Criterion #1 : A good argument must have true premises
Criterion #2 : A good argument must be either valid or strong
Criterion #3 : The premises of a good argument must not beg the question
Criterion #4 : The premises of a good argument must be plausible and relevant to the conclusion
Conclusion: A good argument is an argument that is either valid or strong, and with plausible premises that are true, do not beg the question, and are relevant to the conclusion.
Friday, February 18, 2011
http://www.unco.edu/philosophy/arg.html
An argument is a good argument in the strict sense of the term just in case it is either (a) a strong inductive argument with true premises or (b) a sound argument the conclusion of which isn’t included among the premises and the validity of which isn’t merely a function of its conclusion’s being a statement that couldn’t conceivably be false. (Note 1: the point of the first qualification in (b) is that circular pieces of reasoning shouldn’t qualify as good arguments (even though they are valid), and the point of the second is that we’re equally far from having a good argument in any such ridiculous “proof” of a mathematical or logical truth as, say, “Grass is green, hence 2 + 2 = 4” or “Whales aren’t fish, so Plato was a philosopher unless he wasn’t.” Note 2: valid arguments and strong inductive arguments are sometimes called “good arguments” even though they have false premises simply to indicate that the inferences they embody can’t be faulted on logical grounds alone. Maybe we should say that such arguments are good arguments in a loose sense of the term. Nothing can be faulted about the reasoning in such arguments.)
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
http://zhenchen.pageout.net/page.dyn/student/course/instructor_note?note_id=7199702&course_id=109238
III. The Argument from Relativity (Disagreement) (451-)
1. There are variation and radical disagreements in moral area.
2. If there are objective values or moral facts by appeal to which moral disagreements can be resolved, those disagreements or some of those should disappear.
3. But they still exist.
4. Therefore, there are no moral facts.
Mackie recognizes that disagreements in science about a certain issue do not imply that there are no objective facts. However, he insists that disagreement in ethics is more fundamental than that in science. The former is not resolvable but the latter is. In science, disagreement is due to inadequate evidence. Once we get adequate evidence, the disagreement is solved. But this is not true in ethics. In ethics, disagreement about moral codes reflects people's ways of life. "... it is that people approve of monogamy because they participate in a monogamous way of life rather than that they participate in a monogamous way of life because they approve of monogamy."
His point is that the actual variations in the moral codes are better explained by the hypothesis that there are no objective values, i.e., the variations reflect ways of life than the hypothesis that they express perceptions of objective values. There is no separate or supervenient moral reality. If moral realists want to defend their position that there are objective values, the burden of proof is on them.
One objection to Mackie's view is that another better explanation of variations in the moral codes is that: there are some, perhaps implicit, general basic principles accepted in all societies. When they are married with differing concrete circumstances, etc., they produce different specific rules with some sort of plausibility.
But Mackie insists that: a. it is far away from finding those basic rules; b. there are different moral judgments on the same things not because they exemplify general rules but because those things arouse immediately different responses in different peoples-moral intuitions.
Some realists argue that even if moral disagreements are not resolvable, this does not mean that there are no objective values. They claim that moral values are functions of human well-being and flourishing.
1. There are variation and radical disagreements in moral area.
2. If there are objective values or moral facts by appeal to which moral disagreements can be resolved, those disagreements or some of those should disappear.
3. But they still exist.
4. Therefore, there are no moral facts.
Mackie recognizes that disagreements in science about a certain issue do not imply that there are no objective facts. However, he insists that disagreement in ethics is more fundamental than that in science. The former is not resolvable but the latter is. In science, disagreement is due to inadequate evidence. Once we get adequate evidence, the disagreement is solved. But this is not true in ethics. In ethics, disagreement about moral codes reflects people's ways of life. "... it is that people approve of monogamy because they participate in a monogamous way of life rather than that they participate in a monogamous way of life because they approve of monogamy."
His point is that the actual variations in the moral codes are better explained by the hypothesis that there are no objective values, i.e., the variations reflect ways of life than the hypothesis that they express perceptions of objective values. There is no separate or supervenient moral reality. If moral realists want to defend their position that there are objective values, the burden of proof is on them.
One objection to Mackie's view is that another better explanation of variations in the moral codes is that: there are some, perhaps implicit, general basic principles accepted in all societies. When they are married with differing concrete circumstances, etc., they produce different specific rules with some sort of plausibility.
But Mackie insists that: a. it is far away from finding those basic rules; b. there are different moral judgments on the same things not because they exemplify general rules but because those things arouse immediately different responses in different peoples-moral intuitions.
Some realists argue that even if moral disagreements are not resolvable, this does not mean that there are no objective values. They claim that moral values are functions of human well-being and flourishing.
http://www.logical-operator.com/pl541lecture2.html
3. The Argument from Relativity
(e) A famous discussion in Mackie. He starts with an unarguable premise:
The argument from relativity has as it premiss the well-known variation in moral codes from one society to another and from one period to another, and also the differences in moral beliefs between different groups and classes within a complex community.
(f) IMRealists claim that the variation occurs because of different and mostly (or all) wrong perceptions of the existing mind-independent ethical properties. Mackie says that the simpler explanation is that people are raised to live and think differently and that that is all that can be said on the matter. The onus is on IMRealists to explain why their theory is better. But there is a lot more to say.... (First thoughts: Where does the onus lie? Who says that Mackieπs is the simpler theory? Even if it is, arenπt we after the true theory? Although åsimpleπ is good, the true theory might be åcomplexπ.)
(g) Side-issue of modality. Mackie notes that IMRealists could counter by distinguishing between specific and general principles (codes, rules, dispositions, etc.). General rules are mind-independent but they receive different expression because of geography, climate, history, etc. Mackie says that moral objectivists will then be committed to the contingency of ethical properties (if society had been different then different ethical properties would have existed). As Brink points out (1984), modality is a red herring. We are interested in the mind-independence or otherwise of ethical properties that do exist, supposedly, in this world.
(h) Hang on. There are important polarized and long-running debates in science. We donπt think that their existence casts doubt on the mind-independence of scientific properties and relations. (Weπll assume for this module. Even if we donπt believe in scientific properties and even if it is because of disputes, their existence seems more plausible in the face of disagreement than ethical propertiesπ existence.) Ethics might be different because ethical debates seem irresolvable, whereas scientific ones donπt. So, IMRealists need to explain ethical debates. (See Brink (1984) as well.)
(i) Disagreement over nonethical facts
(ii) Incommensurability. E.g. of building a road. Existence of incommensurable values doesnπt cast doubt on the fact that those values might be mind-independent.
But (i) and (ii) might not be enough. We still want to say that there can be cases where all of the nonethical facts are known, there is no incommensurability and where disputants can still disagree. So, we still need to show that the cause of disagreement is that most, if not all, people has misperceived the ethical properties. How to do this? In science we assume that epistemic access is possible so that we can know which judgements are correct. The same seems to be true for IMRealists ≠ they have to show that ethics is similar to science in this regard.
(i) But, that doesnπt seem that troubling. There seems nothing weird about the possibility that one can know that a situation might have a mind-independent ethical property without knowing if it does or what it is. After all, if there are scientific properties, then it seems fine to assume that they are mind-independent. The point being that it isnπt the knowing part that seems troubling here, but rather the type of property itself
(e) A famous discussion in Mackie. He starts with an unarguable premise:
The argument from relativity has as it premiss the well-known variation in moral codes from one society to another and from one period to another, and also the differences in moral beliefs between different groups and classes within a complex community.
(f) IMRealists claim that the variation occurs because of different and mostly (or all) wrong perceptions of the existing mind-independent ethical properties. Mackie says that the simpler explanation is that people are raised to live and think differently and that that is all that can be said on the matter. The onus is on IMRealists to explain why their theory is better. But there is a lot more to say.... (First thoughts: Where does the onus lie? Who says that Mackieπs is the simpler theory? Even if it is, arenπt we after the true theory? Although åsimpleπ is good, the true theory might be åcomplexπ.)
(g) Side-issue of modality. Mackie notes that IMRealists could counter by distinguishing between specific and general principles (codes, rules, dispositions, etc.). General rules are mind-independent but they receive different expression because of geography, climate, history, etc. Mackie says that moral objectivists will then be committed to the contingency of ethical properties (if society had been different then different ethical properties would have existed). As Brink points out (1984), modality is a red herring. We are interested in the mind-independence or otherwise of ethical properties that do exist, supposedly, in this world.
(h) Hang on. There are important polarized and long-running debates in science. We donπt think that their existence casts doubt on the mind-independence of scientific properties and relations. (Weπll assume for this module. Even if we donπt believe in scientific properties and even if it is because of disputes, their existence seems more plausible in the face of disagreement than ethical propertiesπ existence.) Ethics might be different because ethical debates seem irresolvable, whereas scientific ones donπt. So, IMRealists need to explain ethical debates. (See Brink (1984) as well.)
(i) Disagreement over nonethical facts
(ii) Incommensurability. E.g. of building a road. Existence of incommensurable values doesnπt cast doubt on the fact that those values might be mind-independent.
But (i) and (ii) might not be enough. We still want to say that there can be cases where all of the nonethical facts are known, there is no incommensurability and where disputants can still disagree. So, we still need to show that the cause of disagreement is that most, if not all, people has misperceived the ethical properties. How to do this? In science we assume that epistemic access is possible so that we can know which judgements are correct. The same seems to be true for IMRealists ≠ they have to show that ethics is similar to science in this regard.
(i) But, that doesnπt seem that troubling. There seems nothing weird about the possibility that one can know that a situation might have a mind-independent ethical property without knowing if it does or what it is. After all, if there are scientific properties, then it seems fine to assume that they are mind-independent. The point being that it isnπt the knowing part that seems troubling here, but rather the type of property itself
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Philo Tut 3 notes
2 different sense of sound.... the word can be used differently.
what is meant by fairness?
definition with limitations will be able to help... like for the purpose of this paper, i would like to define fairness in the sense that......
conclude by providing a devasting argument against it....?!!good at seeing argument positions not converting everyone. we can say that our argument fails as blah blah blah.... blow up ur own paper by doing so in an elegant fashion!
but it can go wrong as if the objection is very obvious then you have to develop it before hand! instead of being lazy.
ethics is situational, it is inherently unlikely that no simple one statement will be able to draw the line. it depends on fine judgement and details to prove that no one judgement is better.....
moral principles are? is there any points to make generalisation about morality?
look for commonalities instead of diversities.
based on social conventions. it is called anchoring. adjustment of behaviour to fit in social conventions. follow the corwd. the way things actually are is actually ok~~ being too selfish and being not selfish enough... This is jsut a thing that happens.
morality... we behave regualryly like how people in our culture would. we dun think about why? we jsut pick it up.to the extent that we just regard the reason as arbitary. you're aware of the cultural arbiratriness. the fact that you have anchored doesn't neccessarily think that that is right. you hope that it is. but you're not sure that it is all the time
heuristic: hands on approach.
if we can have a do a right thing rule, we will go for that. but since we can't we jsut settle for something else. something lesser.
what is meant by fairness?
definition with limitations will be able to help... like for the purpose of this paper, i would like to define fairness in the sense that......
conclude by providing a devasting argument against it....?!!good at seeing argument positions not converting everyone. we can say that our argument fails as blah blah blah.... blow up ur own paper by doing so in an elegant fashion!
but it can go wrong as if the objection is very obvious then you have to develop it before hand! instead of being lazy.
ethics is situational, it is inherently unlikely that no simple one statement will be able to draw the line. it depends on fine judgement and details to prove that no one judgement is better.....
moral principles are? is there any points to make generalisation about morality?
look for commonalities instead of diversities.
based on social conventions. it is called anchoring. adjustment of behaviour to fit in social conventions. follow the corwd. the way things actually are is actually ok~~ being too selfish and being not selfish enough... This is jsut a thing that happens.
morality... we behave regualryly like how people in our culture would. we dun think about why? we jsut pick it up.to the extent that we just regard the reason as arbitary. you're aware of the cultural arbiratriness. the fact that you have anchored doesn't neccessarily think that that is right. you hope that it is. but you're not sure that it is all the time
heuristic: hands on approach.
if we can have a do a right thing rule, we will go for that. but since we can't we jsut settle for something else. something lesser.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Jing and I met up rather often after our first meeting. I talked about him a lot to my best mates, stuff like how he looks like, the way he laughs, the way we just click et cetera. My best mates insisted that I was madly in love with him. But I wasn’t, not then anyways. To me, he was like someone who really understands me and we can just talk about anything and everything under the sun. My friends wanted to meet him so badly that they practically forced me to arrange a group meeting. Under several death threats and sharp pencils at my throat I sent Jing a sms. “Hey Jing, this is going to sound damn weird… but my friends wanna meet you… you ok with it? You can get some other friends to come also... then it won’t be so weird for you. Sorry to put you in a spot but I’m being threatened by several pencils with ultra sharp points >.<”
He didn’t reply for what seems like eons... I was beginning to worry whether he thinks I’m crazy when he finally replied.
“Lol… Sure… I’ll get a few friends… and don’t worry… I’m cool. Both figuratively and literally hahah *cue shameless flicking of hair* How does this Saturday sound? Meet you guys @ orchard @ 11 am? You guys decide the activity…”
After several minutes of discussion, my friends decided that we should catch a movie then have lunch somewhere…
Saturday
My friends had just absolutely refused to leave their houses without making sure that every inch of them of perfect, (hair make up attire etc). Me? I was dressed simply in a baby blue shirt and plain jeans with my hair tied up in a high ponytail. I honestly couldn’t see the fuss. When my friends finally came and saw me they gasped in unison and screamed that I’m not going out to meet new people like that. Then they pratically jumped onto me with their foundation, mascara sticks and what not. Honestly speaking I was terrified. Imagine this 3 girls screaming and dragging you to the toilet and then brushing god knows what on your face. I mean I love my friends and all but I just don’t share their interest in this… I think natural is good. They think there is no such thing as natural. After they were done, I took one look at my watch and realized that we were going to be late. I dragged them out of the toilet and I didn’t even check what they did to my face because I was in such a hurry. Due to their fussing, we were about 25 minutes late. When we reached Orchard MRT station I scanned around and quickly spotted Jing. He was with 3 other friends as well. It was a bit awkward at first when I had to introduce my friends to them and he had to introduce his friends to us. The walk to Lido was a little more on the quiet side but after the movie things were ok. My friends are a spirited bunch and you can’t keep them quiet for long. Jing’s friends warmed up to them after a while as well. We then decided to have lunch at pasta mania. On our way there, unknowingly we started walking in pairs. Me and Jing were at the back of the pack. At first, we didn’t really talk. Then he spoke up first, “Don’t you think this kind of looks like a group date?”
“Hmm? Yea, now that you mentioned it… It does actually. Weird~”
“Did you?” he asked while staring intently at my face.
“What?!! No I so did not plan for a group date and if I did you so would not be my choice of a date” I replied quickly, trying to stop the redness that was slowly trickling onto my face due to his intent stares.
“Chill! I wasn’t going to ask that. And OW… I feel my ego bruising already… Though I was going to ask whether you put on make up today and why… Is it because you were excited to meet my friends? I KNOW you are secretly interested in… erm..erm… John yea that’s rite!”
“Hey John! ” Jing shouted to the guy all the way in front walking with my friend, Rin.
John spun around but before Jing could say anything more, I was covering his mouth with both my hands, which was really no mean feat as Jing is like several heads taller than me. John’s face was priceless when he saw us. His eyebrows went up and his mouth formed a small ‘o’.
I smiled sheepishly and said “It’s nothing; Jing was just going to say … say… how nice your hair looked today!” I muttered a lame excuse whilst trying to act like smothering Jing was the most normal thing in the world to do.
“Yea, right…. You know what? I won’t even ask what in the blue heavens you are doing. Just don’t kill him yet, we still need him to complete our science project due next week.” With that he turned around and began talking to Rin like nothing happened. The rest of my friends laughed whilst I turned crimson red and released Jing.
Jing gasped for air when I released him and shouted to John “Thanks a lot for saving me buddy… Now I know why you keep me alive for all these years that I’ve irritated the crap out of you.” Turning to me he said “Who knew that inside your small body contained that much strength?” With that he gave an amused smile and walked on.
Jing and I met up rather often after our first meeting. I talked about him a lot to my best mates, stuff like how he looks like, the way he laughs, the way we just click et cetera. My best mates insisted that I was madly in love with him. But I wasn’t, not then anyways. To me, he was like someone who really understands me and we can just talk about anything and everything under the sun. My friends wanted to meet him so badly that they practically forced me to arrange a group meeting. Under several death threats and sharp pencils at my throat I sent Jing a sms. “Hey Jing, this is going to sound damn weird… but my friends wanna meet you… you ok with it? You can get some other friends to come also... then it won’t be so weird for you. Sorry to put you in a spot but I’m being threatened by several pencils with ultra sharp points >.<”
He didn’t reply for what seems like eons... I was beginning to worry whether he thinks I’m crazy when he finally replied.
“Lol… Sure… I’ll get a few friends… and don’t worry… I’m cool. Both figuratively and literally hahah *cue shameless flicking of hair* How does this Saturday sound? Meet you guys @ orchard @ 11 am? You guys decide the activity…”
After several minutes of discussion, my friends decided that we should catch a movie then have lunch somewhere…
Saturday
My friends had just absolutely refused to leave their houses without making sure that every inch of them of perfect, (hair make up attire etc). Me? I was dressed simply in a baby blue shirt and plain jeans with my hair tied up in a high ponytail. I honestly couldn’t see the fuss. When my friends finally came and saw me they gasped in unison and screamed that I’m not going out to meet new people like that. Then they pratically jumped onto me with their foundation, mascara sticks and what not. Honestly speaking I was terrified. Imagine this 3 girls screaming and dragging you to the toilet and then brushing god knows what on your face. I mean I love my friends and all but I just don’t share their interest in this… I think natural is good. They think there is no such thing as natural. After they were done, I took one look at my watch and realized that we were going to be late. I dragged them out of the toilet and I didn’t even check what they did to my face because I was in such a hurry. Due to their fussing, we were about 25 minutes late. When we reached Orchard MRT station I scanned around and quickly spotted Jing. He was with 3 other friends as well. It was a bit awkward at first when I had to introduce my friends to them and he had to introduce his friends to us. The walk to Lido was a little more on the quiet side but after the movie things were ok. My friends are a spirited bunch and you can’t keep them quiet for long. Jing’s friends warmed up to them after a while as well. We then decided to have lunch at pasta mania. On our way there, unknowingly we started walking in pairs. Me and Jing were at the back of the pack. At first, we didn’t really talk. Then he spoke up first, “Don’t you think this kind of looks like a group date?”
“Hmm? Yea, now that you mentioned it… It does actually. Weird~”
“Did you?” he asked while staring intently at my face.
“What?!! No I so did not plan for a group date and if I did you so would not be my choice of a date” I replied quickly, trying to stop the redness that was slowly trickling onto my face due to his intent stares.
“Chill! I wasn’t going to ask that. And OW… I feel my ego bruising already… Though I was going to ask whether you put on make up today and why… Is it because you were excited to meet my friends? I KNOW you are secretly interested in… erm..erm… John yea that’s rite!”
“Hey John! ” Jing shouted to the guy all the way in front walking with my friend, Rin.
John spun around but before Jing could say anything more, I was covering his mouth with both my hands, which was really no mean feat as Jing is like several heads taller than me. John’s face was priceless when he saw us. His eyebrows went up and his mouth formed a small ‘o’.
I smiled sheepishly and said “It’s nothing; Jing was just going to say … say… how nice your hair looked today!” I muttered a lame excuse whilst trying to act like smothering Jing was the most normal thing in the world to do.
“Yea, right…. You know what? I won’t even ask what in the blue heavens you are doing. Just don’t kill him yet, we still need him to complete our science project due next week.” With that he turned around and began talking to Rin like nothing happened. The rest of my friends laughed whilst I turned crimson red and released Jing.
Jing gasped for air when I released him and shouted to John “Thanks a lot for saving me buddy… Now I know why you keep me alive for all these years that I’ve irritated the crap out of you.” Turning to me he said “Who knew that inside your small body contained that much strength?” With that he gave an amused smile and walked on.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Chapter 1 (we met)
We first met at a book shop 5 years ago. Yet I can still remember the details as though we met yesterday. Then again, I always remembered everything... about us at least....
November 15th 2001. We met at Borders. I was nervous, dead nervous. My palms were sweaty and butterflies were running amok in my stomach.
Reason for my jitters? I'm meeting a penpal... UNbelievable right? I mean who still write letters in these days? haha... I went online to find a penpal in 2000 because i thought it was cool to have a penpal. Never in my wildest dreams did i think i would meet someone whom share my interests and dreams and that I'll be meeting with him one year from then. All that and the fact that i don't know how he looks like. yep our conditions when we first started being penpals was that we are not to divulge our personal info like schools and photos et cetera... it's stupid but heck... When we agreed to meet, we decided that let's try to see if we can spot each other, first one to spot the other person treats the other to a meal. It was stupid, but hell I was only 15, I was young I have the right to do stupid things like that and basically i didn't think much really. Back to the point, anyways i arrived there 15 mins early so i decided to browse around and try to calm my nerves before actually meeting him. I was browsing at the R section trying to find books by my then favourite author Anne Rice. I started to read the book and walked around for a while. Then me being the kluzty queen of unglam moments have to trip over a pile of books lying on the floor. My face flushed bright red as when i fell my book slipped out of my hand and hit a guy wearing a yellow shirt and jeans with slightly spiky hair, on the legs. He turned around and raised his eyebrows and gave me a funny stare that screams "what the???" i apologized profusely and fumbled to tidy the books that were sprawled all around the floor.
People walking by were giving me funny looks, I was so embarassed but i was thinking to myself
"Whew! Lucky i came early so he most probably isn't here so he most probably won't witness this". And wouldn't you know it? He was there and he's the guy that my book hit. He crouched down and helped me pick up the books. I was so dead grateful that i keep thanking him.
Suddenly he stopped and he asked
"Are you..."
I gave him a quizical look and then he flashed me a toothy grin and said
" I'm jing. And unless I'm wrong, i think you owe me lunch."
I was dumbstruck. "How the? "
"Easy... you told me you were klutzy remember? "
"O man... I so was not planning on meeting you this way. I was thinking more along the lines of glamourous entrance and me spotting you first so that the lunch treat will be on you. haha"
"That was a glamourous entrance... ok fine not that glamourous but funny and definately attention-grabbing. Exactly like how I would picture you when you see me , fall down at my feet ! hahaha"
I threw him a playful punch and we started chatting away like old friends. It's a amazing how easy it was to talk to him and how our conversations flow so smoothly with no awkard pauses at all. It was so not how I imagined our meeting to be. It was perfect. He had a wonderful smile with vampire teeth and eyes that crinkled at the edges whenever he laughed. He said I was exactly like how he imagined me to be... A girl with a hearty and rich laughter and a very genuine smile and a definate sense of clumisiness. Aye.
We went for lunch and basically sat down there for what seemed like hours before we had to part ways and go back to our respective homes. He walked me to the bus stop and waited with me for my bus. Before i got onto the bus, he gave me a small palm-sized box. and he said" Here, before i forget. I really enjoyed myself today."
"Me too. I can't imagine having a better penpal than you." I smiled a devilish smile and scruffed up his hair. Before he could react, I had escaped onto the bus already. I sat down and made a funny face at him as the bus drove away. I opened the box and inside was a note
"Hey, I saw this the other day and I thought that you might like it because to me It screams your name when i looked at it. I'm quite nervous about the meeting today. I hope all turns out well yea? I've got a feeling it should be a-okay :D... Hope you like this and i look forward to your next letter and our next meeting. Sincerely, Jing" Inside the box was a necklace. A necklace with a small cross-shaped glass pendent with red stones inside. I smiled. I loved the necklace as from young i've always liked crosses and Jing had once told me in a letter that he felt that Red was my colour because like red, i symbolised passion in the things that i do. I clutched the necklace in my hand and made a silent prayer to the great one above, thanking him for the very special day.
November 15th 2001. We met at Borders. I was nervous, dead nervous. My palms were sweaty and butterflies were running amok in my stomach.
Reason for my jitters? I'm meeting a penpal... UNbelievable right? I mean who still write letters in these days? haha... I went online to find a penpal in 2000 because i thought it was cool to have a penpal. Never in my wildest dreams did i think i would meet someone whom share my interests and dreams and that I'll be meeting with him one year from then. All that and the fact that i don't know how he looks like. yep our conditions when we first started being penpals was that we are not to divulge our personal info like schools and photos et cetera... it's stupid but heck... When we agreed to meet, we decided that let's try to see if we can spot each other, first one to spot the other person treats the other to a meal. It was stupid, but hell I was only 15, I was young I have the right to do stupid things like that and basically i didn't think much really. Back to the point, anyways i arrived there 15 mins early so i decided to browse around and try to calm my nerves before actually meeting him. I was browsing at the R section trying to find books by my then favourite author Anne Rice. I started to read the book and walked around for a while. Then me being the kluzty queen of unglam moments have to trip over a pile of books lying on the floor. My face flushed bright red as when i fell my book slipped out of my hand and hit a guy wearing a yellow shirt and jeans with slightly spiky hair, on the legs. He turned around and raised his eyebrows and gave me a funny stare that screams "what the???" i apologized profusely and fumbled to tidy the books that were sprawled all around the floor.
People walking by were giving me funny looks, I was so embarassed but i was thinking to myself
"Whew! Lucky i came early so he most probably isn't here so he most probably won't witness this". And wouldn't you know it? He was there and he's the guy that my book hit. He crouched down and helped me pick up the books. I was so dead grateful that i keep thanking him.
Suddenly he stopped and he asked
"Are you..."
I gave him a quizical look and then he flashed me a toothy grin and said
" I'm jing. And unless I'm wrong, i think you owe me lunch."
I was dumbstruck. "How the? "
"Easy... you told me you were klutzy remember? "
"O man... I so was not planning on meeting you this way. I was thinking more along the lines of glamourous entrance and me spotting you first so that the lunch treat will be on you. haha"
"That was a glamourous entrance... ok fine not that glamourous but funny and definately attention-grabbing. Exactly like how I would picture you when you see me , fall down at my feet ! hahaha"
I threw him a playful punch and we started chatting away like old friends. It's a amazing how easy it was to talk to him and how our conversations flow so smoothly with no awkard pauses at all. It was so not how I imagined our meeting to be. It was perfect. He had a wonderful smile with vampire teeth and eyes that crinkled at the edges whenever he laughed. He said I was exactly like how he imagined me to be... A girl with a hearty and rich laughter and a very genuine smile and a definate sense of clumisiness. Aye.
We went for lunch and basically sat down there for what seemed like hours before we had to part ways and go back to our respective homes. He walked me to the bus stop and waited with me for my bus. Before i got onto the bus, he gave me a small palm-sized box. and he said" Here, before i forget. I really enjoyed myself today."
"Me too. I can't imagine having a better penpal than you." I smiled a devilish smile and scruffed up his hair. Before he could react, I had escaped onto the bus already. I sat down and made a funny face at him as the bus drove away. I opened the box and inside was a note
"Hey, I saw this the other day and I thought that you might like it because to me It screams your name when i looked at it. I'm quite nervous about the meeting today. I hope all turns out well yea? I've got a feeling it should be a-okay :D... Hope you like this and i look forward to your next letter and our next meeting. Sincerely, Jing" Inside the box was a necklace. A necklace with a small cross-shaped glass pendent with red stones inside. I smiled. I loved the necklace as from young i've always liked crosses and Jing had once told me in a letter that he felt that Red was my colour because like red, i symbolised passion in the things that i do. I clutched the necklace in my hand and made a silent prayer to the great one above, thanking him for the very special day.
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