create account

Challenge #02855-G298: You Don't Have to Learn by internutter

View this thread on: hive.blogpeakd.comecency.com
· @internutter ·
$1.94
Challenge #02855-G298: You Don't Have to Learn
![canstockphoto5381080.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/internutter/js1I7YKo-canstockphoto5381080.jpg)

> [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOXB7348RPk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOXB7348RPk) -- Escla

Humans love music. They love to make it, they love to have it. It punctuates their lives, helps them focus, lifts their mood, and even lulls them to sleep. It permeates their cultures and can even entertain multitudes.

It can also be highly invasive, annoying, and a form of psychological warfare, and Humans know this. Especially Human Jo, who has been captured by enemy forces and is now one among many bargaining chips in the escalating conflict. The enemy had thought things through. The walls were inedible, the ventilation shafts small, no protruding joining elements and no seams were present within the cell walls. Even the bathing facilities were impossible to sabotage. Health was monitored via a series of subtle scanners and the Human was under watch at all times.

Meals were regular, and nutritious if not flavourful. In fact, the enemy had made only one mistake. They let Human Jo have cutlery.

Prrrrip tick clap slap tikka tikka tak... The rhythm was not a match to any known music. Or at least, any music known to the captors. It grazed close to a few popular ditties, but veered away again into close-but-no-it-isn't unfamiliarity. As an artistic endeavour, it was amazing what a Human could do with two sporks and a lot of spare time on their hands.

As an endurance exercise...  it took a sum total of four minutes for Juman Jo to get on any given captor-guard's nerves. It was the loud and random POP of a specific maneuver that did it. They flinched, visibly, every single time. Of course Human Jo noticed this and tried to do the POP more often. However, unbeknownst to her captors, Jo actually had all the musical skill of a concussed whelk. Which only added to the randomness of the POPs and the near-misses of a recognisable tune.

Then... there was the _humming_.

Tuneless and as arrhythmic as the sporks, there were _moments_ when it came perilously close to matching something known, and _moments_ where it came within reaching distance of beauty, but those moments were fleeting and random. However, those moments were completely spoiled by the fact that the tune was _always_ out of sync with the percussion.

In the end, they paid the allies to take Human Jo _back_. It was one of their surrender terms.

Upon her return, her designated Companion asked, "When did you learn how to play the spoons?"

"I didn't," said Jo. "You don't have to know how to play _anything_ if the goal is to be annoying."

[Image <a href="https://www.canstockphoto.com">(c) Can Stock Photo / VIPDesignUSA</a>]

If you like my stories, please [Check out my blog and Follow me](https://peakd.com/@internutter). Or share them with your friends!

[Send me a prompt](http://www.internutter.org/bb/category/6/prompts) [69 remaining prompts!]

[Support me on Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/cmweller) / [Buy me a Ko-fi](https://ko-fi.com/cmweller)

[Check out the other stuff I'm selling](https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/CMWeller)
👍  , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and 333 others
properties (23)
authorinternutter
permlinkchallenge-02855-g298-you-don-t-have-to-learn
categoryfiction
json_metadata"{"app":"peakd/2020.10.9","format":"markdown","description":"It may take skill to play the fool, but nothing is required to play anything badly.","tags":["fiction","instantstory","amalgamuniverse","music","skill"],"users":["internutter"],"links":["https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOXB7348RPk","https://www.canstockphoto.com","/@internutter","http://www.internutter.org/bb/category/6/prompts","https://www.patreon.com/cmweller","https://ko-fi.com/cmweller","https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/CMWeller"],"image":["https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/internutter/js1I7YKo-canstockphoto5381080.jpg"]}"
created2020-11-02 22:22:45
last_update2020-11-02 22:22:45
depth0
children3
last_payout2020-11-09 22:22:45
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.980 HBD
curator_payout_value0.965 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length3,164
author_reputation469,051,013,284,858
root_title"Challenge #02855-G298: You Don't Have to Learn"
beneficiaries
0.
accountpeakd
weight500
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id100,366,136
net_rshares10,956,094,991,884
author_curate_reward""
vote details (397)
@poshbot ·
https://twitter.com/InterNutter/status/1323394636497391616
properties (22)
authorposhbot
permlinkre-challenge-02855-g298-you-don-t-have-to-learn-20201102t224051z
categoryfiction
json_metadata"{"app": "beem/0.24.8"}"
created2020-11-02 22:40:51
last_update2020-11-02 22:40:51
depth1
children0
last_payout2020-11-09 22:40:51
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.000 HBD
curator_payout_value0.000 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length58
author_reputation5,554,335,374,496
root_title"Challenge #02855-G298: You Don't Have to Learn"
beneficiaries[]
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id100,366,396
net_rshares0
@ryivhnn ·
> Jo actually had all the musical skill of a concussed whelk

I freaking LOVE your descriptions XD

<div class="pull-right">https://technonaturalist.net/sites/default/files/styles/sensible_display/public/art/2019/09/heartfyn_0.png?itok=QHDoN0HE</div>
👍  
properties (23)
authorryivhnn
permlinkre-internutter-qj7hs2
categoryfiction
json_metadata{"tags":["fiction"],"app":"peakd/2020.10.9"}
created2020-11-03 05:55:18
last_update2020-11-03 05:55:18
depth1
children1
last_payout2020-11-10 05:55:18
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.000 HBD
curator_payout_value0.000 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length250
author_reputation210,735,960,566,945
root_title"Challenge #02855-G298: You Don't Have to Learn"
beneficiaries[]
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id100,370,140
net_rshares145,922,777,341
author_curate_reward""
vote details (1)
@internutter ·
Concussed whelks are my avatar of choice for metrics of incompetence and it's hilarious every time.
properties (22)
authorinternutter
permlinkre-ryivhnn-qj8fyj
categoryfiction
json_metadata{"tags":["fiction"],"app":"peakd/2020.10.9"}
created2020-11-03 17:54:18
last_update2020-11-03 17:54:18
depth2
children0
last_payout2020-11-10 17:54:18
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.000 HBD
curator_payout_value0.000 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length99
author_reputation469,051,013,284,858
root_title"Challenge #02855-G298: You Don't Have to Learn"
beneficiaries[]
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id100,377,016
net_rshares0