A Duck With Attitude

by Robin
(Anchor Point AK)

"As we get older, our memory fails," so say many folks with hearing aids, false teeth and other signs of aging. I say, not true.

I take the position that if we don't remember something of our past, it was not worthy of remembering in the first place. Those situations that have occurred in our past, no matter how small or insignificant, if we remember them, it is very important.

Take smells for example. Many people remember their childhood when smelling the fresh aroma of freshly baked bread or chocolate chip cookies. Some remember working with the hogs on a warm spring day back in the Ohio farm, the stink permeating every fiber of being. Others have memories of smell, love, hate, and all those other situations that set us apart from the animals not blessed with such a memory as ours.

My most memorable smell is of burning hair and a duck. No, I'm not fully crazy yet, I still have a ways to go. But, I better explain my case.

Back in the old days, when I was a wee little lad of about four. I had learned from a loving mother, never, ever, stick any object into an electric outlet. I actually listened to what my mother had to say as she was a very smart woman. However, one day, while watching her change my crying brothers diaper, I heard her say, "Don't worry Karl, this safety pin will not hurt you..." Mmmm, my young mind reasoned when hearing her say such a thing with confidence, it will not hurt you.

The pin she was talking about, was a yellow duck headed safety pin. So with great four-year old logic. I stuck one into an outlet and the experience was very memorable. I smelled burning hair, skin and I now think my hair is curly from that situation.

Moral of the story? Don't stick ANYTHING except an electrical cord into an electrical outlet.