The Roar of Agony

Luckily, I've only heard it twice since we've moved into this house 3+ years ago. It's a guttural sound that James makes when he wants me to believe that I have mortally wounded him. It's not necessarily loud, but I call it a roar because it's powerful. He gets his message across.

The first roar of agony was prompted by a horrific odor that greeted James once as he entered the house through the garage. Even though I had opened the sliding glass door and turned on the fans, I could not get rid of the smell of burnt garage door remote control that I had accidentally melted in the microwave. (I can explain! But I won't right now.) Before the door shut behind him, he roared, "WHAT'S THAT SMELL?!!" and the real fun ensued as I tried to answer amidst his expressions of excruciating revulsion, disgust, and disbelief.

So recently we were having our ongoing love/hate discussion about This American Life as it came on the radio. James has this uncanny timing such that he invariably misses the hysterically funny episodes and tunes in attentively when something dark and tragic is broadcast. Consequently, we always argue about listening to this show. Two weekends ago, I insisted and James acquiesced. A moment later, someone on the radio related a story about watching his mother struggle to breathe after she had been removed from a respirator used during her bladder cancer surgery.

In a fit of a PTSD flashback from a similar experience of our own, James screamed, "LIIIIISSAAAAAAAH!" - a Ricky Ricardo-type verbal explosion that nearly blasted me out of my power chair.

"Ok, Okay! I won't ask you again to have your fingernails pulled out one by one, but I happen to like that show."

If You Like Storytelling...

Well, let me tell you something....it's my new favorite source of entertainment. So favorite, in fact, I can't stop asking James, "Honey, do ya wanna listen to The Moth podcast?"

I don't know why this usually makes him groan, because he always likes it when he does give in and listen. If you like storytelling and storylistening, You'll love The Moth, too.

It was on Ira Glass' This American Life, that I first heard a Moth story so hilarious I had to track it down to learn more. Yes, I said something was "hilarious" on This American Life. (James and I both quite frequently find that program more than just a little dysphoric. The topics are often very somber and even tragic, yet, I find it more and more compelling, much to James' consternation.) (Nice segue to the Moth, Lisa!)

Founded in New York City, the Moth was created by a member of group of folks who used to gather on someone's screened porch somewhere in the South to tell stories. A hole in the screen provided entry to a moth. The storytellers thought the characters of their stories were drawn to adventure, or certain people, or whatever the theme like a moth to flame. Hence, the name. If you're a friend of mine, you're probably going to find out about it the next time I give you a gift CD, otherwise, you can find out more about it on their website, which offers free subscription to podcasts.

Check it out and tell me what you think.