"Should I tell mom?"
"Son, I got your favorite Dove dark chocolate with vanilla ice cream. Who were you talking to?"
"Just that exotic paradise snake over there on that branch."
"I don't think we'll find your father here, and we've got to catch our flight back now."
"Okay, mom, but I've got to take my lizard back to California."
"You will have to let it go since it will be too hard to get a permit to travel with an exotic, endangered pet."
Zeddy's eyes wells up with tears and says, "Mom, we can hide Zizzard in the luggage in a shoe box with holes in it."
"But he will die without pressurization."
"I can sneak him on board and just put him in my pocket."
"Not with those new body scanners. They will see it. Drop it, son, it’s against the law."
When they arrived at the body scanner, Zeddy slipped his dark chameleon out of his pocket and pretended to scratch his hair as he left Zizzard perched up there. The lizard immediately turned dark brown to match Zeddy's hair color.
The lady operating the body scanner says, "Nice hairdo", as she gave Zeddy a wink.
Zadie smiles, "Thank you,” thinking the nice lady was complementing her, not realizing she was letting the lizard sneak through security.
~Chapter 8~
The Secret Adventures of Zeddy continue as he relates his dream
How to Catch a WIMP
As the Jet Blue banked left, Zeddy could see all of Miami from his window seat and noticed that cars from that vantage point looked like tiny ants.
Looking out the window over Zeddy's head, Zadie noticed the lizard holding tight on Zeddy's hair.
Zeddy looks up at his mom and says, "Why the frown?"
"You're lucky we're on this plane, otherwise I'd belt you right now for bringing that lizard here."
The lizard saw a fly buzzing that landed on the top back of the seat up front. Zizzard jumped from Zeddy's head and extended its long tongue. "Mom, could you see the fly stuck to the tip of Zizzard's tongue as it slowly retracted?"
"Yeah, that was really groovy."
"Mom, look at this scientific study in today's newspaper. It says that children that are spanked or physically disciplined suffer a loss of 5 points from their IQs. As you know, an IQ is an individual’s intelligence quotient. But I wonder if it is really possible to measure intelligence. Seems that would be like trying to measure infinity."
"Let me see that." Feeling a little guilty, Zadie says, “your IQ may be too high for your age."
Reading the next article, she learns that wearing high heels not only was causing her immediate pain, but that it will cause her feet permanent, long term suffering in years to come.
"Besides, Mommy, I got permission to bring Zizzard aboard!"
"How's that?"
"When you thought the body scanner lady was saying to you, 'nice hairdo' she gave me a wink, looking at my hair, not yours."
"That's another reason parents should talk things through with children before disciplining, because parents can jump to conclusions. It’s best to never lose one's temper."
Adding to that, Zadie, says, "Yes, and as your father taught us, 'always discipline out of love, never anger, but I was raised differently. Where did you learn to call me “Mummy”?"
I noticed that kids from England and Australia call their moms like that and it made me laugh thinking of the movie, Mummy. So I like to call you, mum, mummy, mom, mommy, mamma, mammy, mother dear."
In my whole life, I've never heard of a child as precocious as you. What are you watching on your IPad?"
"'Secret Millionaires Club', where the Wizard of Omaha, Warren Buffett, as a cartoon character, was teaching kids the fundamental retail business principle of “location, location, location”. In other words, don't put your lemonade stand in an alley."
"Mom, you won't believe it, but I just got an email from Dennis Meniacle, Junior. I wonder how he got my email address. He says, ‘Zeddy, my dad says you're a smart kid, but be careful not to let him think you're smarter than I am. Watch out or I'll teach you a lesson or two'."
Zadie says, "Good timing, look here in the newspaper. 'MouseMail traps kids' Cyberbullies'. I'm adding your email into our profile page. I'm setting it up on MouseMail.com's portal, so it can check your emails against a list of approved contacts and inappropriate words. I'm downloading their app to your iPad so that any questionable messages will be forwarded to me."
"No, mom! Let me handle this bully my own way. I shouldn't have told you." Zeddy writes back, "Is that anyway to start a friendship?"
Dennis retorts, "Who said I want to be your friend?"
Says Zeddy, "Friends are more fun than enemies. I'll teach you stuff that will make your dad proud of you."
"Oh, like what?"
"I can teach you about WIMPS."
"You mean wimps like you?"
"No, I mean, real bully wimps."
"Now I'm confused; how can wimps be bullies?"
"Kid, didn't you read the Adventures of Tom Sawyer, where something 'neat' was called 'bully', yet I'm not talking about mean mental or physical muscle flexing, I'm referring to 'weakly interacting massive particles'?"
"What the zoozoopets are those?"
"Those are what dark matter is, theoretically, made up of. 'Massive' just means 'mass' since they respond to gravity, but are really puny. 'Weakly interactive' means they rarely interact with matter. The assumption is that wimps are invisible because they are electromagnetically neutral."
"I thought anything truly invisible belonged to the spirit world, so if wimps are truly invisible how can they be discoverable?"
"I'm glad you asked that question because if that missing mass really exists and can never be detected by the physical senses, it may be that our universe is held together by Spirit, but physicists have a medium to catch a wimp in the act."
"Ha Ha, that sounds funny. I sure would like to catch one."
"You'll just need a tank full of 1.6 octillion xenon atoms and watch it for one year to catch only one or two."
"What the fudgesickles would I do with a wimp?"
"Not only would you make history if you caught the first wimp in the act, but you could square astronomical observations with the rule of Newtonian physics, which would solve Swiss Astronomer Zwicky's 1933 dilemma that he called dark matter, which is supposedly invisible and makes up 80% of the material universe."
Looking over Zeddy's shoulder Zadie asks, "I love the way you are befriending Dennis, but tell me how you know so much about catching wimps and what to do with them?"
"I read all about them in Dad's old January 2011 collection of Popular Science in an article entitled, 'Mining For Dark Matter - The race to solve one of the biggest mysteries of physics could end with what scientists find 4850 feet below the Black Hills of South Dakota.' It is quite fascinating involving muon, gamma rays, neutrons, xenon gas, electrons, liquid xenon, photomultiplier tubes, radon gas and hundreds of millions of dollars to catch only an itty bitty wimp to prove dark matter really exists. Ten such projects are doing this same experiment around the world."
"Wow, reminds me of Darth Vader when he said, 'Come to the dark side of the force'," Zadie says in a deep voice.
"That reminds me mom, there is also dark energy; the mysterious force that may be what is causing the universe to expand at an ever increasing rate. By the way mom, I'm trying not to put anymore frowns on your face, because when you are frown free you are the most beautiful mom in the whole wide world!"
~Chapter 9~
The Secret Adventures of Zeddy continue as he relates his dream
In a small plastic bottle, Zeddy also snuck a firefly home.
He placed it in a larger glass jar, where he watched it glow in the dark, on his bedside table. Exhausted, he closed his eyes, just to rest them for a few moments, but when he reopened his eyes, he noticed the firefly was just an itty bitty dot that glowed brightly and hummed as it hovered in mid air.
"Hello" Zeddy asks, "What are you?"
Not really expecting an answer, the glowing dot hummed as it moved to the edge of the glass jar, "Z'm z zark zatter zire zly."
Zeddy pinched himself to see if he was dreaming. "How'd you get here, 'dark matter' fire fly?"
I flew through the portal as your father tried to magnetize back here from Zamira, and the firefly you caught is my parallel self."
"Wow", Zeddy says, "so you are what 'dark matter' scientists are desperately trying to catch?"
"That's right. On Zamira you can see dark matter."
Zeddy started thinking of showing off to his friends, especially Dennis, this exciting discovery on Monday, the first day back in school.
"What is your name?" asks Zeddy.
"Zenon".
"So, on Zamira, is the air filled with visible dark matter in the form of zillions of fireflies, like you?"
"Yes, and we also have zugs, zleas, zees, zhats, zipzies, zidders, zazitoes, zutterflies and zoonoses."
"So, the night air must glow very beautifully?"
"Yes, and the day atmosphere also glows, but not so brightly, and we all hum together in harmony."
"How could I breathe on Zamira with so many 'dark matter' bugs flying around?"
"Let me out, and you can breathe me in and out of your lungs without harm."
Zeddy thought that sounded dangerous, so he decided to keep his new pet where it couldn't escape. Zeddy says, "I still don't understand why the night sky here is dark."
"It might have something to do with the fractals and complex-numbers planes, which includes imaginary numbers", says Zenon.
"My brother, Zaymack, who is a mathematical whiz, told me an imaginary number is a multiple of the square root of minus one. One is used as a symbol for what multiplied by itself equals minus one."
"Yes, and sometimes z shoots off to infinity."
"How does that work" asks Zeddy.
"z starts as any number you like, and changes with each calculation, the value of Zn+1 being used as Zn the next time around. Sometimes the value of z remains finite, no matter how large n gets."
"Oh, I recall now, my brother told me that a collection of dots in the complex-number plane has a formula Zn+1 = Zn (to the second power) + c for calculating these numbers where c is a complex number and n (representing the digits 1 to infinity) counts the number of times the calculation has been performed."
Zenon responds, "When z shoots off into infinity, c is not a part of the dots in a complex-numbers plane. The squiggly fractal line creates a colorful boundary distinguishing earth from the world of z."
As Zeddy closes his eyes to contemplate these formulas and their significance he began to dream about visiting Zamira, where he met Zmally in that dream.
Zmally says, "Let's play Zloat."
"How?" asks Zeddy.
"Whoever catches the most zutterflies in an hour wins. Here is a bag to fill full of zutterflies."
So they set off catching zutterflies with what looked to Zeddy like a butterfly net, but after Zeddy caught too many zutterflies, his bag of glowing, humming zutterflies began to carry him up into the air like a hot air balloon, so he cries to Zmally, "What should I do?"
Zmally says, "You won this game. Keep floating in the air until the zutterflies get tired; then you will float back to the ground and I'll be waiting for you."
~Chapter 10~
The Secret Adventures of Zeddy continue as he relates his dream
“Time for school,” Zadie says, as she opens the curtains, and the light shines brightly, awakening Zeddy.
Zeddy looks at Zenon but can barely see him in the light, so he takes the glass jar into his closet, shuts out the light and then says, “Zenon, I’m so glad I can see you glow in the dark.”
Zenon hums, “Zood Zirning Zeddy, zill soo sake ze zo zhool zoday? (Will you take me to school, today?)
Say Zeddy, “Zes zeye zill.”
Zeddy puts Zenon’s glass jar in his lunch box and his mom gives Zeddy a big hug and kiss and says, “Have a wonderful day back in school.”
As Zeddy walks to his desk, Zara hands him a folded piece of paper. At his desk he opens it and reads:
“Zeddy’s better than star dust
“To him I will be wed
“He rhapsodies my heart
“What more needs to be said.
So Zeddy turns over the paper, writes and hands it back to Zara:
“Zara to fara
“Zed has no such plans
“We’re not yet seven
“What more needs be said?”
Zara gave Zeddy a sad look, yet she was impressed at how fast he poetically wrote back and was relieved that he didn’t say he hated her, as a typical boy of 6 may have done.
“Attention students. As you should know, my name is Dennis Meniacle and I am your new principal. You shall call me ‘Principal.’
This will be the first year that all schools will use international education standards.”
“In this first grade, you should know my son, Dennis Junior, is the student sitting right here in the front row. He will be my eyes and ears, so don’t think you will get away with any naughty behavior. I will be your math and science teacher. Any questions?”
Zeddy asks, “Can we study dark matter, dark energy, anti-matter and black holes?”
“No,” says the Principal, “That is not in our curriculum.”
“What about fractals?”
“No! No! No!” shouts Meniacle.
“I would like to learn about fractals,” Zara shouts out.
“Any other troublemakers in this class?” asks the Principal.
All of the students remained quiet as Zeddy gave Zara a thumbs’ up.
Dennis Junior whispered to Zeddy, “I warned you not to try to look smarter than I am.”
Zeddy whispered back, “You should have backed me up.”
Whispered Dennis, “I told you that I would teach you a lesson!”
Whispered Zeddy, “Don’t be a chin boongi.”
Whispers Dennis, “What is a boongi?”
Whispers Zeddy, “Ill tell you at lunch, if you chill out.”
Meniacle says, “Dennis Junior and Zeddy follow me to my office.”
In the office, Principal Meniacle fiercely looks at the boys and asks, “What were you whispering about?”
Junior blurts out, “He called me a boongi chin.”
“A what?”
“That’s what I asked.”
Says Zeddy, “I learned that term when I was at the Florida Jungle Island from some Kids from Little Haiti. That’s what you say to a kid who’s being unfriendly. I think it’s from the Creole slang.”
“There will be no name calling in this school. Is that clear?”
Junior says, “I want you to put Zeddy in detention for calling me a ‘boongi chin’”.
“Wait”, says Zeddy, “ I didn’t call you a ‘chin boongi’, I just asked you, quote unquote, “Don’t be a chin boongi.”
“Well, well,” says Principal Meniacle, Zeddy is technically correct, and a very clever boy, to boot, by putting it that way.”
Junior was furious and says, “But Dad, you have to punish him.”
Meniacle frowns at Zeddy and asks, “Can’t you just be quiet like the other boys? No one likes a smart alec.
“As for you, Junior, what did you say to make Zeddy ask you not to be a ‘chin boongi?’”
“I called him a smart alec for wanting to learn stuff kids don’t learn so young.”
Zeddy held his tongue and refrained from calling junior a liar.
The Principal says, “OK boys, shake hands and let bygones be bygones.”
Zeddy put out his hand and Junior reluctantly grabbed it and gave Zeddy a defiant look.
During lunch Zeddy says to Junior, “Check out my dark matter pet.”
Junior looks but can’t see anything. “Go in the closet, shut the door and you will see it glow in the dark room, but don’t let him
out.”
Junior shuts the door and in the dark was awed to see the glowing, humming dark matter pet, yet couldn’t resist opening the jar.
Zenon flew out and buzzed right to Junior’s nose. Swinging his hand in front of his nose to catch the dark matter pet, Junior quickly grabbed the tiny pet.
Says Zeddy, “Do you see it?”
“Yes”, shouts Junior, so Zeddy opens the door and notices the jar opened and cries, “Where is Zenon?
“In my hand.”
“I asked you not to open the jar.”
“Too late now.”
“Put him back in the jar.”
“If you don’t let me keep him, I will tell my dad.”
“You can’t keep him.”
Fine, then I will eat it.”
“No!” cries Zeddy as Junior cupped his hand over his mouth to try and swallow Zenon, but instead, Zenon flew down his wind pipe into his lungs which made Junior giggle, then break out laughing.
Demands Zeddy, “Stop shilly-shalling and open your mouth!”
But Junior controls his laughter enough to keep his mouth shut for a minute until Zenon flies out of his nose and flew to Zeddy’s ear, hovering there, humming to Zeddy, “Zou Zon’t Zaz zo zeep ze zin zhat zar.”
Zeddy pretending that Junior really ate Zenon, says, “Told you not to be a ‘chin boongi’, and you prove that you are one by eating my pet.”
“I didn’t really eat him, I felt him fly out of my nose.”
“Well, that is just as bad, since he got away. Now you really owe me.”
“I don’t owe you anything.”
All the kids observing this strange event concluded that Dennis Junior was a bully boy and did owe Zeddy for swallowing his pet.
~Chapter 11~
The Secret Adventures of Zeddy continue as he relates his dream
Now it came to pass when Zeddy awoke from a daydream and found himself back in school that the boys became very agitated with him.
The dream was about dark matter butterflies floating him up in the air with those cool butterfly nets.
In the night vision, he saw the most glorious dark matter bugs in the Zamiran world. Butterflies and all types of flying insects filled the sky of Zamira, and were nothing like those on earth. Some of the butterflies were the size of giant birds, like eagles, and their patterns were so colorful and glowed in the most unusual colors ever seen.
The Boy Who Played With Dark Matter Page 10
