Late night thoughts on elephants...

I've been remembering scenes with my sister Esther when we were teens:

The code words, said in a deeply despairing tone, "Today I feel like such a toad...,"

brought on the invariable answering response, "It could be worse..."

And so began the oneupmanship of slowly contriving progressively worse things that could have been or might have happened on such a "toady" day.

But it wasn't a guilt-laden experience of wallowing through all of the world's woes and trying to feel grateful that you are carrying your bucket of them rather than someone else's. It usually began that way, but it ended more like a lark -- a hilarious promenade down a doomsday road that only could be traveled by Murphy.

And the crowning statement that always sent us into gales of laughter: "It could be worse...you could have an elephant sitting on your head!"
(This MUST be said in all seriousness, with very matter-of-fact foreboding, for the desired effect.)

Somehow, once we got to the elephant, the game was up.

Who wouldn't feel better, knowing that she, once again, had escaped that blasted elephant? :)

[photo by Michael Graham Richard]