The Lion Sleeps Tonight

U. and I have had some troubles in the basement again which leaves it still smelling a bit. We had a minor disagreement about it. He wanted to buy some of that spray that "neutralizes" the smell. I didn't want to him because I assume it is probably toxic.

In making my argument I said, "Imagine you have lion in your bedroom and you have two choices. You can either usher him out gently but with persistence, or you can cover him with a blanket, a blanket that, in fact, will probably make you sick in the long run."

A few days later a very good, old friend from Oberlin visited. We talked about our type A idealist personalities. (I knew I was an idealist, but I never thought of it as type A idealism until he brought it up. But he's right...just look at my lists...) Either way, we talked about the pain that idealism causes us.

Somehow in the conversation I repeated to him the lion metaphor. He said he's finally reached a point in his life where he can cope with sometimes just covering the lion.

"It might go to sleep," he said. We laughed very very hard, realizing it to be so.

Somehow I feel the need to reflect on this tonight, the eve of my 32nd birthday.