“That’s all folks.”
Channeling my inner Porky Pig
One of the Looney Tunes characters, Porky Pig, would close the show with “Th-Th-The, Th-Th-, The, Th-Th …That’s all, folks.”
Sometimes one might find oneself searching for something profound or particularly erudite to say in response to what another person says, but, in truth, one has noting to say. One’s brain is taking a vacation, one is tempted to say something rude or suddenly one is an aspiring politician who is tempted to say words which, in truth, add nothing useful to the conversation.
In this phase of my life journey, I am much more comfortable saying that I do not have any response; that I am not able at this time to talk about that subject; or that my brain is not yet awake. As a young man, I felt or believed that I needed to respond even if what I said was nothing more than a sound bite devoid of any substance. Rather than say I don’t know or I have not really given that subject any serious thought I would pull an answer out of a hat. I might as well have pretended to be a magician and pulled a rabbit out of a hat. At least one would have had fun with the rabbit!
Yesterday a good friend made a comment about legal versus illegal immigrants. I simply said I was not prepared or able to respond to his comment. For my friend, the distinction between a legal and illegal immigrant is very simple and clear cut. For me, it is it a very complicated distinction. I did not want to say to him that I disagreed or thought his view was too simplistic, but also did not feel as if either one of us was prepared to have an in depth conversation. I was not. In fact, I am seldom able to have a cogent conversation about such complicated subjects unless I am writing or in a setting which permits a long and perhaps wandering sharing of thought about the topic. I simply let my friend know that I was not prepared to discuss the topic at this time.
This morning I woke up from a sleep which was so sound that even after being up for 4 hours it did not feel as if my brain was awake. I had gotten very little sleep the night before because of having just arrived back from the West Coast. When a friend approached me at the gym I was not prepared to have a conversation. I did not even attempt to do so. I was happy to see this friend who I had not seen for some time, but I had nothing to say other than hello and that I had missed her. She did not seem to want or require an explanation about why it seemed as if I was not quite present which I was not.
I am well aware that the Porky Pig within me is still in the process of maturing! There are still times when I succumb to the temptation to appear smarter or better informed than I am. I may want to offer an excuse for some behavior or pretend as if I can hold my own with someone who appears to think well on his or her feet. I may want to justify some action or opinion when in fact I need to parrot Porky Pig and say “That’s all folks.”
Today I often have more questions than I have answers. Most of the time I am okay not knowing very much or not being able to articulate clear reasons why I believe or think something. I am, in other words, more comfortable with my inner Porky Pig. I do not want to avoid conversations about important subjects, but I also do not want to pretend as if I am able to have a worthwhile conversation when I am not. I want to be okay with saying “Th-Th-The, Th-Th-, The, Th-Th …That’s all, folks.”
Written July 17, 2018
Channeling my inner Porky Pig
One of the Looney Tunes characters, Porky Pig, would close the show with “Th-Th-The, Th-Th-, The, Th-Th …That’s all, folks.”
Sometimes one might find oneself searching for something profound or particularly erudite to say in response to what another person says, but, in truth, one has noting to say. One’s brain is taking a vacation, one is tempted to say something rude or suddenly one is an aspiring politician who is tempted to say words which, in truth, add nothing useful to the conversation.
In this phase of my life journey, I am much more comfortable saying that I do not have any response; that I am not able at this time to talk about that subject; or that my brain is not yet awake. As a young man, I felt or believed that I needed to respond even if what I said was nothing more than a sound bite devoid of any substance. Rather than say I don’t know or I have not really given that subject any serious thought I would pull an answer out of a hat. I might as well have pretended to be a magician and pulled a rabbit out of a hat. At least one would have had fun with the rabbit!
Yesterday a good friend made a comment about legal versus illegal immigrants. I simply said I was not prepared or able to respond to his comment. For my friend, the distinction between a legal and illegal immigrant is very simple and clear cut. For me, it is it a very complicated distinction. I did not want to say to him that I disagreed or thought his view was too simplistic, but also did not feel as if either one of us was prepared to have an in depth conversation. I was not. In fact, I am seldom able to have a cogent conversation about such complicated subjects unless I am writing or in a setting which permits a long and perhaps wandering sharing of thought about the topic. I simply let my friend know that I was not prepared to discuss the topic at this time.
This morning I woke up from a sleep which was so sound that even after being up for 4 hours it did not feel as if my brain was awake. I had gotten very little sleep the night before because of having just arrived back from the West Coast. When a friend approached me at the gym I was not prepared to have a conversation. I did not even attempt to do so. I was happy to see this friend who I had not seen for some time, but I had nothing to say other than hello and that I had missed her. She did not seem to want or require an explanation about why it seemed as if I was not quite present which I was not.
I am well aware that the Porky Pig within me is still in the process of maturing! There are still times when I succumb to the temptation to appear smarter or better informed than I am. I may want to offer an excuse for some behavior or pretend as if I can hold my own with someone who appears to think well on his or her feet. I may want to justify some action or opinion when in fact I need to parrot Porky Pig and say “That’s all folks.”
Today I often have more questions than I have answers. Most of the time I am okay not knowing very much or not being able to articulate clear reasons why I believe or think something. I am, in other words, more comfortable with my inner Porky Pig. I do not want to avoid conversations about important subjects, but I also do not want to pretend as if I am able to have a worthwhile conversation when I am not. I want to be okay with saying “Th-Th-The, Th-Th-, The, Th-Th …That’s all, folks.”
Written July 17, 2018
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