Thurber

I've been so excited to see Grey in our church's Reader's Theater.  It's part that he has a lovely theatrical presence and partly because one of his readings is absolutely ridiculous and he has to deliver it with a straight face.  It's James Thurber's "The Last Flower".  It's filled with pathos and has an icky part where a youthful man finds pleasure in touching a young girl. I always crack up when he reads that part.  It's not meant to sound the way it does to my ears, and Grey has sworn to not look at me when he does the reading because he cracks up too.  Here is an excerpt that I stole from Wikipedia:

"Once again a dictator comes on the scene with his lackeys.

They demonstrate their brutality and begin the war.

The works of mankind are destroyed.

And no-one wants to live any longer with the exception of a flower.

This flower awakes in the girl and the man a joy in living again."

Almost nonsensical if you take it out context.  And it's not really fair that I did.  Too bad. If you want to get a sense of the anti-war message (which is what it's really about), go read it for yourself.   It's much better to follow the link and read it set to cartoons. 

However, I don't get to see this performance. 

I had an asthma attack from hell. 

I don't normally talk about it much, but I do have moderate to severe asthma.  I have inhalers out the wazoo and I have written about it here, so not much else needs to be said.  I had a rough time when we moved to Ellensburg because of the crazy wildfires.  It got better and the air cleared. I am down to just two inhalers. One is for daily prevention. The other is for rescue. 

Lately, we have had a stagnant air warning.  One that I ignored roundly and kept going to the gym.  And walking outside. And doing anything I damn well stubbornly want.  And today, as I got ready to go see my husband in a performance, I had a (pardon the language) bitcheroo of an asthma attack.  Ten minutes, four inhaler puffs and the worst coughing fit in the last six months later, I was on the couch unable to stop shaking long enough to go.  Even if I could, I can't go outside in the freezing air since it will induce coughing and more bronchial spasms.  

Just for today, just for a few hours, I'm going to sit here and pout. 

We are going to have a family (hopefully sooner rather than later) and what happens if I can't go to soccer games or recitals or on family outings because I can't breathe?  It just sucks. Asthma makes me suck wind and drink hot coffee (ever wonder why I drink so much? Helps with asthma too). 

I bet Grey did a great job. I bet it was a lovely reading with lots of messages about peace and social justice.  I just wish I had been there. 

"Once again a dictator comes on the scene with his lackeys. 

The demonstrate their brutality and begin the war."