Thursday, April 16, 2026

 


Blog #475                                April 16, 2026

 

Have you ever gone into a car dealer and bought the first car the salesman showed you?  Well, that’s how my wife feels when the hostess leads us to a table at a restaurant.  It’s obviously the worst table, the one they want to fill because it is somehow flawed, and the hostess must think we are ignorant losers who will accept a horrible table.  Therefore, the first table offered is never acceptable.  Never!  I hope they have round tables in Heaven, because, if not, she’s going somewhere else.

 

Last weekend, we had finished dinner (at the second table they offered us) and it was time to pay the bill.  There were five people and coupons for two free entrees and the ensuing confusion of how to allocate the free entrees reached Carol’s Threshold of Impatience, which, I don’t have to tell you, is about the size of a cricket’s eyebrow.  I could feel the Earth tremble as I looked at her.  “I just wish I were the Dictator and I could tell everybody how to do this,” she whispered through clenched, but beautifully white, teeth.  “What do you want to have happen?” I asked.  She told me and I immediately took control, exerted my dominant masculinity and did exactly as my wife told me.  I just need a little direction sometimes.

 

Hi there and welcome back.  I hope you’re feeling well.  Have you done your taxes yet?  They were due yesterday, I think.  Well, not always, because if April 15th is Sunday, then the due date will be pushed to Monday, April 16th.  But wait, April 16th is Emancipation Day.  Emancipation Day celebrates the day when Lincoln freed 3,100 slaves living in the District of Columbia.  Remember Lincoln?  He’s on the penny.  Remember the penny?  All the Federal workers in DC are off on Emancipation Day.  So, I guess your taxes could be due on the 17th.  No, no, hold on – the 17th is National Bat Appreciation Day (look it up!), and no-one’s going to leave their house on a day like that.  So I guess it’s the 18th, except that is National Animal Crackers Day, and no-one who celebrated Emancipation Day is going to file their taxes on a day dedicated to Crackers.  Well, shoot!  Don’t file your taxes at all.  Nobody cares about your damn taxes anyway.  Certainly not your politicians.

 

Message from Shakespeare, the three-legged cat: “O excellent! I love long life better than figs” (Antony and Cleopatra).  I don’t know what taxes are.  I don’t even know what money is.  I just know I have food and water and a warm lap to sit on.  And my wonderful Pops.  Life is really good.  Purr.

 

You know, of course, that I don’t drink.  But that doesn’t prevent me from challenging you with a compendium of some rock n roll lyrics about alcoholic beverages.  You like quizzes, don’t you?  Humor me.  My mind is still a little fuzzy, and I have to fill this blog up.  Here are the questions.  Remember, the songs are about alcohol.  Answers later.

 

1.     Who lost his jigger of salt?

2.     Where did the Captain say they hadn’t had those spirits here since 1969?

3.     Good ol’ boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye, but what were they singing?

4.     When the microphone smelled like a beer, what did the piano sound like?

5.     I met a gin-soaked barroom queen in Memphis.

 

Weekly Word:  A compendium is a collection of detailed information about a particular subject.  In this case, boozy rock n roll.

 

I don’t know what else to talk about today.  Maybe some new crazy idea I have or maybe something that makes me angry.  Let’s try both.  Here’s the new idea.  It’s for you ladies out there, and I like it a lot.  Wardrobe History Tags.  Attached to the hanger holding that cute little black dress will hang one of my Wardrobe History Tags, a small, round, smart, voice-analytic device.  We’ll call her Dressy.  When you pick out what you’re wearing tonight, just press the button and say, “Dressy, I’m going to Tony’s tonight with Fred and Ethel.”  Dressy will respond, “Hello, Carol.  You wore this dress to Tony’s last November, but you’ve never worn it with Fred and Ethel.  It’s ok to wear it tonight.  Try those little black boots with the silver buckles.  The pink nail-polish will look fabulous!”

 

And what makes me angry?  Silly political correctness.  Now they’re even changing the Bible.  Yes, the Catholic bishops have come out with a revised Bible which has replaced “booty” with “treasure” and “fine flour” with “bran flour” and God knows (appropriately) what else.  Of course, the Reform Rabbis have already changed the Torah to expunge any reference to God as a man by changing Father to Parent and King to Ruler to avoid bruising any tender feelings.  It’s all very politically correct.  Re-write The Bible to avoid all references to gender, harmful foods, sexual preference or non-efficient light bulbs.

 

The words of the Bible are pleasant

But they must be brought to the present

So now what is right

Is Let There Be Light

As Long As It’s Not Incandescent

 

Be fruitful and use Common Core.  And who knows what they’re going to do with My Cup Runneth Over.  I think that’s the name of Stormy Daniels’ new book.  (Ok, I’m not proud of that.)

 

And here’s another thing.  I have always wondered why, in a movie, they have to show the actors smoking.  Yes, we all did it back in the 50s and 60s, but the story would not be changed if we eliminated the smoking, would it?  I mean, he didn’t burn the girl to death with his cigarette butt.  And don’t give me the argument about historical accuracy.  That didn’t seem to bother anybody when the show Hamilton made George Washington black.

 

It’s time to leave now.  Here are your answers to the alcoholic questions:

 

1.     Jimmy Buffet – Margaritaville

2.     Hotel California.  (Eagles)

3.     Bye Bye Miss American Pie.  (Don McLean).

4.     A carnival.  (Piano Man, Billy Joel)

5.     Honky Tonk Woman. (Rolling Stones)

 

I hope you enjoyed today’s issue, kind of a hodge-podge of weirdness, like it always is, and I hope you have a lovely week.  Stay well, count your blessings and be back next Thursday.  I’ll be there.

 

Michael                                    Send comments to mfox1746@gmail.com

 

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