What's the use?
If my house and car required as much maintenance and attention that my body does, I would not own them. If I had to wash my house and car as often as society demands that I bathe my body I would blow them to smithereens and laugh while doing it. If I had to mow my yard as often as I have to get my hair(s) cut and shave I would turn it into an alligator farm and sell the hides for shoes and the meat to Hardees.
Ben Franklin is quoted as saying, "Anything worth doing is worth doing well." I don't agree with Ben concerning many aspects of life. I do many things just to get them behind me and I don't necessarily care if they are done well or not. I ascribe to the Snuffy Smith philosophy about roof repair: "When it is raining I can't fix it and if it ain't raining, there is no need to." Lately I have adopted the attitude of "What's the use?"
What's the use of making my bed? On the farm where I grew, we lived in a two-story, white clapboard house. There were two bedrooms upstairs one of which was occupied by "The Killer" our sister, and brother and I cohabited the other. No one and I mean no one ever climbed those stairs but we three. Well mom and dad did on occasion, mom to bring the hose and rake for us to clean our room and dad to wield his considerable presence to quell the riots that occurred when brother and I had some disagreement or were slow to sleep. There was no need to make our bed and we didn't. I still don't see the need. After all, in the words of General MacArthur, "I shall return" or Arnold Schwarzenegger, "I'll be back," in a few hours. BW insists so I let her.
What's the use of washing clothes? A laundry hamper is the most magical appurtenance in our house. I can put foul, fetid, festering, fuming clothing in there and by magic it reappears in my closet or neatly stacked clean and ready to wear again. My point is why wash them? They just get dirty again. It seems so futile.
What's the use of cleaning the kitchen? I am on permanent KP and long to be free. When our daughters complained about kitchen duties the Admiral, me, passed a regulation that everyone must either help prepare the meal or serve as KP clean up after the meal. No exceptions, including me. I wanted to serve as a role model for them. They grew up graduated from college and established their own households and families many years ago. I can't get that regulation rescinded, abrogated or exculpated. Every day I am at my station on KP cleaning, loading, washing, wiping, and emptying the trash. What's the use? The next day I have it to do all over again. I need some relief. The Israelites in Egypt cried out for deliverance as do I.
Larry grew up north of Calvertville on a farm and graduated from Worthington High School. He lives in Plainfield and can be reached at Goosecrick@aol.com or (317) 839-7656. Write him at 6860 Sunrise Drive, Plainfield, Ind., 46168. He has written five books.
- -- Posted by sassy12 on Sun, Aug 8, 2010, at 9:45 AM
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