Sisybus

My Dear Fellow,

No matter how many work-weeks I kill off, Mondays always return. Here is the Sisybus, ready to commute me to another week of nonsense.

Actually, today wasn't too bad. A quiet day, spent listening to a podcast about Alfred Hitchcock's very first directing gig - "The Pleasure Garden", a silent film shot on location in Italy.

The film featured a scene in which the hero rescues a young lady from drowning. Hitch looked around to find his actors gathered around, muttering in consternation. The actress can't go in the water, they told him.

"Why?" Hitch asked. "Is she afraid of the water?"

"No, no, it's not that", they said. "It's - " They paused. No-one knew how to put it. Someone told Hitch it was delicate.

Hitch was in no mood. "Oh just spit it out," he said.

"She's having her 'woman's time'."

"Eh?"

"It's the time of the month."

"It's the third week in April. What has that to do with anything?"

"Oh for goodness' sake. She's on her period."

"Her what?"

The actors looked at Hitch. He looked at them, unblinking.

"You know. Her menstrual period."

"I have NO IDEA what you are talking about."

Horrified. The actors slowly realised he wasn't joking. And that is how Alfred Hitchcock learned the facts of life from a film crew by an Italian lake.

"I was 22 years of age, and I knew nothing," he confessed.

One wonders how our grandparents ever successfully bred. Yet here we are.

Parsones

-

Actually, I have nothing on all week, so wherever, whenever, as Shakira used to say.

We could even go to see a film if you would like. Here are some alternatives.

Or, if none of those appeal to you or the times are rubbish, then beer it is.

I’ll be there and you’ll be near and that’s the deal my dear
Lo lo lo lai lo lai

Is the song in your head yet?
I could do another verse.