SOME MARVELOUS WORDS

Before I start, let me mention a couple of adventures I experienced today.

Lookie, lookie

I have been worried about Cookie, the tiny creature that lives in my bathroom.  I hadn't seen her for a while.

But last night, at midnight, she suddenly appeared, stretched to her half-inch length and glowing with an ebon brightness.

When she saw me, she went into a swirling dance, as if to tell me, in her own way, "Hi, Mr. Joe, it's me."

I wonder if she sees me as her God?

She settled down near me, knowing that I would not hurt her.

Two hours later, she was still there, but after a few more hours she returned to her snug little home under the wall molding.

Sleepy Time 

Early this morning, I had the most pleasant dream I have had for years.  I woke up smiling and refreshed.  I'm sorry but I can't tell you about the dream, it would be too embarrassing, even for an 88-year-old dude.  

(But, who cares anyway except me?)

Cussing

I tried not to curse in front of my kids and I never heard them cuss. (Their sainted mother never cursed even when she was frustrated about something.)

Being kids, I'm sure they cursed along with their friends, but I never heard it.

I have to admit that there are times when I let loose a torrent of bad words.  Such as when I hit my finger with a hammer or stub. my toe.

Early in my life I heard my grandfather curse, but he used the rather innocent curses like "damn," and "SOB."

When I was 8-years-old and entering 4th Grade, I suddenly heard curse words that I had never heard before and which disgusted my innocent psyche.  I vowed never to use such language and I adhered to that resolve ... somewhat.

A lot of religious people do not want to break one of the "10 Commandments," so they use "cover up" curses like: "Gee Whiz," "Gosh darn," and "Golly." (That fools God, right?)

Mark Twain said, "... under certain circumstances, profanity provides relief denied even to prayer."

Famous linguist John McWhorter has lectures about curses and "bad words," and has published "Nine Nasty Words." There are lots of other such books that eleven-years-olds can access on line, unless State "Do-gooders" dry up that access.

Comedian  George Carlin had a monologue about the "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television."  This was in 1972 and got him into a lot of trouble.

One of George's "Seven Words" ,,, reminds me of when I was commuting from New Bedford to Boston.  I think it was in Stoughton when a Drive-In-Movie put up an advertisement on top of a hill.

The sign could be seen from miles away, but only the large capital letters could be seen clearly.

The advertised movie was "Tall In The Saddle."

In addition to expletives, I must mention curses that one throws at enemies and other people.  This includes, of course, the "mano fico" and the curse thrown in "Rigoletto."

I like Yiddish curses like:

Meshugeh zolstu vern un orumloyfn iber dee gasn!

 (May you go crazy and run around the streets!)

Side note:  A haboob is the name of a violent dust and sand storm.  Such storms were once a frequent visitor to Sudan.  However, with the birth of the  "Dustbowl" and "Global Warming," such storms began to appear in the U.S.  

Prudish Americans thought that "haboob" was obscene and decided to call all such storms just "sand storms!"

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