Indigestion On Christmas

Indigestion On Christmas
December 25, 2003
11:20pm

Quiet I am, loud the crickets and sour the stomach. Burn the throat and down go the small round pills. Soon ease, I hope. What in the world to do? Cannot please them all.

I have eaten too much of the rich food. It is 'the season' for it. Can I, from this indigestion rising, throw enough pills at it?

Shall I offer YOU some small round pills? Are these words here too hard to digest? I would offer only pretty words and happy thoughts, but a familiar Voice hissed, ''Whaddya want, just a travelogue?'' These days, even travelogues can be gritty, if the cameras veer from off the pretty, manicured paths to show where people really live.

''Oh, mustn't show that bum, excuse me, homeless person, sleeping in the bench near the pretty Christmas tree.'' Yeah, he was there, near the big Christmas tree on Main Street. There's supposed to be a law against people falling asleep in public places. Maybe, it being Christmas, the homeless person got some peace and was allowed to sleep.

Well, there SHOULD be some kind of peace on Christmas day. ''That Prince Of Peace, he ain't brought much PEACE!'' hissed the Unpopular Voice. It would not do too well to name all the WARS fought in the name of Jehovah and Son, would it? Angry people have done it, and any web search will keep you busy for hours.

But that sure wouldn't be 'happy thoughts', would it? Have another small round pill? My ten bubble blister pack is all empty now. There sure ain't many in the box. Small, hopefully, are the upsets of life.

Where was I going with this piece? We were talking about PEACE. Oh, yeah, THAT illusive topic. Peace on earth, peace in the digestive tract, peace of mind. Maybe better start there, in the mind. Can't do that much in the world at large, but I might be able to effect this small space here, between my ears.

Yeah, the 'gray matter', they call it. Okay, a deep breath, and another small white pill, and we'll begin. ''Begin? This is going to be a lengthy process, then?'' Most worthy endeavors are. It starts the minute you wake up and never ends. Until it ENDS, but we won't talk about that. That's when the 'after life', the sum total effect of all the effects you've had on the world, begins.

Do enough worthy things, and there'll be such a thing. ''What? You were expecting more? Pearly paths and white robes, and . . .'' That would only work, until you got some fine plan for renovation, all that harp music being rather boring and all, and then you find yourself being tossed out with some other rebels and . . .

Ain't nothing easy, not even the after life? Want a small round pill? The rebellion in my stomach seems to be easing. Ah, two pieces of cheesecake and lots of barbecued pork ribs were too much for the 'ol tum tum. My mother was telling me her problems today. She's been stressed, and can't eat. From the noisy road construction near her place to sick cats to facial rashes, she can't find the appetite to eat. I offered some of my best weight gain formulas. My 'white food' diet, of ice cream, egg nog, potatoes, rice, bread, pudding and cheesecake did not appeal to her.

We all have our own problems. That's the first step in understanding the world's problems. It isn't so easy to condemn a man, once we get a clue as to what vexes him. And we all have something that gets under our craw.

Maybe that's the first step in any sort of plan for world peace. From small understandings, evolve larger understandings. Some days, it is enough just to understand ourselves. Another empty ten-pack of pills, and I think my stomach is at peace. This may be all I can do for bringing about 'world peace' tonight.