Friday, March 13, 2009

I've been thinking


Mary, the child of my old age stepped out last night, so I was in charge of getting her little one to bed. When he tried pulling "blanky" out of his crib, I knew it was time for bed. I got him into his bed clothes, and put him into the crib. He screamed the "I'm not ready for bed!" memo. He was not happy. I let him fuss for several minutes, went back in and picked him up. We sat in the big chair by the fire to relax and regroup. He tried getting comfortable ratting around in my lap, occasionally resting his head on blanky... he knew something wasn't right. He wandered around the house, yawning and dragging his trusty blanket from one room to the other, trying to figure out how he was going to make this work. He toddled into his room and was in there for several minutes. I peeked around the corner so he wouldn't see me. There he was lying next to his crib clutching his blanket. I had an instant feeling of extreme disappointment, thinking selfishly...."I'm gonna be sad if he falls asleep there, preferring the floor to my lap."
I waited... pretty soon he walks out of his room, over to my chair, blanky in hand. I pick him up, he nestles in, I put him in his crib. This time he was OK with it... all was well.


The imagery in today's first reading is intoxicating ...."a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, their camels laden with gum, balm and resin."
I wonder if Joseph's brother, Reuben was the inspiration for a song I learned years ago in school. It's amazing how politically incorrect it is in this day and age. First of all to find the words "queer" and "gay" used in their original context made me wistful. The last stanza is truly the sweetest proposal I've ever heard.

Reuben, Reuben I've been thinking
What a fine world this would be
If the men were all transported
Far beyond the Northern sea!

Oh my goodness gracious Rachel
What a queer world this would be
If the men were all transported
Far beyond the Northern sea!

Reuben, Reuben I've been thinking
What a gay life girls would lead
If they had no men about them,
None to tease them, none to heed.

Reuben, Reuben stop your teasing,
If you've any love for me,
I was only just a-fooling
As I thought, of course, you'd see.

Rachel, if you'll not transport us,
I will take you for my wife,
And I'll split with you my money
Every payday of my life.

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