Evening star., 1946-05-04
This and That
By Charles E. Trdceweu.

Il guess I missed my calling"
lamented Templeton Jones.
"How's that?" we asked our good
friend. "As president of the Anti
Sneezing Society, your life has been
filled with good works.
Even If no one does stop sneezing," :"
grinned Jones. We'll, here is how it is.
I fell down on street the other day,
that rainy morning The kind gentle
man who helped me up inquired solicit
ously if I had hurt myself. I told him
nothing but my feelings I was mis-
taken about that; the next day was
sore all over. But he seemed satisfied
and left me in peace with my somewhat
ruffied dignity.
OF my dear associates. but was greeted
with smiles, and inquiries as to what
brand I had been drinking, and so on,
the usual stuff, you know.
THAT should have put me wise, but I
insisted. went to my favorite store,
and thought I would get a little SYM
pathy from the young lady clerks.
Instead, they broke into unrestrained
laughter. I was somewhat discounted,
but recalled, of course. that no topic
Is funnier, in the popular mind, than a
fall
II knew this. but I guess I thought
my personal sufferings would get little
sympathy. just little.
II concluded, therefore. that it must
have been my way of telling it, because
really there is nothing comical about a
fall, despite the tradition.
"Only very young persons. who have
never known any one with broken hip,
could honestly think there is anything
funny about fall.
Therefore, I guess am a comic, and
should have been on the stage all these
years. I would have vowed them, if I
can Judge from the universal reception
of my tale of woe"
ut was not that, Temp" we insisted.
but simply the idea of such dignified
gentleman as yourself falling-there Is
a phrase for it, but shouldn't use it
well, the mere idea of you slipping on
the street, as common folk might, sent
them into spasms of laughter
II think I must be comic" went on
Jones. reluctantly. But I would like to
tell all my friends and acquaintances,
who found my lamentable adventure so
howlingly. funny. that hope there is
some banana peel handy for them, some
day Maybe then they will know how I
felt.
You haven't told III about this acci-
dent" we soothed.
II haven't because knew you would
put it into the paper" smiled Jones.
1T wasn't much of an accident, as such
things 60. I was walking along in the
rain, in worn overshoes when suddenly
I realized that was going down, right
on my back.
Il had book in the left hand, and
my umbrella in the right. Somehow I
managed to hold onto both, but the
umbrella went wrong side out, and I
landed on the back of my neck and
both elbows.
"The kind gentleman helped me to
my feet, while hundreds stood around
and gawked. Holding an umbrella
wrong side out is not soothing, either,
in case you want to know. That, alone,
makes me feel like fool. I felt better
when got it Strengthened out
1T was really neat fall Instinct
did it. I might have broken my head,
unless I had instinctively jerked my
head forward. I saved my skull, but
the next day my neck was tremendously
sore.
Failing is an art that ought to be
taught, like all arts. If one is relaxed,
and puts himself solely into natures
hand, he is all right. This is one time
when thinking won't do you any good.
Tell your readers to take tip from
me, and to let nature take care of them,
once they start to fall. Fall like child,
fall like goat, fall like dog, or like a
pussy cat, and you will come up grin
ming. Everybody else thinks it is funny,
you might as WELL" sighed Templeton
Jones.