CLOSET CLUTTER
Old-time radio used to provide us with a weekly reminder which told us to take a look at ourselves. The specific program featured a patient, understanding, loving housewife and a bumbling, overly ambition. gullible and often inspired husband who was known by the appropriate designation of: “Fibber” - Fibber McGee
Fibber's wife Molly, long-suffering under his odd, clownish ways, was a paragon of self-containment in one way but, now and then, she found it necessary to stop her errant husband in one of his inventive escapades. She did do by saying curtly and conclusively: ”Tain' t funny, McGee!”
I thought of “Fibber McGee and Molly” on Tuesday of this past week as I stepped up to the voting booth at our town's community center. Fibber put everything in the closer just inside their front door andoon those occasions when it became necessary to open the door he often did so without making sufficient preparation for the avalanche of belonging which came forth unbidden.
We do the same sort of thing, soften, when we put our hand to the level of the voting machine. We open new vistas. How many voters were aware of the fact that they would be called upon to vote on several amendments to our state's constitution? Why are there five names of men running for President when we had heard of only two - and one other one is a few states? How do you vote for Congress person who is running unopposed? All sorts of things tumbled down upon you as you stand there and you solve part of it by voting against it whatever it might be. Or, ignore it. Vote your known preferences, pull the bar and get "outta there.” The little sticker and attendant tapes to your lapel says: “I Voted”
But, to what extent had you done so?
Too often, throughout the “political year”, we are kept so busy chasing after personal rainbows – enticing illusions of things which might be – just as Fibber McGee did so much of the time, and we fail to work at keeping our storage closet of experiences, knowledge, facts, figures and friendship in order so they might be better used to everyone's advantage.
The election times of our lives are about the only time a lot of us get to see ourselves as we really are. Our gathered problems are many They are often fermenting and they are thought to be unsurmountable. We tend laugh it all off; to shove them back into the narrow closets of our lives - we tend to make a big joke out of all of the confusion and clutter.
It is at that moment that we all in need of a “Molly” in our lives to step up and say to us: “It ain't funny, Mc-whatever-your name- might be!”
It is needful that we put our political stocks in better order.
Soon.
Now.
. A.L.M. November 5, 2004 [c496wds]
