Illegitimus non datum carborandum 12/9/2003
Truer have never been spoken.
I once knew a man by the name of Cleveland. He was the last gentleman on the planet. He got sick....very sick. He died.
I miss him. He taught me how to waltz when you've had one too many. He threw a formal dance, and made me wear a red velvet dress and heels. He gave me a moment when everyone stopped and looked at me and saw "beautiful".
He told me stories about nothing that made me laugh until I cried. He told me stories that just made me cry. He told me stories that made me think, and hope, and know that there was a better way.
He told me a story about a hungry fox who walked through the woods one day, where he came upon a clearing. In the clearing was the biggest, blackest crow you ever saw. In the crow's mouth was a big piece of cheese.
He told me how the fox's belly rumbled at the sight of the cheese, and how the fox thought of how he could have that cheese. He said that the fox spoke to the crow, and said,
"oh, beautiful crow...your feathers of ebony shine in the sun. My breathe has been stolen by your beauty. I think that the only way that you could surpass your beauty is if I could hear you sing."
Cleveland told me of how the crow preened and turned this way and that, showing off his feathers in the sun. When fox pleaded with crow....crow consented...opened his mouth, and sang.
In doing so, (Cleveland laughed at this part) crow dropped the cheese.
Fox scooped it up, gobbled it down, and ran away.
The moral of the story is this: Flattery is the food of fools.
He must have told me that story a dozen times. He laughed everytime, and I did, too. Cleve laughed a lot. He had a hard life, but he was always faithful...honest...loyal..happy. I miss him so.
Before he died, I went to see him. He looked so very small. He looked like he was hurting. He stilled smiled for me and told me the story.
I asked him how his pain was, and he said to me:
"Illegitimus non datum carborandum"
Don't let the bastards grind you down.
I hear ya, Clevie. I love you, and I miss you, and I can't wait to see you, so we can dance again.
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