Your Dying Spouse 574 - Superstition

John Sedgwick, a Union general during the Civil War, is famed for one thing I figure he never wanted.

At the Battle of Spotylvania Courthouse, on May 9, 1864, he was dismayed to see his heaquarters staff ducking to avoid bullets being fired from a thousand yards away. When a subordinate begged him to find cover, Sedgwick said, "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance!"

And then he was shot in the head.

Superstition's a funny thing. How many of us claim to scorn it, and then step around cracks in the siewalk, or avoid walking under ladders?

Here, it takes the form of my saying (to Barb's horror), "Well, it could be worse."

And then it gets worse.

Granted, it's going to get wore anyway (cancer's kinda irritating, that way), but it's eerie how the statement is usually followed by a sharp setback.

So I don't say it any more. And I carry a rabbit's foot.

Which didn't work out so well for the rabbit.

Just kidding; that's one thing I don't do, but, influenced my the dogs, I do turn around three times before going to bed.

I mean, can't hurt, right?

Hell is now in session here,

and won't be ending soon,

and surcease seems as near

as Burroughs' Mars, Barsoom.

The pain that outlives the night

is worsened by the day,

and tumours of such hideous fright

grow on, without delay.

I wish that I could call a truce,

that I could catch my breath,

but save my words, for what's the use,

I can't move the heart of death.

So I take the pierced hand of He

who offers to share the road with me.

And here, of course, is Stevie Wonder with...yep...Superstition.

Thanks to Carol Ashby, Blessed Are The Pure Of Heart is back on Kindle, and will be available in paperback soon.

Friends are everything. I couldn't have done it.

Marley, the canine waif from Afghanistan, whom WE helped save, has a Facebook page! Please drop by to see how happy he is today.

Below are my recent releases on Kindle -please excuse their presence in the body of the blog. I haven't the energy to get them up as 'buttons' in the sidebar. You can click on the covers to go to the Amazon links.