Short Stories

Just Lather, That's All by Hernando Tellez

Captain Torres, a military soldier came into the barber shop and wanted a clean shave. While the barber was shaving Captain Torres he was debating on slitting the Captain's throat. Although, he didn't want to be known as a coward or a murderer but instead he wanted to be a hero. The Captain knew that the barber may in fact kill him, but he was to stay to find out. After the barber finished shaving his beard the Captain grabbed his belt and pistol off the hanger and headed for the door. Before he left he turned to the barber and said, "They told me that you'd kill me. I came to find out. But killing isn't easy. You can take my word for it."

This short story reflects the main ideas of being loyal to yourself when Captain Torres stays loyal to his job, committing to do anything his job asks of him. Captain Torres doesn't let anything stop him from taking his position very seriously in the military. When he goes to the barber shop he knows that there might be a chance that the barber will murder him, but he doesn't let that get in the way of doing his job. Captain Torres is staying true to himself and his job, even though it may lead to death. This is very important as Captain Torres is willing to sacrifice his life to get some answers.

Appointment with Love by S.I. Kishor

Lieutenant Blandford, a young army soldier was waiting at Grand Central Station to meet a woman that he has been writing to for the past thirteen months. They started writing to eachother when he read the book Of Human Bondage and found Hollis Meynell's writing in the back of the book. She wrote so beautifully that it influenced him to find her address in the telephone book because he wanted to meet her.  They began writing back and forth to eachother and eventually decided it was time to meet. When he was at Grand Central Station he saw the a woman wearing a rose on her coat, which was what Hollis Meynell was to wear. From her looks he would have rather followed the young woman in the green dress that was leading him to the restaurant. Lieutenant Blandford decided to meet with the woman with the rose, who ended up being a woman that Hollis begged to impersonate her. The Lieutenant passed the test that Hollis had planned and made his way to the big restaurant across the street where she was waiting for him.

Lieutenant Blandford is a prime example of remaining loyal to others, as it shows in this short story. When he realizes that the woman he has been sending letters to for thirteen months is an old woman, he is put to the test of either introducing himself to her or following the young woman in the green dress. Even though Lieutenant Blandford wants to chase after the young girl, he decides that being loyal to others is more important than getting what he wants. This is very significant because he is staying loyal to the older woman even if that's not what he truly desires. In doing so, he also receives other great qualities of loyalty. 

Quotations

Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it. -Hardy D. Jackson

This quote is significant to being loyal to yourself by staying true to who you are and what you believe. When you're in a situation and you can't stay faithful to yourself, don't stay in it just because that's what others may want. Instead, remain loyal to yourself and do what your heart desires.

"Loyalty is something you give regardless of what you get back, and in giving loyalty, you're getting more loyalty; and out of loyalty flow other great qualities." -Charles Jones

When people aren't treating you properly don't sink to their level, but instead rise above and treat them the way you wish to be treated. This quote directly relates to the main focus of being loyal to others. You must be willing to put others ahead of yourself to truly remain loyal. However, in the act of being loyal to others you will acquire many other important aspects of loyalty.

Additional Quotations
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind. -Dr. Suess

"You don't earn loyalty in a day. You earn loyalty day-by-day." -Jeffrey Gitomer

Ancient Story: The Lion's Whisker by Lin Donn





The Lion's Whisker is an ancient fable about a husband and wife living in an African village. For quite some time, the husband had not been happy in his marriage and began to stay late working in the fields. Although, the husband wasn't the only one unhappy, the wife was also miserable. Finally, the wife went to the oldest man in the village for advice. The elder said, "I can prepare a secret potion that will change your husband into a loving man" (Donn). The wife cried of excitement. There was one simple task though. The elder needed a lion's whisker but couldn't get it because he was too old. The wife hurried off to finish the task. She waited by the edge of the forest and watched the lion drink and eat. The lion then disappeared into the forest. For the next four weeks the exact same thing happened but this time a bit faster. Finally, the wife moved quicker than the lion, snatched a whisker and ran to the elder's house. The elder was pleased with her accomplishment but said, "You do not need magic to change your husband back into the loving man he once was. You are brave enough to pull a whisker from the chin of a living lion. It took cleverness and bravery to do what you have done. Can you not use that same patience and courage and wit with your husband" (Donn)? The wife was confused by what the elder was saying but she went home and follwed his advice. Her husband slowly began to love her again and within a year they were a happy couple.

The Lion's Whisker reflects loyalty in many aspects. When the husband and wife's marriage isn't running smoothly, instead of giving up she seeks advice. The wife's loyalty is very important because instead of just leaving her husband she sacrifices her life to strengthen their marriage. Deep down she must find something in her husband that is worth going to extreme measures for. Throughout the story, she remains loyal to her husband and never gives up hope that they can return to having a great marriage. When she accomplishes the task, she is very patient and gives him time to change.

The purpose of this project is to determine the impact of loyalty on one's life, as well as learn every aspect that is needed to be loyal. The effect that is to be conveyed by the end of the project is how the emotional feelings behind loyalty affects the outcome of the situation. Also, I would like to understand how one's behaviour impacts certain situations of loyalty. I want to be able to inspire the audience to make a difference by learning the positive outcomes of loyalty.