6.01.2008

To those who would be a burden

"D'you know what a tribe of South Sea Islanders do with their old people? They bend down a palm tree, and the old woman must hang on to it, then they cut the rope and whoosh, up she goes. If the old woman still has enough strength to cling on, that's fine, then she can climb down the tree again. But when she can't hang on, up she goes up to Heaven. Nice, don't you agree?"
—Uwe Timm, The Invention of Curried Sausage

1 comment:

deb said...

OK. I'm on my way to assisted living. I'll go quietly. I can take a hint.

(Is there a youtube of the granny-pult? It might be instructional.)

PS While we were stoking the Portland economy yesterday I got new pajamas, and now I look exactly like the long-term guest in Room 224, Bed 2.