The Unbearable Banishment: <i>...in sickness and in health...</i>

Saturday, November 1, 2008

...in sickness and in health...

I woke up with flu-like symptoms. I refuse to call it a flu because Mrs. Wife was after me to get a flu shot and I never do. I’m anti-flu shot. So if I now have the flu, where will that leave me and my philosophy? Everything in me has been laid to waste. My head, muscles, stomach. I feel like I’ve been split open and turned inside out.

It was so beautiful out that Mrs. Wife took the girls down to the shore for a walk on the boardwalk in the sunshine. I decided to tag along. I believe that the salty sea air has medicinal qualities. Of course, as soon as we got there I felt even sicker, so after taking the daughters through a hay-bale maze that someone set up for Halloween, I sat on a bench facing the ocean. They went for a walk and I slowly, like a falling baby sequoia, laid down on the bench and dozed. Mrs. Wife came back and was clearly embarrassed. She said I looked like a bum sleeping off a bender. Harrumph.

* * *

I had a doctor appointment yesterday. (Perhaps this is where I got my flu illness?) My doctor, a highly-paid specialist who lives in one of the wealthiest communities in this area, and his assistant were both lamenting the fact that New Jersey is leaning towards Obama. Dr. said that if Obama wins, he’s going to have to install parking meters in the lot to enhance his revenue. Assistant was particularly venomous and spat out, Barak Obama isn’t even a real American!

This country does not have a capacity to heal itself. I’m no better. I’d have the same black bile for Sarah Palin. Does anyone know how this happened?

8 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

sleeping on a park bench by the ocean? clever bum!

i'm struggling with the same issue regarding the irrepairable divide in the US. listened to two educated colleagues at work spew marginally veiled racist remarks and my jaw was picking up floor lint... what happened?

November 1, 2008 at 9:45 PM  
Blogger Digital Fortress said...

I also happen to believe the ocean has medicinal qualities. I hope you feel better soon.

I won’t be voting for Obama. Just can’t do it. I may post about my reasons, but I am not exactly crazy about the McCain/Palin ticket either. I hope whoever wins the country won’t be divided worse than it is now. :(

November 2, 2008 at 12:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hope you're feeling better soon

November 2, 2008 at 1:19 AM  
Blogger Lulu LaBonne said...

I'm intrigued by the language I hear Americans using about Obama. I met a lady recently who kept referring to him as a towel head - is she referring to the texture of his hair?

November 2, 2008 at 1:22 PM  
Blogger The Unbearable Banishment said...

I’m embarrassed to report that “towel head” is a racist American euphemism for someone who wears a turban. They are implying that Barak Obama is of Middle Eastern origin, i.e., not American.

November 2, 2008 at 1:31 PM  
Blogger mjp said...

I’d have the same black bile for Sarah Palin. Does anyone know how this happened?

Wait a minute, wait a minute - you're comparing bile based on idiocy and disinformation (hatred of Obama) to bile based on observation and rational thought (hatred of Palin/McCain).

There is not a political divide in this country, there is a divide between people who have sense and those slack-jawed sheep who ascribe to the universal truth of "it's-on-TV/radio/internet-it-must-be-true."

I'll refrain from saying a divide between idiots and non-idiots, since this isn't my blog and I don't want to insult anyone.

Oops! Looks like I said it anyway. Direct all hate mail to me.

November 2, 2008 at 4:47 PM  
Blogger The Unbearable Banishment said...

And yet we have a country that is chocked full of people who honestly feel that anyone who votes for Obama is nothing but slack-jawed sheep who won’t believe the hard truths that are starring them right in the face. This is the terrible disconnect in our country that I believe, sadly, will never be resolved.

November 2, 2008 at 8:02 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Misery loves company. Mrs and I are battling some lovely bug. The only thing worse than being sick? Being sick 1600 miles from home and then having to drive back with said illness.

On the devolving political debate? I second what mjp said.

Hope you're feeling better. I'm with you on the flu shot thing. I have no faith in them and I resist injecting anything unknown into me.

PS: Weird. My verification word today? "cancerg" Sure hope that's not a sign.

November 2, 2008 at 9:45 PM  

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