Comments on: “Wise Men” by Mike O’Mary

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:29:44 +0000

Hi Glenice: Sorry to take so long to respond. The answer is “yes”! Thanks for the comment.

By: Glenice Wilson

Glenice Wilson — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:41:40 +0000

Does this story still move the writer as much as the reader?
I really enjoyed the read. Thanks Mike.
G. Wilson

By: Jim Curran

Jim Curran — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 20:13:26 +0000

Hi Mike,

Great story. I, too, was one of ‘The Three Kings.’ Sixty five or so years ago I was asked to be a ‘King’ in our school’s Christmas Pageant. We proudly walked on stage to sing “We Three Kings Of Orient Are’..and it was at that moment that my tenage voice decided to ‘crack.’ I became an instant soprano and the audience exploded in laughter and I vowed never to go on stage again. I broke that vow some years later by becoming a playwright and have been on stage many times accepting applause…but never would I attempt to sing ANYTHING!

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:39:42 +0000

Thank you, Annie, for reading my little story, and for your very thoughtful comments. Part of what motivated me to write “Wise Men” was guilt about my own attitudes when I was younger. Guilt is a great motivator for writers, and sometimes it takes 30 or 40 years to get perspective on a “little story.” Thanks again.

By: Annie

Annie — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 13:52:03 +0000

Dear Mike
At the beginning, I was about to dismiss your story as too simplistic or something, but I read on, & I really cried, & it triggered some memory for me as a child in primary school in England some 44 years ago… there was a boy called Stephen Pollard, but he was so ‘dumb’, he couldn’t even spell his own name right, which of course made him the object of ridicule.
He once wrote a story: “There was a monster. The army came & killed it. It died.” Stephen Polrad. I guess I only got to see it (and remember it all these years later in Vietnam), because the teacher showed it to the rest of the class to embarrass him. And indeed, we all roared with laughter.
Of course the poor kid was just dyslexic, I see that now – but it is so tragic how children, .. people are undermined, shattered by other people’s judgements & criticism…
I’m so glad your teacher did the opposite, & that in your adulthood, you were inspired enough to share this story of one child’s perseverence & one womn’s kindness, to continue touching hearts across generations & continents. Thank you so much!

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 24 May 2010 04:20:19 +0000

Virginia: Thanks very much for reading “Wise Men” and for your comments. It was one of the first things I ever published and it’s still one of my favorites. I’m glad you liked it!

By: Virginia

Virginia — Sun, 23 May 2010 20:40:25 +0000

I truly love this story, for it’s warmth, it’s reality, it’s compassionate moral and it’s wise ending! Your teacher helped you truly become a wise man. It also has a very nice, ‘christmassy’ feeling to it.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:11:34 +0000

Thanks, Kathleen. I really appreciate your comments!

By: Kathleen A. Ryan

Kathleen A. Ryan — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 03:10:50 +0000

I’ve just discovered your site…it’s beautiful…and so is this story. You’ve written a gem. Thanks for sharing!

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 09:15:34 +0000

Chantal: Thanks for visiting Dream of Things all the way from Switzerland! Glad you liked the story.