Wednesday 24 May 2017

An Upside Down Boy

I'm not sure why I am telling this story except I suppose because it is exquisitely poignant and I didn't realise I would be so affected by the decline of someone I never really knew except at a distance.



When my church was restructured recently, it fell to me to take responsibility for the seniors group which meets each Wednesday and so for the last few weeks I have been settling into a role I really know nothing about.
Clyde (who I mentioned a few posts back) is a part of this group. A few weeks ago Clyde was very keen to tell a joke; apparently his doctors had been asking if he could still tell jokes and unsure of whether he actually could, Clyde came prepared with some jokes and told them with appropriate tone and timing. Clyde's joke has become a regular part of the morning and no matter what is happening, everyone stops to listen attentively.
Today we heard about the boy who thought he was built upside down because his nose ran and his feet smelled. Ba dum tsh!
I laughed and said "My dad has been telling that joke for as long as I can remember" Clyde has known my dad and played in a brass band with him for probably thirty years but he looked me straight in the eye and with all the manners and grace he has always had, said "You know, I forget a lot of things, who is your dad?"

11 comments:

  1. That is some sense of humour!

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    1. Every time he tells a joke I am grateful that he managed it!

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  2. Poignant and beautiful.
    Thank you.
    And yes, this is a joke my father told too. Which adds to the poignancy for me.

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    1. maybe all fathers tell it? it certainly is a dad joke

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  3. Memory is a fickle mistress sometimes.

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    1. It must be deeply frustrating but he remains calm and kind.

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  4. Very sad that his memory of your dad seems to have vanished after thirty years of knowing him. Drastic memory loss must be a horrible experience.

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    1. i suspect he would know dad if he saw him but he wasn't able to make the connection and yes, i think the reality of it is probably even worse than our imaginings

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  5. I hope that your mother didn't ask the same question Kylie! (JOKE)

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    1. I like the way you put "joke" in all caps, just in case I wasn't sure ;)

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  6. It is amazing that I won our Senior County Spelling Bee and forget so many other things. I was talking to the former winner and told her their must be a "spelling spot" in my brain that never forgot a spelling. She agreed that her memory was horrid, but she must have a "spelling spot," too.

    Some days, I am horrified by my memory, but have noticed adequate sleep and lack of sinus problems helps tremendously.

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