A Very Bad Report

Apr 30, 2025

My Father looked startled, but waved them away. When they were out of possible earshot, I came up to him to give my report.

I am sure, now, that I was far too excited when I gave my report. I didn’t use proper format or anything.

“Father, you won’t believe what happened to me,” I said, a poor beginning to a report, and all too prescient.

I then continued, excitedly, through my report-- bouncing from subject to subject. Father looking more annoyed than pleased throughout most of the report.

When I got to my report of being attacked, he frowned. He made me turn around (in the middle of my report!) and examined my back.

“There are some interesting scratches on your shirt,” he remarked, and waved at me to continue.

I am afraid I was way too dramatic in my story of how I escaped ‘the clutches’ of the Dragon. Then I finished, blurting out, "and it was a language!"

It is easy to see, in retrospect, how badly I did. I gave a horrible report, and didn’t even tell a good story. And Father was totally distracted with the rest of the story. He says, now, that it was his fault. But I still blame myself--

He looked at me, startled, and said, “What nonsense.”

“But Father…”

“An animal like that, speaking a language! I don’t want to hear any more of that, and I don’t want you telling anyone else, either. You will shame the entire family.”

And he picked up his stuff, and began to walk off. I stood, devastated. It was a language, and I knew it. I didn’t think it, I knew it. Father, indeed more than just Father, needed to be convinced. And there was only way,

“I appeal your decision!” I stated. I stood straight and firm, and looked at his receding back. He didn’t even stop, but answered.

“I deny your appeal,” He said, as I knew he would. He was angry now. We Dwarves don’t easily get angry, but it is a bad thing when we do. It is one reason why we have developed so many formalities and customs. That very thing would save me now.

“For the good of the nation,” I said, repeating the legal phrase.

This brought him up short. The only way a family member could appeal a decision of the Father, in this case his decision not to let others hear my case, was to invoke ‘the good of the nation’. It was a very dramatic step. We would usually never let any of our family decision making go beyond the family. He stood very still for several seconds, then turned back toward me.

“Repeat your request,” he stated. Basically he had re-started our whole discussion. I too paused for several seconds before continuing.

“I would like to give my full report to my troop leader, leaving nothing out.”

We had both been very careful. By his re-starting of the discussion, and my careful phrasing, we had both left out the point of contention between us. I knew he knew that I would mention, in my report, that it was my belief that the ‘Dragon’ had spoken a language. But by not bringing that out directly, I made his task much easier.

“I give you permission to give your full report to your troop leader. Indeed, we will go see him now. Our exploration took so long that I believe he will be back. I hope that you are able to give him a report that is not only complete, but coherent and in proper form.”

I accepted the rebuke as well deserved, and began preparing in my head. My initial excitement was gone, buried in the disaster of my initial report. I would make this next one count.

—

Island People

Island People is a young adult fantasy book centring on a young prince. The book starts with his kidnapping and follows his adventures as he not only escapes from his kidnapper but gains critical allies and friends.

The entire book is scheduled on Substack, and there are several sequels. This is a book I wrote years ago, so it is in a bit of a rough form. Critiques and comments are more than welcome, they are requested.

Thank you for reading Von’s Substack. I would love it if you commented! I love hearing from readers, especially critical comments. I would love to start more letter exchanges, so if there’s a subject you’re interested in, get writing and tag me!

Being ‘restacked’ and mentioned in ‘notes’ is very important for lesser-known stacks so… feel free! I’m semi-retired and write as a ministry (and for fun) so you don’t need to feel guilty you aren’t paying for anything, but if you enjoy my writing (even if you dramatically disagree with it), then restack, please! Or mention me in one of your own posts.

If I don’t write you back it is almost certain that I didn’t see it, so please feel free to comment and link to your post. Or if you just think I would be interested in your post!

If you get lost, check out my ‘Table of Contents’ which I try to keep up to date.

Von also writes as ‘Arthur Yeomans’. Under that name he writes children’s, YA, and adult fiction from a Christian perspective. His books are published by Wise Path Books and include the children’s/YA books:

The Bobtails meet the Preacher’s Kid

The Bobtails and the Cousins

The Bobtails go to France

and

No Ordinary School

As well as GK Chesterton’s wonderful book, “What’s Wrong with the World”, for which ‘Arthur’ wrote most of the annotations.

Arthur also has a substack, and a website. On the substack you can listen to some of his published books. Free.

Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,

Von