Jump to content

Cole Parker

AD Author
  • Posts

    9,058
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    15

Posts posted by Cole Parker

  1.  

    -- A Christmas Poem --

     

    “Dad, here’s my list: Christmas draws near.

    It shows what presents I’d treasure this year.

    Things I want most are up at the top

    But the first one’s enough if you don’t want to shop.”

     

    “Give it here, Bobby, and I’ll read it right now.

    My money’s quite short, and I’m not a cash cow.

     

    “Hmmmmmm.

     

    “OK, I’ve read it, and it is not good

    Please pay attention, and heed if you would.

     

    “I’ve read the first entry, here’s what you chose—

    Though it’s really quite silly, here’s how it goes:

    ‘All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.’

    Do you see my problem, son? See my beef?

     

    “The trouble, my boy, is not that you stammer

    The trouble instead is your execrable grammar.

    You must match your nouns to go with your verbs!

    I find reading this list both irks and disturbs.

     

    “As ‘two teeth’ now stands at the top of your list

    Then ‘is’ should be ‘are’ so the list’s not dismissed.

    And Santa, I’ve heard, is quite the fine linguist

    And his sense of propriety is aptly distinguished.

     

    “So write this again if you hope for some presents

    From Santa or anyone—even your parents.”

     

    ~ Pause for consideration, and then ~

     

    “I hear you, Dad, your voice is quite strong,

    Unfortunately, though, your logic is wrong.

    But I hear what you’re saying, I certainly get it

    Though your flimsy excuse does not do you credit.

     

    “You’re making things up to save spending cash

    And destroying our grammar to maintain your stash.

    You’re saying I need a more appropriate verb

    To match up with the noun; you’re really absurd.

    You wanted a plural verb, ‘cause two’s more than one

    And so no presents there’ll be, not any, just none.

     

    “Fie,” I say, “and pshaw, and, “oh my.”

    How deceitful can one be should he but try?

    But I can see through you—your argument’s specious

    You’re pretending and faking and grossly capricious

     

    "Because I know as well as you do

    That you’re reasoning is simply abject hoodoo.

     

    “I gave you a list of presents I’d like

    And put atop it two teeth, then a bike.

    But you didn’t want to spend that much dough

    Yet needed a way too soften the blow.

     

    "But honesty needs to be sung in this case

    And yours is absurd and totally base.

     

    “And so, dear Father, here is my brief:

    The noun in that sentence was ‘ I’, not ‘teeth’

    Because ‘What I want is’ beats ‘What I want are’

    Your excuse is nonsense and frankly bizarre.

     

    “The list stands as written; again please eyeball it

    And if you need help to open your wallet

    I’ll be happy to bring you a prying crowbar

    Oh, and I’ll take the bike, too, hearty har har har har.

     

     C

  2. I'm an optimist, as people reading my stories certainly understand.  My feeling is that love can conquer early childhood training and brainwashing.  I won't give up that tenet easily.  I think love is an extremely powerful emotion and makes life worth living.  

    Happy Thnanksgiving, everyone, and don't eat too much.  And exploding stomach is nothing to sneeze at.

    C

     

     

  3. I lived in Indianapolis from ages 5 to 10, in the mid to late '40's.  We had a 6-digit phone number which I can still remember: Broadway 8979, or BR 8979.  It's quite possible we had a shorter phone number earlier than that and I only remember the latter number.  I didn't use the phone much when that young.  I think today's kids who have cellphones probably use them often to speak to friends. Technology has changed the world we live in.

×
×
  • Create New...