LIGHTEN UP A BIT.
It is are relief during this election time, to hear the candidates lighten up a bit from and time-to-time and to see hear them say something not at all connected with the election issues or non-issues which have been beaten to a near-death state.
The welcome sound of something trivial or even silly is a welcome treat at such moments. Our overly long election routine is a good place to find boredom built in, so to speak and the speakers, too, come to such a point often.
I have been caught in situations, personally, when a good, dependable, story was needed to allow me time to think about what I really wanted to say. It is adaptable and can be told and re-told to audiences of all ages since it depend largely on your ability to handle two direction terms – the “ins”and the “outs”. You will find it to be amazingly flexible, too and the more your tell it the more you realize that it never gets the two word punch line by exactly the same route.
Here is the gist of the story but you are to work it out in your own way as you go along. You have to follow the lead of audience response and if you feel they can take another twist -.you add one ...perhaps another. Do not drag it out too long, however. The two word punch line can be dumped deftly at almost any place along the way.
Remember: two word -”in” and out” are your major concern.
“There was once a Mama Skunk who had two little boy skunks. One she had name “Out” and the other was called “In”. They were very well behaved as little skunks go, and she had very little trouble with them except when she sent them out to play. “Out” she would say, “go get your brother In and go out to play. I' ll get supper ready and when I want you to come in I will call out of the door. So the little skunks Out and In would go out to play until Mama Skunk called out of the kitchen door for them to come in. She would hold the door open and call out loudly” “ Out! In! It's time for you to come in. You've been out long enough Come in!” And, she was greeted by the sound of running skunk feet and in walked Out - alone. “
“ Where is your brother In, Out? In went out when you did but when you, Out came in I called out standing in the doorway calling.. You came in right away, but In must have stayed out there – and it is getting dark! How can that boy do that to me, his Mama!? It happens again and again! [REPEAT MAMA SKUNKS DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT AGAIN WITH A SENSE OF GROWING FRUSTRATION AND ANGER]...THEN....
“Out, honey, I hate to send you out again, Out, but could you go out; find In and bring him in. In has been out too long. He had better come in, Out . Go out and see if you can bring In in, In, please! See if you can find In as you always do Find Out and bring in In. I've looked everywhere out there but I can never find out where In is hiding out! Go out Out and bring In in. His supper's gettin' cold.
Out skunk went out and in a minute or so the big door opens and Out ushers In in and who goes right to his cool supper.
Mama thanked Out for bringing In in again. “You are a marvel, precious skunk son of mine! How do you do it? Are you gifted? Clairvoyant, perhaps?
“No, Mama I just go outside and take a deep breath. It's easy to find him, Mama. In stinks!”
A.L. M. September 20, 2004 [c661wds]
