Oct. 30, 2003 - 22:18 MST

THE WONDERING JEW

No Question

It is possible I get a jump start on the day if I can make it to the sand box and get a glimpse in passing of that ridiculous old goat looking back at me from the mirror. He doesn't much like me either, judging from the look on his physiognomy. He is funny enough that my face cracks into a short grin and the realization that the caricature of an old man in the mirror is me doesn't really sink in until a brown transfusion takes hold a bit later. Something as pitiful looking as this semi-awake old man is hard to picture, so it is either laugh or cry and I hate for my cheeks to get wet.

Then comes the doubtful blessing of my morning newspaper. I must be careful in reading it so that the news as a whole doesn't disgust me to the point of nausea. There is always enough bad news isn't there ? Good news seldom makes headlines and usually shows up in small items buried mid-paper.

But in the real world news, humor begins to show through, I'll be reading an article, burst out laughing and say to my good old id, "He did what ?" "He said what ?" Some people and groups do the craziest things, at least to me they are crazy and as things get a little more bizarre they get screamingly laughable.

Just for instance. In the news of October 29 there is an article about this disbarred attorney, a Kansas preacher, who wants to install a six foot granite monument with a brass plaque saying that Matthew Shepard, who was gay, went to hell -- in Casper, Wyoming Matthew Shepard's home town. Not only that, he threatens to sue ! It is sad that such hate exists anywhere, that is true. But it makes me laugh to see Rev. Phelps making what I see is an ass of himself in front of God and the world.

An antidote for the urgh that is read in the newspaper are the comics at the back of the paper wherein each morning I see people in there I have known for a long time, doing the characteristic stupidities that most of us do at one time or another. I can read Crankshaft, or Hagar The Horrible, Pickles or the single panel Pluggers and see myself doing things I have done or recognize the actions of people I know. I can laugh at them and not hurt anyone's feelings.

There are the superdome eggheads who in all seriousness come out with what they think are explanations for whatever condition the world is in at the moment or advance highly touted plans that are so terribly thought out and unworkable that I think most anyone who reads them would giggle a bit. Check the difference in outlook of many economists. Even some "think tanks" surround their feet with their mouths at times.

I have an idea that humor is contagious. Sitting around the table, one person tells a joke which in turn reminds first one an then another at table of a good one to tell, and then wait their turn to tell one. I think a smile spreads good will much as a stone cast into a pond causes ripples.

A prosaic actvity can be dressed up a bit with humor, announcing to a mate, "Gonna go to the stupor market for fodder for the herd." Mate can reply, "Well watch out and keep a rein on your purse and don't overload the wagon." Things don't have to be dead serious all the time.

I don't think there is much use in producing laughter over something because of the thought that others expect it of one and they are manufacturing mirth too when to do so makes one feel just like one of the crowd. False laughter I think is easily detected by most of us.

Perhaps my viewpoint is slightly askew in that I can see the laughable in what others perceive as just ordinary. Seeing the laughable in oneself is difficult at the start, even harder it is to tell others. But what the heck, better to laugh at oneself by relaiting the incident rather than have folks snickering behind our back, thinking you don't know how stupidly funny your action was.

To smile or not to smile ? In my mind there is No Question . . . . . . . .

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