I like to consider myself a "humorist." Perhaps not on the same level as a Mark Twain or even a Lewis Grizzard, yet. But I do hope that more than a few of my readers are at least mildly amused by some of my stories here. I, more often than not, find myself on the "lookout" for humorous things and events that happen around me. They really do happen all the time and can usually make one smile, if not burst out in an all-consuming belly laugh. I find that one simply has to keep an open eye and pay attention.
Not long ago, I felt the need to pay a visit to what I lovingly call the "little reporter's room" here at the newspaper. When I began working here, I was the only guy on staff, with the exception of Fredy, our maintenance guy. I rarely had to wait for the room to become available. In addition, I could generally spend as much time as I needed without feeling as if I were denying any of my fellow employees access to a crucial facility when time is often of the essence. On this particular trip, I happened to look down before I took my seat. As I glanced down I noticed a spider just below the water's edge. The unfortunate arachnid seemed to have entered into eternal rest, but not being one to take too many chances when I knew I would be in a rather vulnerable position, I decided to make sure. The last thing I wanted to encounter during a fleeting moment of seated bliss was to have a not so "itsy bitsy" spider having a "Lazarus" moment and climbing up a water spout and deciding that my backside would be an optimum area to which to cling in order to extricate himself from a watery grave.
As I pressed the lever, I yielded to the temptation to say, "Good night, sweet prince, and may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest." Satisfied with the finality seeing of my little eight-legged friend swirling deeper into the aquatic abyss, I was now confident with taking my seat and proceeding with the task I was originally called by nature to do.
In these uncertain times, it is always prudent to take at least a quick glance before you sit anywhere. But, don't get so engrossed in that particular task that you forget about all others. It can be more than a little unsteady to attempt to stand with one leg asleep, even when you're on the "sunny side."