The Thinker & The Drinker

I sat down today to try and bring forth some grand thoughts. Not interesting ideas, not clever insights, but grand thoughts! Others have had them. The real gems rest in the great pantheon of world philosophy.

"I think therefore I am," said some schlub, making himself famous. Five lousy words. Is such a lofty supposition outside my ability? Given a free afternoon, and a couple of cold beers, I bet I could pull off something similar...

( ...And the clock ticked away the minutes, and the hours. The September sun moved slowly across the sky).

Nothing yet.

But there's still evening. That's when profound revelations tend to rise from the unconscious. Twilight, when the mind is freed from the harsh demands of the day...

(...And darkness fell, the kids shuffled off to bed, and the beer grew warm, and bitter).

Zilch.

What is this? What am I on earth for? To help an economy roll along? What a waste of a mature mind. I want to add to the wisdom of the masters. Just ONE inspiring epiphany, ONE penetrating bit of divination...

(...And the wee, small hours arrived, the eye lids slipped, and fell).

Oh for God's sake, skip it. I'll go back to aiding the economy, buying things I'm supposed to buy, paying my taxes, and making sure the recycling gets to the curb each Thursday.

For musings, I'll leave you with this: Millions of us come and go, year in and year out, with little consequence. We tell jokes we've heard before, and make bold statements we've stolen from magazine articles. The best thinking we do doesn't touch the work of our brilliant and inspired brethren. What we offer one and other instead, ultimately, is our company. Our gift to each other is mainly our presence.

So fill up the saloons, people, file into the coffee shops. Let's take solace in our numbers. They are legion.

And surely you'll pay for your pint, mate
As surely I'll pay for mine!
And we'll take a wee cup 'o kindness yet
And drink to auld lang syne!

For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne,
We’ve wandered many a weary foot
Let's sing of auld lang syne!