Can we talk?

I am back. Today is not quite that funny but something rather funny struck me on Saturday afternoon. We had the first Seder, the family dinner marking the beginning of Passover and telling the story of the Exodus of my people from slavery in Egypt (for those of you keeping score, thanks for coming out.) at my in laws house (or is that outlaws?). As is usual, my wife is the one that is leaned upon to really help out and cook and stuff. I am pretty useless at that, but I think that it is more by design. I am at my best when I am able to sit back and crack jokes at everything and everybody.

As is usual, we have to go there for about four or five, though nobody really shows up until six and my mother in law is driven by her anxiety about being late, is always prepared. It means I have to sit at my in laws, with my thumb up my ass, for a few hours. This is where the funny observation occurred.

We get there and I feel like a cup of coffee. I walk into the kitchen and see my mother in law has fixed herself one, which is good because it is her house. She is having an instant coffee in a styrofoam cup. She does this often. She does this so that she can feel like she is out in a nice place having a coffee.

I am struck by two things. One, what nice place is serving instant coffee? I mean I crack up going into old diners that do not brew decaf and sell/serve Sanka. I want to go OUT for instant fucking coffee?? Okay that is chuckle part one but the best one is what "nice" place is using the good bone white styrofoam cups? I guess it gives her the feeling of being in one of the finer donut shops, though even they are using paper cups these days.

As I said, I just find it all funny in a quirky sort of way.

Even better was listening to my father in law talk of his blood thinner medication and the bruising that sometimes occurs. He was telling this to his nephew, brother in law and the nephew's fiance. My question is at what age is that we start to tell anybody within earshot about our medical issues and stories. I was almost shocked he did not start to get into the story of his ass doctor appointments and the removal of his colon polyps. Oh the best part is he says to his nephew, as if he is thinking better of telling his medical stories, "I shouldn't say anything. I don't want to embarrass you."

I am not too sure who was embarrassed at that point. I just wanted to howl and make my wise ass retorts, but I figured the point would be missed so I kept my mouth shut, with tears in eyes as I had to bite my tongue, literally. The question was asked, in jest I believe, about blood thickeners. I did say they just add pectin to the blood or a slurry of water and corn starch. That way your blood can have the consistency of the sauces used in Chinese cuisine.

I am thinking that my father in law is at that stage in life where he no longer censors his thoughts. He just says whatever he is thinking. It is a rather funny window into somebody's mind. Then again, I really do wish that he would roll down that damn shade and draw those curtains. There are just some things that people, me, just do not want to see.

We had the second Seder at my mother's house last night. That was interesting. It is nice to see my aunt, unlce, cousins and their spouses and children. Isn't that a warm thought? Well the conversation came around to nude beaches. My cousin's wife had the same thing to say that I observed while in Europe and Greece (as if Greece is not in Europe) back in 1986. I was wandering a nude beach on the island of Santorini and found myself struck by something. Why is it that people I find on nude beaches, partaking in the sun in the nude, are the people who I think should be wearing clothes? To put it another way, why were those in the nude the ones that I least wanted to see naked? My cousin's wife said the same thing, so I am wondering if it is a universal truth. If it is, we are scraping the barrel of what constitutes universal truths, heaven help mankind then.

Well, that is all for today. Thanks for checking in. Ciao.