One day Dr. John Hinchman Stokes asked Madam Gingerbell (this was during a time when M.G. was a pupil of Dr. J.H.S., M.D. (not the other way around)) -what she thought of sweaters for whales, and maybe other sea creatures (or friends and relatives of those sea creatures who those sea creatures wanted to give sweaters to (maybe for birthdays or weddings)).
M. Gingerbell replied, "Whewp-whewps!".
But Dr. Stokes understood what she meant. Though his student could not speak normally, she could, however, communicate with a special technique she had developed and co-authored with scaly purple-hued bubble beings (who hailed from the planet Not-Mars-Near-Mars) called "Knock-knocking". With Knock-knocking, Dr. Stokes could read the words she wanted to say, usually on the backs of his eyelids. You might have assumed he could hear her speaking in his mind through some psychic telepathic transfer, but this is not how Knock-knocking worked. Whenever Madam Gingerbell said something, she would whewp and Knock-knock the words to the back of Dr. Stokes' eye-lids. So all Dr. Stokes would have to do is close his eyes and her response would be written right there.
A doctored photo illustrating the art of Knock-knocking on a dog.
Please Note: This is not a real photograph.
Nor is that toucan Madam Gingerbell.
Nor could that dog understand the Knock-knocked message.
"Why, how nice of you to ask. I believe that sweaters are an interesting device for humans. They are not unlike smaller more snug automobiles. If you catch my meaning. Although I suppose.."
It was at this point that the room on the back of Dr. Stokes' eyelids ran out, and Dr. Stokes sniffed. This was not a sniff of annoyance or disgust or haughtiness, no, not at all. Rather, it was the proper, more polite way in Knock-knocking to get the next set of words to show up on the eye-lids, to turn the page as it were. Dr. Stokes had recently been taught this by Madam Gingerbell, back when he was the student and she was the teacher. He continued to read...
"..that automobiles can move a human about on their own. And sweaters.."
Dr. Stokes opened his eyes, thereby interrupting M.G. (a slightly rude thing to do - and he never would have had he not been her teacher), and said "Yes, but we are not talking about humans, we are talking about whales or sea mammals or their friends and relatives who they might wish to give the sweaters to. ; Humans don't enter into the equation, now do they?"
Dr. Stokes closed his eyes to see his pupil's response.
There was only black.
When he opened them again, she was gone. Madam Gingerbell had flown away.
The next day, Madam Gingerbell returned and not too long after, became Dr. Stokes' superior once again. Where she had flown off to for those 11 & 1/2 hours, and Why - no one can say. Except Madam Gingerbell. She never told.
Perhaps Dr. Stokes learned a valuable lesson. Whales or sea mammals can be friends with humans. There is no real reason why not, and if so, could they not give them sweaters? I should think so. It just makes sense.
Read more about their Adventures! Who is this Madam Gingerbell? Who is this Dr. Stokes? Gingerbell & Victoria
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Copyright © 2002 Henry Stokes