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| Groucho Marx |
Groucho Marx was a brilliant exponent of the one liner ad-lib. One of many of his ad-libs that has always appealed to me is 'I don’t want to belong to any club that would have me as a member'. The exact wording of this ad-lib and its context remains uncertain but that he made a statement to this effect is not in dispute.
My mind turned to Groucho's comment after an exchange with my bridge partner tonight. Having picked up my bridge partner for the drive to the club I was asked about my day. I replied that I had woken with a cough but before I could add that the cough had cleared my bridge partner responded sharply 'well what are you doing here tonight'. An icy chill descended in the car and I could tell that my bridge partner was fuming at the thought that I was spreading germs around.
At the first set of traffic lights bridge partner turned to me and asked to be taken home. 'I don't want to be getting sick from your cough' explained bridge partner even though I hadn't coughed at all during the drive.
I wasn't going to argue. I don't want to play bridge with a partner who doesn't want to catch my cough, I thought.
Bridge is a game played by older people, right?
ReplyDeleteAll ages marcellous, chronologically and behaviourally.
DeleteOK, OK, just having a dig and at the same time suggesting an excuse or at least explanation for your partner's contagion anxiety.
DeleteA similar incident happened between friends of ours and it caused some very bad feelings for a time. There may be an obligation to others when a cold is at its peak and you are coughing and/or sneezing but really, if you don't catch a cold from one person, you will get if from another.
ReplyDeleteI'm asthmatic, Andrew. If I stayed home every day that I cough then I would never be in anybody's company.
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