9A Loss For Words
Hello world… I've been rather busy with real-life stuff, like cancer and school, so I'm sorry about not finishing other stories.
"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" is currently (or is it "ARE" currently?) the property of Viacom/Nickelodeon. I am currently the property of LAUSD and the stupid Common Core Curriculum, but I'm planning my escape, so mum's the word!
Michelangelo stared at the project before him, sweat beading his brow.
It should be easy… Don did this sort of thing all the time… yet one false move, one tiny mistake in choice, and all Hell would break loose!
"What to DO? WHAT to DO?" was his mantra, as his eyes traveled from the task at hand to the handy (go figure) clock ticking down the remaining time he had and back to the task at hand.
"Just choose one and do it!" came the unwelcome advice of Raphael. He sounded very casual—in fact, extremely unconcerned!
"But you KNOW what's at stake!" Mike responded, the fear tingeing his usually cheerful tones. "I can't mess this up!"
"Big deal," countered Raph, pouring yet another soda into his gaping mouth. "So what if you choose wrong? It's not the end of the world."
Mike looked at his brother with disbelief.
"Says the Turtle who used 'then' when he should have used 'than'," came the snarky reply.
For a moment it looked as if Raph would thump his brother. But then even the hotheaded one had to admit that Michelangelo had a point.
"Yeah, Splinter can be a bit of a pain where grammar is concerned," he conceded.
"Exactly! So… the question is, should I use 'further', or 'farther' in this report?"
"Remind me what you're writing about," came the stalling reply.
Mike shook his head.
"It's about the influences of Hammurabi's Code on today's laws," he replied, vaguely proud of himself for pronouncing the long-dead and mostly forgotten Mesopotamian ruler's name correctly. "Should I say his code has taken us 'farther' or 'further' in developing civilization as we know it?"
Raph looked thoughtful, which was a surprise to Mike. For a brief moment he wondered if his brother was seriously considering Mike's question or planning what he was going to do later with Casey.
Finally Raph shrugged.
"From what I remember, 'further' is more about additional study or amount, while 'farther' is about distance. But then," he continued, "I did get into a lot of trouble with the difference between i-t-s and i-t-apostrophe-s, so don't depend on me."
Mike heaved a frustrated sigh.
"I can't understand why he actually cares!" he vented his frustration. "Who cares about Hammurabi, who cares about 'further' or 'farther', and who cares period about anything when we gots REAL worries, like Shredder?"
"It's 'have', not 'gots'", Raph automatically corrected, earning a disbelieving (and derisive) glare from Michelangelo.
"Anyway, what's the big deal? I mean, come on! WHEN in the world am I, in the middle of a life-or-death struggle with the Foot, going to need PROPER GRAMMAR?"
Raph shook his head.
"That is a question that… or is it 'which'… has puzzled us all.. even Donatello," was the truthful (though not really helpful) reply.