I Doth Protest Too Much

Some realities catch me by surprise. In this case, I’ve discovered, I doth protest too much.

The joke began: “…and the OLD couple, who recently celebrated their 50th anniversary…”

It continued as a parody about old folks who can’t hear…who misunderstand each other… A couple who apparently have been together too long.

He says “After all these years, we are tried and true.”

She says “Well, I’m tired of you, too!”

This joke was told as an opening ice-breaker by a famous pastor, from the pulpit. It was recorded and shared online, by his ministry.

I heard it today. I did not chuckle. The more I’ve thought about it, the more it bugs me.

The question is, Why?

We’ve all laughed at similar jokes. Old ladies walking along, completely misunderstanding their friends, but carrying on what seems from the outside to be a disconnected, yet ludicrously funny conversation. In cartoons, the ladies are wearing big hats (probably red), baggy stockings, mismatched clothes, right? When we hear the joke, that’s how we imagine them.

Had my first marriage not ended after thirty-four years, we would have celebrated our Fiftieth Anniversary last December.