Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Joy Meets Churl
Mercurial Times ^ | January 14, 2002 | AnnaZ

Posted on 01/16/2002 1:25:44 AM PST by Mercuria

A dear acquaintance of mine is an employee at one of the tonier eateries here in the greater Los Angeles area. He's a hard and cheerful worker. He was recently reprimanded, a rare occurrence in his over two years of employment.

As a customer was leaving after having had lunch my pal called out, "Have a great day!", with sincerity, and within the owner's earshot. The owner quickly spun around and said, "Darling, you have no right to tell someone what kind of day they should have." The term of endearment did nothing to melt the ice of the delivery.

One of my closest friends recently gave birth to her fourth bundle of joy. Her last month of maternity was filled with the drama of several false labors, embarrassing to such a pro, though quite amusing to her family and friends. As she went in for a checkup just before her due date, her husband -- as in supporter of her and the first three babes and payer of the monthly insurance bill -- called the hospital and asked that he be notified if they were going to consider inducing the birth.

When she arrived for the appointment she found herself being treated rather rudely, dismissively. When the doctor walked into her curtained-off-cubicle his first words were, "It's your body, you know. You can make any decisions you want on your own." She had no idea what he was talking about, but his disdain failed to dissipate and by the time she walked out to her car she was in tears.

A week later the baby was born, healthy, hearty and handsome, a genuine gem amidst the generic of the modern-day maternity ward. As my friend was checking out she said to the head nurse, "Why is it that this is labor and delivery, but it looks like a prison? Pastel paint can't cost more than gray, but it's much more cheerful."

"Not all women keep their babies," replied the nurse. But her tone was saying, "Duh!"

By now most people know about the homage to political correctness the New York Fire Department and assorted groups are planning on raising in commemoration of the sacrifices made at the World Trade Center on September the 11th. They're commissioning a sculpture based on the world famous photograph of three firefighters raising the American flag over the rubble that ruinous day, but in a paean to relativism over reality, the faces (and bodies!?) of the actual actualizers have been retooled to reflect a more diverse display. The flag, the former focus, is an afterthought.

It is now an Ode to The Outcry; The Outcry That Almost Wasn't. The clay model was unveiled several weeks ago, on December the 20th to be exact, to all the mush that is the mainstream media. The revision wasn't worthy of mention then. No, once again, it took individuals to fuss and fret and foment at the fabrication. Now it's news. But only because The People made it so.

The three men who raised that flag -- Dan McWilliams, George Johnson and Billy Eisengrein -- probably didn't set out to become global symbols that day. They look like three ordinary guys who needed to be inspired; yet they ended up inspiring millions. No, they weren't perfectly sinewed, they weren't a rainbow coalition, they didn't look like stereotypical heroes, but few true heroes ever do. But they were who they were, they did what they did, and they deserve recognition in whatever permanent position their actions eventually inspire.

But like the cheer of a person paid to greet and bid adieu, or the bliss of a new mother, let not their simple happiness be sustained, lest it be contagious or, worse, lest it remind someone else that it is not their own personal delight.

Henry Miller, in Sexus, put it so much better (yes, it seems someone almost always already has):

Tears are easier to put up with than joy. Joy is destructive: it makes others uncomfortable. 'Weep and you will weep alone.' What a lie that is! Weep and you will find a million crocodiles to weep with you. The world is forever weeping. The world is drenched in tears... But joy, joy is a kind of ecstatic bleeding, a disgraceful sort of supercontentment which overflows from every pore of your being. You cannot make people joyous just by being joyous yourself. Joy has to be generated by oneself. It is or it isn't. Joy is founded on something too profound to be understood or communicated. To be joyous is to be a madman in a world of sad ghosts.

Have whatever kind of day you wish.


Mercurial Times exclusive commentary. Reprints must credit the author and Mercurial Times.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-104 next last
To: Mercuria
But without misery, what would the tweakers, social engineers, counselors, treatment experts and nannies do?

Misery must be spread, fed, pointed up, perpetuated, lest the "experts'" lives become pointless.

For them, joy is the enemy.

Great post, thanks for the ping Mercuria.

41 posted on 01/16/2002 10:50:32 AM PST by Madame Dufarge
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mercuria
Great wordsmithing! Both the title "Joy Meets Churl" and your comment "PC-Whipped." Memorable and highly steal-able too! :-)
42 posted on 01/16/2002 11:23:29 AM PST by Jerez
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AnnaZ
As a customer was leaving after having had lunch my pal called out, "Have a great day!", with sincerity, and within the owner's earshot. The owner quickly spun around and said, "Darling, you have no right to tell someone what kind of day they should have."
Maybe your friend should have tried a more CONTEMPORARY greeting...


from
www.flowersincballoons.com

43 posted on 01/16/2002 11:26:22 AM PST by RonDog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RonDog; Mercuria; Snow Bunny; Alamo-Girl; Republican Wildcat; Howlin; Fred Mertz; onyx...
Joy Meets Churl
(Anti-PC Thread)
(((PING))))))
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my ping list!. . .don't be shy.
44 posted on 01/16/2002 11:28:09 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: Mercuria
I'm a vampire.

I knew it!!! I knew it!!! (note to self - alter that world-famous Mercuria / Mel Gibson photo - take out halo and add pointy teeth...)

45 posted on 01/16/2002 11:29:30 AM PST by Jefferson Adams
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: dansangel
Myself, in my office I have a photo of Mel Gibson in Braveheart, wearing a Tyranny Response Team T-shirt, a poster from Despair.com that has a photo of a lit match about to burn down and ignite about 20 more matches captioned "Burnout - Attitudes are Contagious. Mine Might Kill You", A photo of "Sledge Hammer" with his ivory-grip .45 captioned "I know what I'm doing", a Barry Goldwater quote - "Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice; moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue", a 1999 Soldier of Fortune Convention exhibitor badge, and a framed 8x10 piece of paper saying "Your ridiculous little opinion has been noted."

Of course, I do live in Idaho :)

46 posted on 01/16/2002 11:39:37 AM PST by Jefferson Adams
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: MeeknMing
Thanks for the heads up!
47 posted on 01/16/2002 11:40:03 AM PST by Alamo-Girl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: Mercuria
The three men who raised that flag -- Dan McWilliams, George Johnson and Billy Eisengrein -- probably didn't set out to become global symbols that day. They look like three ordinary guys who needed to be inspired; yet they ended up inspiring millions.

from
"Getting the photo of a lifetime"

"McWilliams and Johnson said they didn't raise the flag to solicit personal attention. They didn't expect to get any phone calls or comments from friends and family.

They were unaware they were being photographed..."


48 posted on 01/16/2002 11:45:19 AM PST by RonDog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mercuria
This is getting to be a nutty world.
49 posted on 01/16/2002 12:44:20 PM PST by kassie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jefferson Adams
LOL!

I loved the description of the "un-PC" items in your office. We need more of us to unite!

Let's see...what kind of an underground movement can we unleash that will gain momentum and squash the PC movement that's been afoot for about 40 years?

All viable ideas will be entertained!

50 posted on 01/16/2002 2:27:34 PM PST by dansangel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: Snow Bunny
I ditto what B4Ranch said....you are one very classy lady and your "angry bunny" says it all!

Great big ((((((((((hugs))))))))))!

51 posted on 01/16/2002 2:30:24 PM PST by dansangel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: palo verde
ping :-)
52 posted on 01/16/2002 2:33:18 PM PST by habs4ever
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: dansangel
hhaahaha.....

Hi there my very good friend !

(((((((( hug))))

am so glad we met here at FR.

53 posted on 01/16/2002 3:44:53 PM PST by Snow Bunny
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: Mercuria; AnnaZ; lowbridge; dansangel; ALL
If you have a moment, please jump on over to this thread! Be sure to check out the link on post 101. I'm looking for "kindred spirits," and I'll betcha that those who frequent the AnnaZ threads are amongst those most likely to also be INFJs!!
54 posted on 01/16/2002 4:25:52 PM PST by Beep
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ArrogantBustard
Nurse Ratchett is not referring to stillbirths, miscarriages, or adoption. She's referring to pre-natal homicide. Most hospitals are involved in that despicable industry.

In a delivery room?? I disagree with you on that one. I can't imagine that a regular OR wouldn't be used in those instances. Abortions seem unlikely to be candidates for the labor and delivery unit.

55 posted on 01/16/2002 4:41:11 PM PST by Beep
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: George Frm Br00klyn Park
Most excellent article, George! Thanks for the link!! (The word "horrific" is gaining in popularity by leaps and bounds, thanks to 9/11. With good reason. Webster's could simply write, "See 9/11/2001" as a lasting definition of "horrific.")
56 posted on 01/16/2002 5:41:54 PM PST by Beep
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: AnnaZ
Have a great day!
57 posted on 01/16/2002 5:50:07 PM PST by nunya bidness
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

Awesome quote I simply must share!

If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy.
If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem.
But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to change the world
and a desire to enjoy the world.
This makes it hard to plan the day.

--E.B. White

58 posted on 01/16/2002 5:50:52 PM PST by Beep
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: habs4ever; LostThread; Darlin'; ValerieUSA; palo verde
A quantum packet of happiness ping . . .

59 posted on 01/16/2002 6:16:28 PM PST by BraveMan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: BraveMan
Thank you :-D
60 posted on 01/16/2002 6:20:10 PM PST by habs4ever
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-104 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson