Happiness and a Plunger

I heard this poem recently. It was read aloud by none other than Garrison Keillor. It reminded me of how often we get so caught up in what's practical, we forget to allow for a little happiness.



Coconut

Bear with me
I want to tell you
something about
happiness
it's hard to get at
but the thing is
I wasn't looking
I was looking
somewhere else
when my son found it
in the fruit section
and came running
holding it out
in his small hands
asking me what
it was and could we
keep it it only
cost 99 cents
hairy and brown
hard as a rock
and something swishing
around inside
and what on earth
and where on earth
and this was happiness
this little ball
of interest beating
inside his chest
this interestedness
beaming out
from his face pleading
happiness
and because I wasn't
happy I said
to put it back
because I didn't want it
because we didn't need it
and because he was happy
he started to cry
right there in aisle
five so when we
got home we
put it in the middle
of the kitchen table
and sat on either
side of it and began
to consider how
to get inside of it

- Paul Hostovsky

They were in Home Depot. Jane, Jessica, and Ricky. No one seems to remember why they were there, but at one point, while walking down the plumbing aisle, no doubt just crossing through, Ricky came upon the toilet plungers. Something struck him and he picked up a small plunger, almost toy-sized, and began putting it against his stomach, then his head and face. He began impersonating Jim Carrey, fighting the plunger for control.

'Can I get this?' Ricky asked. It cost less than $3. Jane agreed and they finished shopping, Ricky amusing himself with his plunger. Later, in the car, Ricky asked if they could stop for ice cream and without thinking, Jane said, "Come on Ricky, it's never enough. I just bought you a plunger!"

Everyone in the car laughed. Especially Jane. And then they went for ice cream.

We still have that plunger, no doubt tucked away with the rest of Ricky's toys, in the attic, as he is now too old to play with them. But it always reminds me to think about my answer before I give it. I would have said no to the plunger. Because I didn't want it. Because we didn't need it. And because, most likely, I wasn't happy.