Sunday, December 14, 2014

Light and Laughter

When Vergil and Boppy brought Owen home from fishing today the child was so high that I susptected either Red Bull or meth. Or both.
He had such a good time with his Boppy and his Uncle Vergil. Just him and those guys. They did not even get a nibble but they went to Subway and got sandwiches and chips and soda and ate their late lunches on the bank of the lake where they fished with worms and minnows and he didn't have to share his beloved uncle or grandfather with anyone.

And he was happy.

He settled in here after they got back for awhile as I made supper and then we all gathered around the table and he wanted to tell me something. He whispered in my ear the thing they say at his school before they eat which goes something like, "Thank you, thank you. We all use our manners. Bon appetite, let's eat."
I whispered back, "You say it, darling."
"No," he said. "You do it."
"You help me," I said, and I sang the words as best I could with him prompting me.
He could not stop laughing and telling jokes. The word "butt" got used frequently. And then Boppy joined in and said something about "Panda Butt-fe."
Oh Lord.
Boys.
He chomped his carrot and ate his noodles and cracked joke after joke. Owen, that is.
Finally, in order to try and direct him to a more sane place I said, "What do you want to be when you grow up, Owen?"
"I want to make people laugh!" he said with a great deal of authority.
"You want to be a comedian?" I asked him.
"What's that?"
And I told him and he said, "YES!"

We were all giggling before the meal was over.
When he was getting ready to leave with Vergil and Jessie I told him, "Calm down, little boy," and he replied, "Calm down, little girl!"
What are you going to do?

Lily texted me when he got home. "What have you done with my child?"
And all I could tell her was that he was so very, very happy.
And she reported that he said to tell me to have a safe night with my husband and that he loved his Mer Mer so much!


In no segue whatsoever, let me say that when we go to Cozumel there is one little grocery store down by the military barracks where I always go to get my candles and my dish towels. When we were there last time I also bought a tiny knife to cut limes with and it probably cost four dollars and I use it every day. As I do the dish towels. 
Most of the candles I burn while we're there but a few I bring back for very, very special reasons. 

Tonight I am burning one of them. 

I don't really want to talk about it very much but if you have been here for awhile and know Kathleen, hold a very loving thought in your mind. Here is the post she wrote three days ago. It is very, very beautiful. 

As is she. 

May we all laugh, whether at butt jokes or the complete despair of human comedy. May we all know that in the end, the love we take is equal to the love we make. 

Amen. 

Let there be peace. 

10 comments:

  1. Ah Mary. Everything all at once. Just everything. And so much love.

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  2. This is why I love and am honored to know you: "May we all laugh, whether at butt jokes or the complete despair of human comedy."

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  3. Laughter is the best medicine, as the saying goes! And yes, it is the ideal response to the "human comedy," as you put it.

    I'm so glad Owen and Gibson have you two close at hand.

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  4. You are right in the thick of it. I love how you talk. I love how you write, but I love most how you talk to people, your loved ones, your family and friends and me sometimes. You are just full of so much sugar. Thinking of you and Kathleen.

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  5. Oh. Kathleen must be on the edge getting ready to fly. may she fly high.

    boys and their jokes. my son loved to tell jokes but he made his up. I'd look at him and say 'not funny'. once he asked me what made a joke funny and I couldn't tell him. just told him to keep trying. one day he told me a joke and I laughed. OK, that's funny I told him.

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  6. Beautiful. I love that you read to Kathleen every bit as important as soup. And I too adore Richard Feynman. Anyone with you as a mother friend is beyond lucky.

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  7. I love everything about you. I am holding you close in my thoughts. Sweet Jo

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  8. Angella- Well, we can't command the fates or stars, can we?
    Damn. I wish we could.
    Loving you. You know it.

    Elizabeth- And what could be more humanly comedic than butt jokes?

    Steve Reed- So are we.

    Bethany- Well, I am a southern woman, you know. Even if I don't drink sweat tea, i have been steeped in it. I adore you, woman. You know that.

    Ellen Abbott- Yes. One of the major milestones of growing up is "getting" humor. It is such a beautiful thing to observe as it happens.

    Rebecca- Anyone I choose to/get to be a mother to is someone who makes me lucky to love. That's the mother fucking truth.

    Sweet Jo- I am holding YOU close in my thoughts. Thank you, my dear woman friend.

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  9. Owen is going to be a card or perhaps already is one. That makes me smile even though I am sad about Kathleen. I hope that her journey is peaceful.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.