Promissory estoppel is now a mature doctrine

Promissory estoppel is now a mature doctrine â€Å"Promissory estoppel is now a mature doctrine. Its role is to mitigate some of the harshness of the doctrine of consideration by protecting those who reasonably rely on promises. Its full potential can only be reached if the court permits its use not merely as a shield, but as a sword, where appropriate. The decision of the Court of Appeal in Baird Textile Holdings Ltd v Marks and Spencer plc [2001] therefore represents a missed opportunity to clarify and modernise the law. Promissory estoppel is an important tool in equity to create fairness within contract law. It deals specifically with consideration, which as a doctrine holds the parties that have entered into a contract to which they both intend to be bound. Therefore the parties must have the capacity to be bound to the contract; as well as the intention to be bound by the contract. There must be a value to amount to consideration, which does not necessarily have to be monetary[1]. Consideration can be a right, interest, service, benefit to one party and sufficient detriment to the other party. [2] Consideration does not have to be equal on both sides; one party may only leave a nominal amount of consideration[3] As long as there is sufficient intention and the terms are not vague then the law will not get involved in business dealings; therefore the courts will infer intention[4]; as long as the consideration for that particular business dealing illustrates that there is sufficient consideration. [5] Insufficient consideration is any act where the duty is already imposed by law or a valid contractual duty. However, there are exceptions to the rules, because consideration at times can be deemed as far too harsh. The case of Williams v Roffey Bros[6] held that consideration could be inferred in a pre-existing contractual duty if there was further consideration that could be inferred. For example this case recognized that the contractor would be subject to a significant late charge, if he did not re-negotiate his contract with the subcontractor to finish on time. Therefore the renegotiation of the pre-existing duty saved the contractor a loss of money, which the courts held as sufficient consideration. However, in the case of paying a partial debt there can never be consideration. The rule in Pinnel’s Case[7] was confirmed in the case of Foakes v Beer[8] where it was held that part payment of a debt could be held as consideration because there was an existing contractual duty. The rule in Pinnel’s Case is that promissory estoppel is an invalid action when it comes to the part payment of debt, unless it is paid in full and benefits both parties. The reasoning behind this is that p art payment of debt is inequitable because the person who is supposed to benefit from the consideration is put at a detriment and therefore defeats on of the central tenants of consideration, which one party is at a sufficient benefit whilst the other party is at a sufficient detriment. There are circumstances where promissory estoppel is possible in regards to a reduced payment of a price or fee. The case of Central London Property Trust v High Trees House Ltd[9] is such a case, because the political and social environment was drastically changed. The two parties where a property owner and a business tenant, who then leased the property as flats to other individuals residentially. An agreed business tenancy price came into question during WWII, because of the bombings in London the situation made it impossible for the renter to pay the whole rent due to the bombing and lack of tenants. Here equity stepped and promissory estoppel was used, because it would be unfair to make the rent er pay the whole rental amount due to the circumstances. In addition the agreement by the property owner to accept less due to the WWII inferred intention, because otherwise the landlord would receive no rent because the renter would have vacated the premises; and no other businesses would have taken up the tenancy during the war. This is a very specific scenario, where WWII could have amounted to frustration of the contract, because the war would have made it impossible for the renter to satisfy the contract and an act of war is outside his ambit of control. After the High Trees case the courts extended the doctrine of promissory estoppel in the case partial full partial payment of a debt; however if it were revealed that the re-negotiation was due was an action of duress that forced the creditor to agree to the new credit agreement then equity could not step in with the doctrine of promissory estoppel. One such case that illustrates that equity will only aid those with clean hands is the case of D C Builders v Rees[10] where Rees discerned that the building company was in financial distress and tried to use this to her advantage by offering a smaller payment in full or nothing. This amounted to duress, because the knowledge that Rees had of the problems that D C Builders were facing was used as a sword against a fair and equitable outcome. The key factor that surrounds the doctrine of Promissory Estoppel is that it originates out of equity and aims to create a just outcome, as in the High Trees Case. In the case of D C Builders the use of Promissory Estoppel was for unjust purposes and equity could not aid Rees, because an injustice would occur. High Trees is the case that the modern doctrine of Promissory Estoppel has developed from; however it was the Hughes Case that the doctrine originated from, where a landlord’s actions gave the tenant contrary belief in the events surrounding a notice to repair. Tool Metal Manufacturing Co Ltd v Tungsten Electric Co Ltd[11] case allows for suspension of payment to be reverted back to active payment as long as reasonable notice is given. This also means with the reasonable notice that the creditor can also receive compensation for the suspended payments; therefore ensuring that there is not a case of part payment of debt, because the interest can keep running. The only exception to this is an agreement of an early settlement, with a lump sum that is considered reasonable by both parties. The Tool Metal Case and the Hughes Case point to the doctrine of promissory estoppel being a shield and not a sword of equitable justice, because it believes that consideration plays an essential part of contract law. To eradicate the harshness of consideration may allow individual like Rees in the D C Builders Case to use Promissory Estoppel for unfair and unjust purposes. However, the High Trees Case that is the key case for the modern doctrine of Promissory Estoppel seems to be pointing in a different direction, i.e. that the doctrine is a sword against the harshness of consideration. In this case WWII made it impossible for the original contract to be kept to, hence the parties re-negotiated during this period. The case of Coombe v Coombe[12] argued that the doctrine in High Trees could not be identified as a sword against the doctrine of consideration; rather it can only be used as a defense to an action and in the interests of justice. The cases of Re Wyven Developments[13] an d Evenden v Guildford City AFC[14] argued that Coombe v Coombe was incorrect and that the doctrine of Promissory Estoppel could be used as a sword; as well as a shield if justice and equity dictated. The Coombe approach makes sense by ensuring that the rules surrounding contract law are upheld and ensuring that certainty in contracts remain; otherwise there would be a mass confusion where courts could get too involved in business contracts. English law is based on a laissez faire system, where business dealings should be free from the ministrations of parliament and the courts; as long as just and both parties were capable to enter the contract. As Mitchell argues, parties enter a contract with specific expectations and to turn these upside down would be a breach a fundamental principle of contract law: While we could dismiss this as assimilating reasonable expectation with contractual rights, and therefore making the appeal to reasonable expectation redundant, it is clear that many appeals to reasonable expectation rely upon an institutional or contract law-based source for such expectations. Reiter and Swan, for example, write that '[t]he assumption is that the fundamental purpose of contract law is the protection and promotion of expectations reasonably created by contract'. If 'contract' here is taken in a legal, rather than a social sense, then the utility of reasonable expectations as a counter-contractual reference point is in danger of disappearing.[15] Therefore in the light of the essential principles of contract law and the doctrine of consideration the decision of Baird v MS[16] would have been the correct decision, otherwise there would be a free for all for parties to argue that the contract is unjust and flagrant actions of Promissory Estoppel would occur. However, Promissory Estoppel would still remain as a defense in cases where the situation dictated that there would be an unjust outcome if the contract was upheld in its present form. The case of Baird v M S, Baird used Promissory Estoppel as an action to enforce what Baird classed as an unwritten contract. In other words Baird was arguing that the long term relationship between the two created a reasonable expectation that there was an ongoing business relationship, which could only be altered or terminated with reasonable notice; as per the Tool Metal Case. The Court of Appeal however decided against this approach, because the reason that M S did not enter a written co ntractual agreement was for flexibility and the option of changing suppliers if market forces dictated this route. Also the Court of Appeal stated that the lack of a (legal) contract was determinative for the court. The estoppel claim was also thought likely to fail, since estoppel cannot be used to create a cause of action. It was remarked that, despite the close relationship between the parties, 'businessmen must be taken to be aware that, without specific contractual protection, their business may suffer in consequence.[17] However, this argument seems to be very one-sided, because as with the High Trees Case the situation in Baird v M S does indicate that there was intention to create some form of business and contractual relationship that benefited both parties. In fact the long history of Baird supplying the goods could be inferred as terms and conditions of the contract; however the lack of a written contract seems to be an excuse for the Court of Appeal to open up Prom issory Estoppel as an action; as opposed to just a defense. Therefore, as Mitchell argues the decision in Baird v M S could be taken either way because both sides were arguing certainty of contracts and reasonable expectation; however the determining factor not to find a contract was because of public policy reasons NOT to make Promissory Estoppel a cause of action (a Sword) and open the floodgates to further actions: One can see how a 'reasonable expectations' argument can be used to support Baird or M S, but each relies on a different basis for the reasonable expectation. Baird will have non-contractual reasonable expectations concerning the parties' mutual obligations, based upon their experience of the previous thirty years. M S, on the other hand, have reasonable expectations based on their strict legal rights, and supported in the judgement, that there is no contract and hence the relationship can be terminated at will-an institutional interpretation of reasonable expectation†¦ This result does not support the attempt to make contract law more sensitive to the social dimension of agreement-making, but undermines it by privileging the legal framework in the resolution of the dispute.[18] Bibliography: J. Beatson (2002) Anson’s Law of Contract 28th Edition, Oxford University Press Hooley (1991) Consideration and Existing Duty JBL 19-35 David Kelly, Ann Holmes Ruth Hayward (2002) Business Law 4th Edition, Cavendish Ewan McIntyre, (2004) Business Law, Longman McKendrick, 2005, Contract law, text, cases and materials, second edition, Oxford University Press Mitchell, 2003, Leading a Life of its own? The Roles of Reasonable Expectation in Contract Law, OJLS 23 639 Stallworthy (1994) Case Comment: Variation of Contracts, ICCR 5(7) Chris Turner (2004) Unlocking Contract Law, Hodder Arnold Footnotes [1] Currie v Misa (1875) LR 10 Ex 15 [2] Combe v Combe (1951) 2 KB 215 [3] Chappell Co Ltd v Nestle Co Ltd (1960) AC 87; Mountford v Scott (1975) [4] White v Bluett (1853) 23 LJ Ex 36 [5] Collins v Godefroy (1831) 109 ER 1040 [6] [1991] 1 QB 1 [7] (1602) 5 Co Rep 117a [8] (1884) 9 App Cas 605 [9] [1947] KB 130 [10] [1966] 2 KB 617 [11] [1955] 1 WLR 761 [12] [1951] 2 KB 215 [13] [1974] 1 WLR 1097 [14] [1975] QB 917 [15] Mitchell, 2003, Leading a Life of its own? The Roles of Reasonable Expectation in Contract Law, OJLS 23 639 [16] [2001] unreported [17] Mitchell, 2003, Leading a Life of its own? The Roles of Reasonable Expectation in Contract Law, OJLS 23 639 [18] Mitchell, 2003, Leading a Life of its own? The Roles of Reasonable Expectation in Contract Law, OJLS 23 639

Contemporary Art Essays -- Post-Modernity Post Modernity

Contemporary Art: Dealing with Post-Modernity − †Art worlds consist of all the people whose activities are necessary to the production of the characteristic works which that world, and perhaps others as well, define as art. †¦ By observing how an art world makes those distinctions rather than trying to make them ourselves we can understand much of what goes on in that world.... The basic unit of analysis, then, is an art world.† - Howard Becker (Art Worlds) Postmodernism deconstructs Modernism like Modernism deconstructed art Like the Simpson's episode that explained Po-Mo as â€Å"weird for the sake of weird†, Postmodernism accepted the philosophy â€Å"art for the sake of art†. A very free and democratic practice, a natural response to the inhibiting Modernist intelligentsia. So radical is this notion that it was banned in China during the Mao rule. Art after Modernism became free to reference anything or nothing at all. It no longer needed a meaning or idea. It does not mean, however, that Postmodernism itself is free of Ideology. It is a reaction to Modernism. It analyses and comments on it. Postmodernism rejects meta-narratives of history, culture, and national identity that were present in Modernist art. It rejects totalizing theories that are to explain the way people act and the way the universe works, like the Freudian or Marxist views that science can explain society. It rejects the concept of cultural unity, of equality, and the view that one person can speak on behalf of humanity. Postmodernist art is skeptical of late capitalism and the technological industrial progression. It critiques the concept of â€Å"individualism†, and encourages people to consider multiple identities. It embraces the concept of mul... ... the linear narrative of art history. Works Cited: Baudillard, Jean. â€Å"The Precession of Simulacra†. Translated by Paul Foss and Paul Patton. New York: 1983. Danto, Arthur. â€Å"The Journal of Philosophy†. Vol. 61, No. 19. American Philosophical Association Eastern Division Sixty-First Annual Meeting. (Oct. 15, 1964). pp. 571- 584. Accessed online, 05/10/08. Howard Becker. â€Å"Art Worlds†. Berkeley, CA: Univ. of California Press, 1982 Irvine, Martin. â€Å"Lectures, Essays, and Seminar Notes†. Georgetown University. Accessed online, 05/11/08. Jameson, Frederick. "Marxism and the Historicity of Theory." New Literary History Accessed online, 05/12/08. /StructuralistMarxism/Jameson/Jameson.htm>

Researching the Asian American Culture Essay -- Cultural Identity Essay

Researching the Asian American Culture There are fundamental differences between Eastern and Western cultures and the meeting of these cultures has had several effects, both in Asia and here in the US. Overseas, you can see the juxtaposition of American pop culture on the older modes of Asian thought and society. Here, New Age religions find new excuses in Asian religions and philosophies and Anime is appears regularly on Saturday morning cartoons. Often, this juxtaposition becomes turbulent as the younger generations are caught between two seemingly opposing cultures. As a result, crime rates rise with the integration of Western ideals and culture into Asian society. This is true here in America too as the first generation of Asian-Americans are born and brought up by Asian parents, with Asian thinking, in American society and culture. This conflict manifests itself in our history as a nation as well as in modern universities and businesses. Historically, the United States has not been kind to Asian immigrants and until as late as 1965, legal discrimination against Asians has been an accepted part of American culture. In the mid-nineteenth century, Chinese immigrants began to come to the United States in response to the gold rush in California. By 1852, over 20,000 Chinese had emigrated to the United States. Many of these would end up working on the Transcontinental Railroad as contract laborers. Local groups demanded, however, that the flow of emigration be stopped and in 1858, a law was passed that barred the Chinese from entering. This began a series of laws and treaties with China and Japan that would govern Asian emigration to the US. In 1868, Chinese emigration is reopened as a result of the Burlingame... ...ginning to result in more and more first and second generation Americans in the business and professional world. More and more Asian doctors, always a popular profession, can be seen today. The recent dot com craze similarly resulted in a disproportionate number of Asians heading up companies, although this has yet to manifest itself in the larger corporations. (no hard data on this, but I could probably find some if you need) However, Asians are rapidly becoming a greater force in American culture as the proportion of educated Asian-Americans rises. Despite small numbers, they begin to have more and more influence in the business and professional worlds as well as academics. They are an interesting group, however, caught between two extremely different cultures as they seek to strike a balance between the ideals of their parents and the world they live in.

Excessive Dependence on Homework in American Schools Essays -- Teachin

Excessive Dependence on Homework in American Schools "I didn’t feel [stressed] until I was in my 30’s. It hurts my feelings that my daughter feels that way at eleven" (Ratnesar 313). This statement describes the intense issue facing the American Education System today. More and more students are spending a lot of out of school time on enormous amounts of homework. The overabundance of homework is putting pressure on the students, along with their parents. Our nation has steadily focused on after school studying to the point of possible exhaustion. In this paper, I will attempt to explain how educators are relying on homework as the major form of education, and how the amounts are too demanding on the students. The emphasis on homework has slowly escalated since the launch of Sputnik in the 1950’s (Ratnesar 313). "Sputnik" was a Russian satellite sent into outer space in 1957. The Russians, not Americans, were the first nation to send a satellite into orbit. This caused a nationwide frenzy. Law-makers were inclined to focus on math and science because of the threat of soviet "soviet wiz kids" (Ratnesar 313). As the 1970’s approached homework declined once again, but soon we emphasized it to its highest level of importance. According to research done by the University of Michigan, elementary school students in 1981 spent forty-four minutes a week on homework. Sixteen years later 9-12 year olds had an increase of almost two more hours a week (Ratnesar 313). A 1983 government report, A Nation at Risk, caught the attention of the American Education System. The article explained the failings of the American school. It explained how education is declining, and teachers need to get tough on their students again. This prompted... ...ould be a sufficient amount, increasing 10 minutes each year, beginning in the first grade (Cooper 317). After studying the issue of homework, and the teacher’s influence upon it, I’ve come to realize homework may be overused in today’s educational system. I feel teachers are depending too much on outside education and not enough on in-class learning. Also, I believe the United States Government needs to develop a "homework standard". Educators in general need to come together and encourage students to learn in the classroom, and spend less time out of school doing countless hours of busy work. Teachers must look at the best interests of the students and base learning on communication in the classroom. Works Cited Considine, Jeana "The Homework Ate My Family" Cooper, Harris "The Homework Ate My Family" Ratnesar, Romesh "The Homework Ate My Family"

If I Could Change 3 Things About Myself Essay

Yes, maybe you will say:†Hey! That’s not enough! I need MORE! † but what are the three most importance things that you decide to change? If I could change three things about myself, I think first and foremost, I would change my desirous of food-ness. I got the stomach ache-ness when I was at Japan and tried not to eat so much. Well, to late for regrets now! I am eating now and just ate some ice-cream just now and ate fish chops for dinner. Well, good luck to me! Secondly, I would like to change my laziness. I had been pretty darn lazy through my whole life until now. Except for the time when my sister who is older than me by a year got to go to school and petty little me didn’t get to go. So, I got so interested in learning that I read ALL of my sister’s textbooks. And ever since my sister knew that I knew   that she was learning, made up a lame excuse and threw her homework to me and went to play some stupid computer game like†¦ MINES. Because she doesn’t know how to play it, she just simply pushes some buttons. But now, I inherited her laziness and she inherited my hardworkingness and it’s the other way round than the time we were kids. Lastly, I would like to change the fact that I don’t really have any talents. I’m suck in studying, not really good in sports. I would want my talents to be: singing, dancing and acting. So, I could just be a pop star when I grow up. Well, it’s really nice to be a star, you know, with people fan boy and fan girling you. You just sing, which you awesomely have HUGE talent at and you get tons of money for just ONE song you sing! It would be such an awesome life! Well, its probably pretty obvious that nobody is going to magically materialize from thin air and grant those for me. So seems like I would just need to keep working at it.

Financial Planning and Forecasting Essay

We have also provided comprehensive documentation on the templates so that you do not need to guess or figure out how we implemented the models. All our template models are only in black and white color. We believe this is how a professional financial template should look like and also that this is the easiest way for you to understand and use the templates. All the input fields are marked with the ‘*’ symbol for you to identify them easily. Whether you are a financial analyst, investment banker or accounting personnel. Or whether you are a student aspiring to join the finance world or an entrepreneur needing to understand finance, we hope that you will find this package useful as we have spent our best effort and a lot of time in developing them. ConnectCode Pg iii Financial Planning and Forecasting Version 1. 0 1. 1. 1 Financial Planning and Forecasting Pro Forma Financial Statements Financial statements projections and forecasting are very common in corporate financial analysis. The reason is that it is very useful and important to forecast how much financing a company will require in future years. The projections are achieved by using historical sales, accounting data and assumptions on future sales and costs. These financial statements projections are known financial modeling as Pro Forma financial statements. 1. 2 Financial Statements Modeling This spreadsheet provides a template for financial statements forecasting. It requires simple financial statements inputs from the past 5 years and will automatically generate all the necessary Pro Forma Financial Statements projections outputs. The following diagram illustrates the process of using this template for financial statements forecasting.

The Fall of the City

These were rounded by humbler dwellings made from matchboxes and the covers of exercise books. The streets and alleys were full of nobles, peasants and soldiers, their two- dimensional bodies scissors from paper, theirs faces and clothing drawn in crayon and lead pencil. From the turreted roof of the palace, hung a green, white and gold atrocious, the flag of the Kingdom of Pauli Somber gray eyes glinted in teddy's pale, triangular face. He shoved his hands deeper in the pockets of his worn khaki shorts. He decided that what he heard was not the rattle of rain on the roof and window, but the muffled roar of distant cannon.The armies of the Emperor Gang of Donovan were attacking the fortifications on the Upland frontier! Teddy inhaled deeply and held his breath, his thin chest pressing against his sweat shirt. His Majesty King Theodore l, resplendent In the red and black uniform of a generalissimo, emerged on the balcony of his winter palace In Thoroughbred, capital of the Kingdom of Pauli. Through the square below rode squadrons of lancers, dragoons and hussars, batteries of horse artillery; behind them marched regiments of infantry. Grasping the diamond-studded hilt of his sword. King Theodore watched his army march out to give battle to the enemy.This would be the third war between Donovan and Pauli. The first had been fought in the year 2032 and had ended in the defeat of the Emperor Gang and his imprisonment on the Isle of Hawks. But he had escaped through the treachery of Kill, Duke of Enders, a general In the upland army, and In 2043 the Donovan had invaded Pauli a second time, aided by the renegade force under the command of Kill. This time, they conquered Thoroughbred and massacred the populace before being routed by King Theodore. On the day of victory, the Duke of Enders was roughs to Thoroughbred in chains and hanged in the city square.The Emperor Gang was as evil and cunning as the If Munch about whom Teddy had read in books. Tow, astride a black wa r-horse, he directed his troops as they besieged For Lion on the Ocarina River. Hopelessly outnumbered, the defenders rallied behind their commander, Duke Lanai of Carla, and prayed for the coming of King Theodore . . . â€Å"Teddy! † FIFO He opened the door. Mien? † he called sulkily. â€Å"Come down here this minute and get ready for supper! How many times do I have to call you? † â€Å"Okay, okay, I'm coming'! † -?And be quick about it! † â€Å"I'm coming', I told huh! She stood in the hall, a tall, stooped woman with tired, suspicious eyes. â€Å"Seems to me that you're spending a lot of time in that attic. † She wiped red, swollen hands on her apron. Mimi been into some mischief up there? † He shrugged impatiently. â€Å"I anti been doing' nothing' -? Just playing',† he told her sullenly. â€Å"Well, young man, you better wipe that scowl off your face and march to the bathroom and get ready for supper. † miss, ma'am,à ¢â‚¬  he enunciated carefully. During supper, he was scarcely aware of what he ate; he was so deep in thought hat his pork chop tasted no different from his whipped cream and Jell.Mechanically, he obeyed his aunt when she told him to take smaller bites and to take his elbows off the table. He was pondering on the tactics that would have to be used by King Theodore in relieving the siege of the fort by the river. If the Upland army crossed the Tableland marshes, they might succeed in encircling the Donovan, but there was the risk that their cannon would founder in the morass. On the other hand, if they scaled the Theodore mountains †¦ â€Å"Look what you're doing, for heaven's sake! † His aunt glared at him. Don't say ‘huh† when you answer me. Look what you've done!You've spilled cream all over yourself. † Blushing, he rubbed at his sweat shirt with a paper napkin. â€Å"He's got his head in the clouds again. † His uncle laughed mirthlessly. â₠¬Å"Half the time, he doesn't know whether he's living on earth or on Mars. † Out of the corner of his eye, Teddy looked at his uncle's round, florid face and reflected on the resemblance to Kill, Duke of Enders. â€Å"Well, he'd better smarten up if he knows what's good for him,† his aunt grated. â€Å"If he doesn't, I know something that will smarten him,† his uncle said. He laughed gain and reached for another helping of potatoes.Behind him, cloudy white marbles of rain slid down the window. Suddenly, a cold shiver ran down Teddy's spine. What if the Donovan attacked Thoroughbred while the king and his army were in the mountains? Old Gang was cunning as a serpent. If .. â€Å"He spent most of the afternoon in the attic,† his aunt said. His uncle gave him a disdainful look. â€Å"He Just about lives up there, doesn't he? † miss. I think it's about time that one of us went up there and found out what he's been doing. † â€Å"No! † Teddy cried sharply. His uncle laid down his knife and fork. Look here mister, I don't like your tone of voice.Have you been up to some of your monkey-shines up there? Mimi better not be, not if you want to be able to sit down the rest of the week. † The man resumed eating. â€Å"After supper, I'll take a look and see Just what you have been doing,† he said. As his aunt gathered up the dishes, his uncle went into the living room and sat down in his easy chair to read his newspaper. Teddy sat by the window and looked out at the rain. The sodden grass of the lawn had turned a darker green and foaming rivers of rainwater ran down the street. He shut his eyes. Here in the kitchen, he loud not hear the strumming of the rain on the roof.There was no rumble of Donovan cannon. He frowned and rested his chin in an upturned palm. Anyhow, the cannon were only playthings: scraps of cardboard held together with cellophane tape. What did it matter if his uncle saw them, or even destroyed them? But it did matter. Thoroughbred had been growing for a year and , often, it seemed more real that the town, the street and the home in which he lived with his uncle and aunt. Muffed better get at your homework. You won't get it done by sitting there mooning out the window,† his aunt told him. Mien. He fetched exercise books and spread them on the table.His aunt and uncle did not mean to be cruel, he knew. From time to time, by their acts and words, they showed that they were fond of him. Twice that summer, his uncle had taken him trout fishing and on both occasions there had been something subtly warm between them. And sometimes he detected a hint of affection in his aunt's voice even as she nagged him. But . His uncle stood in the doorway between kitchen and living room, his shoulders shaking with laughter. Muffed never guess what that kid has been doing up there! † He shook his head in ender and amusement. Teddy flushed and stiffened.His aunt turned from the sink where she was drying the last of the supper dishes. â€Å"What's he been up to, now? † mound never believe it, but that great big lummox has been playing with paper dolls! † â€Å"Paper dolls! † his aunt laughed dubiously. â€Å"They anti paper dolls,† Teddy mumbled. He pushed his chair back from the table and stood up. â€Å"They looked pretty much like paper dolls to me. Paper dolls and doll houses. And eleven-year-old boy! † The man choked, trying to restrain his laughter. â€Å"The next thing we know, you'll be wanting us to put skirts on you! † l never heard of such a thing.Paper dolls! † â€Å"They anti dolls, I told you! † Teddy's fists were clenched, his arms stiff by his sides, his voice shaking. His uncle pointed a warning finger. â€Å"Don't get saucy now, mister. I know paper dolls when I see ‘me. † Once again he burst into laughter. His cheeks were the color of a tomato. â€Å"Sit down and finish your homework, Teddy,† his aunt said. To his surprise, her voice was not harsh: it contained a suggestion of weary sympathy. He resumed his returned to the living room and picked up his newspaper. Paper dolls! His uncle had said that he should be dressed in skirts and hair boons.And he could never explain; they would never let him explain. Theodore, King of Pauli, and all his armies -? paper dolls! He slumped, doodling on the paper before him so that his aunt would think he was working. Yes, they were paper dolls. There was no king Theodore, no Emperor Gang, no Thoroughbred, no Pauli, no Donovan. There was only an attic full of preposterous cardboard buildings and ridiculous paper people. It was still daylight when he finished his homework. The rain had stopped, but water still poured from the elms along the street.When Teddy went through the paving room, his uncle did not speak, but he glanced up from his newspaper and grinned slyly. The boy was blushing to the roots of this hair as he opened the hall door and started up the stairs. The city was as he had left it. Yet everything had changed. Always before when he had come here, his flesh had tingled, his eyes had shone with excitement. Now there was only a taste like that of a spoilt nutmeat. He bent and seized the cardboard palace. Gritting his teeth and grunting, he tore at its walls. The corrugated board was sturdy: he was crying by the time he finished tearing it to shreds.