CHAPTER VIII

THE SEARCH FOR DICK

"Dick is taking his time, that's certain."

The remark came from Sam, after the boys who had been left in the alleyway had waited the best part of half an hour for the elder Rover's reappearance.

"Perhaps he has found something of interest," suggested Frank.

"And perhaps he has fallen into a trap," put In Tom. "I've a good mind to hunt him up."

"If you go I'll go with you," said Sam.

"I don't want to be left out here alone," said Frank. "Let us wait a little longer."

The best part of an hour passed, but of course nothing was seen or heard of Dick.

"I shan't wait any longer," began Tom, when they saw the front door of the tenement opened and two men hurried forth. Both had their hats pulled far down over their eyes and had their coat collars turned up, even though the night was warm.

"Out of sight!" cried Sam in a low voice, and they dropped down behind the stoop of the second tenement.

"One of those men was Buddy Girk!" ejaculated Tom, when the pair had passed up the alleyway.

"And don't you know who the other was?" demanded Sam. "It was Dan Baxter's father!"

"Impossible, Sam. Arnold Baxter is in the hospital, and--"

"It was Dan Baxter's father, as true as I'm born, Tom. No wonder he walked with a cane! Am I not right, Frank?"

"I don't know, I'm sure I don't remember Dan's father. But that was Buddy Girk, beyond a doubt." What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Who made the comment?
2. Who was he referring to?
3. What the boys did?
4. For whom?
5. Is he absent for sometimes?
6. What was Sam's assessment of that?
7. Did Frank follow suit?
8. Who are the other fellows?
9. Did they mistake somone for another person?
10. Who was that?
Answer: 1. Sam
2. Dick
3. They waited
4. Dick
5. Yes
6. He was taking his time
7. no
8. Tom and Frank
9. yes
10. Arnold Baxter

Syria may be embroiled in a brutal three-year civil war, but that's not stopping the government from holding controversial presidential elections this week.

The election, which has been branded a sham by the West and by the Syrian opposition, is widely expected to return President Bashar al-Assad to power.

CNN International Correspondent Frederik Pleitgen has reported from inside Syria numerous times during the conflict, which has left an estimated 150,000 people dead. He breaks down the key questions ahead of Tuesday's election.

Why is it happening now?

The government says Syria's new constitution stipulates that presidential elections must be held now. The regime says it shows the country is moving forward and that it is the first time a president will be elected by the people rather than appointed. The opposition says the election is a fraud, that voting will be rigged and that the poll serves only to cement Assad's power.

Who are the other candidates?

The other two candidates are relative unknowns. One is Maher Hajjar, an entrepreneur and member of parliament. He keeps out of the limelight and has not been heard from much. Hajjar's election posters declare that "Syria is with Palestine," which seems like a very narrow slogan. Other than that it is unclear what he would change should he win.

The more intriguing candidate is Hassan Nouri, a former economics professor and cabinet minister who told me he had to resign because he was too critical of Assad's government. Nouri studied at the University of Wisconsin and still refers to himself as a Badger. He says the election is an uphill battle for him, but feels he is making headway. His main message is economic. He is for market liberalization and fighting corruption in government and in the private sector. But when it comes to fighting Syria's civil war, Nouri says he wouldn't do anything differently -- and much like Assad, he refers to the regime's three-year assault on the opposition as "fighting terrorism." What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. How many people have died?
2. Who is expected to win the election?
3. What does the constitution stipulate?
4. What does the regime say about it?
5. What does the opposition say?
6. Did they say anything else?
7. What?
8. Who is Maher Hajjer?
9. What do he do for a living?
10. Is he well known?
11. Does he have an election slogan?
12. What is it?
13. What does he plan to change besides that?
14. Is there another candidate running?
15. What is his name?
16. What is his profession?
17. Why is he a former economics professor and cabinet minister?
18. Where did he get his education?
19. How does he feel about the election?
20. What is his main message?
21. What are his economic views?
Answer: 1. 150,000
2. President Bashar al-Assad
3. that presidential elections must be held now.
4. it is the first time a president will be elected by the people rather than appointed
5. the election is a fraud
6. Yes
7. that voting will be rigged to keep Assad in power.
8. One of the candidates.
9. is an entrepreneur and member of parliament.
10. No
11. Yes
12. "Syria is with Palestine,"
13. it is unclear what he would change
14. Yes
15. Hassan Nouri,
16. he is a former economics professor and cabinet minister
17. because he was too critical of Assad's government
18. the University of Wisconsin
19. That it is an uphill battle but feels he is making headway.
20. economic
21. Market liberalization and fighting corrupt government

One day, many years ago, when I was working as a psychologist in England, David was brought into my office. His face was pale and he looked at his own feet. David lost his father when he was two years old and lived with his mother and grandfather ever since. But the year before he turned 13, his grandfather died and his mother was killed in a car accident. His teacher told me that he refused to talk to others from then on. How could I help him? David didn't say a word. As he was leaving, I put my hand on his shoulder."Come back next week if you like. "I said. He came and I suggested we play a game of chess. He agreed. After that we played chess every Wednesday afternoon--in complete silence. Usually, he arrived earlier than agreed. It seemed that he liked to be with me. But why didn't he ever look at me? "Perhaps he simply needs someone to share his pain with," I thought. Months later, when I was looking at his head, he suddenly looked up at me. "It's your turn," he said. After that day, David started talking. He finally got friends in school and he even joined a bicycle club. He wrote to me a few times. Now he had re ally started to live his life. Maybe I gave David something. But I learned a lot from him. I learned how time makes it possible to get over what seems to be painful. David showed me how to help people like him. All they need is a shoulder to cry on, a friendly touch and an ear that listens. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. what age was David when his grandmother died?
2. how old was he when his grandfather died?
3. what did he like to play with the psychologist?
4. did David talk while they played initially?
5. how did his mother die?
6. what age was he when his father died?
7. what day would they play chess on?
8. did he make a lot of eye contact?
9. what did he say when he spoke to the psychologist for the first time?
10. what club was he a member at, at school?
11. was he talking more by then?
12. did the psychologist learn a lot from David?
13. where was the psychologist working?
14. what had he learned from David?
15. what three things do they need to get over the pain?
Answer:
1. unknown
2. When he was 12.
3. chess
4. no
5. a car accident
6. two
7. Wednesday
8. no
9. "It's your turn."
10. a bicycle club
11. yes
12. yes
13. in England
14. How time makes it possible to get over painful things.
15. A shoulder to cry on, a friendly touch and an ear that listens.