The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1955-09-16
@ | | M P S E S
T n { P A S T
By CAROLYN LLOYD

Since the first cave man laughed
uproariously when one of his fell
lows fell from a cliff and broke
leg, mankind has been getting his
greatest amusement from the dis
comfort of others. The refining eff
fects of civilization have failed to
remove completely this unlovely
trait in mans nature. Immature
practical jokers still think that
pulling chair from under one in
the act of sitting down is about
the finest prank possible, notwith-
standing the fact that the spine of
the victim might easily be shatter-
ed. 1t is noble character, indeed,
who can refrain from laughing
when he witnesses an awkward fall
on the street. Aware of this, the
victim is generally more concerned
at the time with who is looking than
his possible injuries. The child who
stumbles and falls on the stage be-
fore the assembled student body
often wishes that he had been
badly hurt so that he would be
entitled to the sympathy of his
schoolmates rather than their ma
niacal glee at his discomfort. A
black eye has always furnished
material for crude jokes-if on the
other fellow.
Some people, of course, have be-
come too highly civilized to enjoy
another's physical mishaps, at
least openly, yet even they revert
to the primitive in enjoying the
mistakes of others. They are es-
pecially funny if one has made the
same mistakes, for misery does
love company and it is comforting
to the ego to find that others can
be as stupid as, or more stupid
than, oneself. AS a point in case l
recall the time that l glanced cas-
ually at the license plate of an au-
tomobile and innocently inquired,
Where is Permanent, North Car
DINA ?" The ensuing merriment at
my expense made me feel like an
idiot as enlightenment dawned.
Several days later my ego receiv-
ed balm as friend with whom l
was walking down the street ask
ed the same question. l had my
laugh, but honesty compelled me
to confess to having made the
same mistake.
All Of which leads up to my lat
est source of amusement. Upon
several occasions some very queer
| typographical errors have made
laughable material out of some
thing written for this paper and
not intended to be funny. Natural
", they always draw comment and
there are some who seem to think
that such things happen only to
copy for this newspaper; there
fore always get a kick out OF
finding similar and worse mistakes
in bigger publications. My sympa-
thy is with the writer and the
typesetter, but, having been laugh
ed at, l am human enough to enjoy
doing the laughing. For instance
a recent bridegroom is probably
not happy over these lines from
the account of his wedding in The
News and Observer: "He is a
graduate of Apprentice School of
( the Newport News Ship Building
and Dry Dock Company; and of
George Washington University in
a dress with pink hat and an or
Child" A Sunday column in the
same paper carried a list of errors
compiled from society sections OF
various papers. Among the fun
niest were these: "The bridegroom
mother wore a lace dress which
fell to the floor" "The bridesmaids
carried tiny nosebags;" and "The
bridal couple then passed out anc
greeted the guests"
Some of these errors were the
result, not of typesetters' mis-.
takes, but of careless writing. So.
1