heard of this before and find it very interesting! It seems like it would also lead to pleasant interactions, depending on how choofs are done.

Thank you for sharing this concept with me! It took a little Google-ing to determine what was actually going on here, but it was well worth the effort!

Re: From: The Tadpole

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I have never heard of this before and find it very interesting! It seems like it would also lead to pleasant interactions, depending on how choofs are done. <<

Choofing is a major part of Cani life. Cani puppies choof early, deciding affan in matters such as funny noises (this was the topic of another Sythyry post) or games. Adult Cani choof over domestic, professional, or political matters and there are timeframes for it. For instance, the affan-cook may be choofed once a month, something that everyone enjoys because FOOD! Political leaders may be choofed once a year, usually, or sometimes several years. Choofs tend to be public in varying degrees, so family matters are attended by the family, and a business choof might be enjoyed by a whole town.

For a human example, the Celts used to have an official poet for each town, and contests to see who would hold the "chair." These contests were enormously popular and drew large crowds as the poets would compete to see who could make the best verse.

When you get to reading my stuff, watch for hilarious culture!fail moments in "Over the Old Bridge" as people argue over what leadership and authority mean, and how they are to be gotten, and who should be consulted on which matters.

>> Thank you for sharing this concept with me! It took a little Google-ing to determine what was actually going on here, but it was well worth the effort! <<

You're welcome! I'm glad I could help. If you like my writing, you'd probably enjoy Bard's too.

Re: From: The Tadpole

[ysabetwordsmith]

Something else I forgot to mention: I write both leaders and followers.

If you're into original work as well as fanfic, I recommend that you check out my superhero series Polychrome Heroics. Stalwart Stan and Antimatter are one pair where you can see a leader and a follower starting out in a lousy dynamic in "Look at Me" but getting better over time. Later in their thread you'll also get to meet Fiddlesticks and his sidekick Hefty. There are also a couple of superhero dispatchers -- see Groundhog in "Wherever We Find Them" and Cheersquad in "Over the Old Bridge" (which also has Junket, a teleporting chauffeur).

If you're into science fiction, I have two projects that feature large fluent teamfamilies: Schrodinger's Heroes (led by Alex) and The Blueshift Troupers (led by Lane). Both use situational authority a lot, so you'll see different characters leading or following depending on the challenge at hand.

Re: From: The Tadpole

[tadpoleacorn]

Thanks! I'm always looking for recommendations on what to read. I primarily read fanfiction because I'm most comfortable with long-term characters that I can bond to, which pushes me towards stories about characters I've already read about or longer series. I'll look into these though! ^_^

Re: From: The Tadpole

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Thanks! I'm always looking for recommendations on what to read. <<

Yay!

>> I primarily read fanfiction because I'm most comfortable with long-term characters that I can bond to, which pushes me towards stories about characters I've already read about or longer series. I'll look into these though! ^_^ <<

Oh, you are going to have so much fun if you find one of my series that you like. First, I lean heavy on character development; most of my popular series are character-driven. Second, the audience chooses what gets built up the most based on whatever they request. Some of the series are BIG and have been running for several years. Others are smaller.

This is my Serial Poetry landing page. You can find descriptions of all the poetic series there.

I already pointed you to Schrodinger's Heroes which has fiction, poetry, and various other stuff.

The really fun thing is that you can watch for any of my prompt calls -- I usually do the Poetry Fishbowl on the first Tuesday of the month, Crowdfunding Creative Jam on the third weekend, and sometimes the Torn World Muse Fusion if or when that happens. Request more of your favorite character or series. Ask me what happened after this or before that. All the stuff you wonder about in a regular canon that gets answered in fanfic -- we can do that right in canon with crowdfunding.

Just make sure you've got time to spare before you dig in. People have lost whole weekends this way, and describe it as flypaper for eyeballs.

Re: From: The Tadpole

[tadpoleacorn]

xD I am not very worried about time. I currently have a lot of free time and an eagerness to see examine things.

This sounds really exciting! Thank you, I really will look into these!

Re: From: The Tadpole

[ysabetwordsmith]

There is no greater joy than to have a ton of free time and discover a giant pile of new stuff to read. And it's free; all the stuff that's published on my blogs or websites can be read by everyone. If you hit gaps, you'll see prices on the parts that have been written but not yet sponsored.

Re: From: The Tadpole

[tadpoleacorn]

How does the sponsoring thing work out? I'm not really in an economic position to do it, but I'm curious about your system?

Re: From: The Tadpole

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> How does the sponsoring thing work out? <<

You can sponsor a specific item that has been created and priced. Standard prices are $5, $10, $15, $20 for poems depending on length and the epics are $.50/line. Sponsoring a poem reveals it to the public and you also get nonexclusive reprint rights in case you want to put it in your own blog or somewhere. Payment via PayPal, check, or other methods can be arranged depending on donor preference; the standard button is for PayPal, which is in my LJ profile and appears on Poetry Fishbowl posts.

You can also put in any amount greater than $1 for the general fund, or into an open epic. Plenty of people on short funds have bought just a verse or two.

I've had some people commission stuff too. Prices are higher if it's really specific. I've composed wedding poems several times, for example.

>> I'm not really in an economic position to do it, but I'm curious about your system? <<

More details on the Poetry Fishbowl may be found on its landing page.

If you like my work, there are many non-cash support methods. Actually the perk poem from the July fishbowl still has four verses left, which can be revealed by people linking to the unsold poetry list or to any poem they like from the July session. Click the poem tag and you can see the recently posted poems.

Have more questions? Just ask.

Re: From: The Tadpole

[tadpoleacorn]

Oh, wow! That's super-cool! Thank you for explaining that and the helpful links!

Re: From: The Tadpole

[ysabetwordsmith]

I'm glad I could help. Crowdfunding is really fun. I enjoy the audience interaction and I like talking about it.

There are lots of different styles. If you look on crowdfunding you will see many projects that have different parameters.