Another Short Ramble

Cherry

By hudsonmoon

Fri, 14 Aug 2026
  • 465 reads
11 comments
 

I’m going out the same way I came in: ignorant. It wasn’t my decision. Just the way things turned out.

At 16 I was a genius. At 21 simply brilliant. At 30 I know it all. At 40 I could still recite the alphabet—if I didn’t think too hard. By 50 I was barely able to put one question to any answer on Jeopardy. (I reasoned they were onto some new kind of knowledge that hadn’t been been available to me when I had a valid memory.) At 60 I could barely remember the names of the people who showed up at my surprise birthday party. I believe my wife and son were there—probably. At 70 I started feeling my own pulse to see if it was worth getting out of bed. I’m pretty sure I had a pulse, but stayed in bed anyway. I’m not a doctor, you know.

Now at 72 I’m reborn. That is to say—ignorant. I haven’t a clue. Isn’t it great! I have a wide-eyed wonder for the world! I'm three fingers old again! Wow! Are those exclamation points! Gee whiz! It adds such excitement to what I’m saying! I bet I can use one for everything! The world’s coming to an end! Isn’t it a beautiful day! I hate you! I love you! See! It’s thall purpose point! Ow! That hurt! (My wife is standing behind me as I write and just flicked the back of my skull with her index finger. She's telling me to keep it honest. That I was never a big fan of the exclamation point. Well! I am now! Ow!

***

That's a picture of my sister Theresa and me in Yorkville, our New York City neighborhood. I was three years old.

Certificate U
Biography
Humour

Comments

Submitted by airyfairy on

What an absolutely cute picture!

Hooray for you. The world is so completely bonkers now, I feel the only path for us vintage wines is to discover it all anew and not pretend for one minute we understand any of it.

I love the idea of Darcey standing alert and watchful to keep you in order. She's probably got her work cut out, but I have no doubt she's up to the task!

You're right! The long scorned exclamation mark is a key to freedom! Let's all shriek together!!! We have nothing to lose but what very little remains of our dignity!!!

Being British, I now need a cup of tea to recover.

Submitted by hudsonmoon on

Hi ya, Jane. Yes. Exclaim away! It's liberating. When the weight of the world gets to you, you have to scream at the top of your lungs. (Something I've done lately on the roof at the place where I work.)

Darcey would always ask me to proof read her school reports and the first thing I'd do was to remove all the exclamation points. lol. So, she know my true feelings. But sometimes you just have to let those exclamations fly!!!  And I hope you enjoyed your tea. xx

 

Submitted by insertponceyfre... on

I hope you're going to share those cherries with Darcey. Maybe she won't flick the back your head again if you do - worth a try anyway!

 

Submitted by hudsonmoon on

Hi, Claudine. She deserves them more than I do. She keeps me on the straight and narrow. I was lost before I met her and I'd certainly be lost without her. True. xx

 

Submitted by rask_balavoine on

Now that I'm almost as ripe as you are I realise that most of the things I learned over time are of no use whatsoever and need to be hoovered out of my brain to make room for things that merit an exclamation mark. 

Rask

Submitted by hudsonmoon on

Thanks, Radk. I think most of us need to be Hoovered. Look a the world anew and be amazed at he nonsense we've been putting up with, Yes. Rev up that Hoover.

 

Submitted by celticman on

cute kids. But obviously not in that picture. Now you've hit that age-old question of what was the question? 

 

Submitted by hudsonmoon on

Hi, Jack. Yes. If my wife has to say to me one more time, 'We talked about this yesterday. You're not a good listener.' 

I'ts not that I'm not a good listener. I'm just a really good forgetter. Ha. Cheers.

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

That photo is the BEST
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY :0)
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Submitted by hudsonmoon on

Hey, Di. Ha. Thanks for the shout out! Refreshing. Isnt' it? Exclaiming is going to liberate us all. xx

 

Submitted by marandina on

I get the impression Darcey keeps you in check, Rich. Flicking you in the back of the head may be taking liberties but it's also a sign of affection. Well...at least I think it is...