Shafts Of Sunlight That Pierce Global Gloom

What with all that is going on in the world, the Ukrainian mess, the tragedy of the capsized Korean ferry, large jets that disappear into thin air, plus seeing measles and tuberculosis making comebacks owing to anti-vaccination action on those afflicted by superstition, well, it's all too much.

Nothing to do but to head for the Mall.

Accompanied by my minder, Irving, (three execution fatwas call for some discretion) we sallied forth, and were soon cheered by the bright lights and people of all sorts and sizes happily enjoying the fruits of capitalism. Not that these folks were entirely unaware of the darker side to such getting and spending, for I spotted one Tee shirt on a portly gentleman containing the words "Capitalism without bankruptcy is like Christianity without hell."

Encouraged by this, I went on a type of Tee shirt scavenger hunt, and came up with the following.

On a tee worn by a lass, likely a student by the books she was carrying, I read, "If you try to fail, and succeed, what have you done?"

One can only hope she intends to major in philosophy.

Then I encountered an elderly gentleman whose Tee read "I don't believe in superstitions. They're bad luck."

Well, you can't win them all.

Next I came across a rather vivacious twenty something, in a purse section of an upscale emporium, having difficulty choosing between a Louis Vuitton or a Fendi. Poor thing, but her Tee script caused me to revise my opinion. Somewhat. The Tee read, "Sex on television can't hurt, unless you fall off."

Enough, or too much. But it was good to see that, at least on some level, the general public was well aware of life's little ironies, an awareness that tends to escape politicians completely.

Of course, I also felt I should participate, and succumbed to purchasing a bright yellow Tee and, in homage to the film Jurassic Park, had the following words put on: "The objects in this sweater are larger than they appear."

To quote the Comte de Rienville when he first saw the garment, "Cheri, c'est merveilleux. C'est aussi vrai."

He really is a wonderful man.