Recently my Son came home with a book written by the Southern Humorist Lewis Grizzard.

I'm pretty sure he didn't pay for it, but I doubt that he stole it, so if you are missing yours....I'm pretty sure he'll bring it back after we have finished it.

The book ended up on the shelves in the bathroom where the towels are stacked, which also doubles as the toilet paper holder, until one of the three slackers that live here decide to fix the one that's supposed to be hanging on the wall.

I should say that it ending up in the bathroom is not a comment on Mr. Grizzards journalistic talents as much as it is a testiment to the fact that every other flat surface in the house is covered with something else and it was the last place to lay something down.

I decided to pick it up one day while...I was doing my business......Lewis would say "doing my business" then he would tell a story about where he learned the term from an Uncle, a Cousin, or some other strange small town character from the little town where he grew up in South Georgia.

So I was "doing my business" and decided since it would be awkward to practice my juggling, and singing seems to annoy the stray dog that's been coming around because my Little Brother, and Bonny have been secretly buying it expensive Doggy Treats, well it just seemed easier to pick Mr. Grizzard's books and read a few words.

Now I used to keep books in the bathroom all the time.

I was married to a woman who for some reason could not stand for me to just sit and read a book, relaxing or otherwise.  I developed the ability to read a complete issue of Cruising World Magazine, Soundings, or any other magazine that promoted the idea of buying a small sailboat and slowly relocating myself to a latitude much closer to the equator, where I would play out my days relaxing and reading a book without being nagged. There was also the issue of the Naked Pearl Divers I'd read about in National Geo when I was a kid but maybe we can talk about that later.

I could read a complete issue in the bathroom while doing my business, and she would never know I was breaking the rules and reading purely for pleasure.

The only negative consequence of this plan was the lecture I always got about "all those sailing magazines laying around that you never read".

Now I used to keep the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous in the bathroom to read while doing my business, but it tended to put me to sleep, and then there I would be snoring on the throne, only to wake up with a ring around my bottom that would not go away for days, my legs so asleep that I would have to fall of the seat until the circulation would return to my legs enough for me walk out of the bathroom in an upright manner. It also left one with the distinct feeling you had somewhere along the line sat down in a bowl of corn flakes.

Besides I never drank in the bathroom.

I will admit the feeling of laying on the bathroom floor, unable to walk was somehow vaguely familiar.

There was a time when I would keep a Playboy Magazine hidden between the towels but now that all that I can really do is read the articles....and Mother told me one should not rush "doing your business" so I need something with a few more pages.

Now I guess my Son  is reading Mr. Grizzards book to, because there is a bookmark of sorts marking the place where someone has stopped.'

I'm pretty sure it is my Son's because it is marked with a fall out card....the kind of annoying ad card that falls out of a magazine until they finally wear you down enough to subscribe to the magazine because you are so  damned tired of picking the card off the bathroom floor when it falls out while you are doing your business.

I'm also pretty sure it's his, left over from the days when he was married, and learned to keep a magazine in the bathroom so he could read about distant trails to distant places, where you could just relax and read a book without being nagged.

Now sharing a book between father and Son can be a wonderful bonding experience. I'm looking forward to when I am in the hospital fr my heart by-pass, and my Son and I can share thoughts about Mr.Grizzards thoughts while he was in the hospital for his by-pass.

Since my Son started the book before I did, he got a head start on me.

Each time I go to do my business I try to read enough to catch up to where his bookmark from the camping magazine is. 

Now I don't want to say there is too much competition between us, but I had to complain that he was reading to fast and I was having a hard time keeping my place.

Since he spent all that money going to UNC Carolina Law School he is pretty sharp and suggested I get my own bookmark. I thought maybe  going to one of those Liberal Schools had made him a little selfish, but in the end it is not an issue.

This morning I went in to do my business, picked up Mr. Grizzard's book, and read until I had finally caught up to where the camping magazine bookmark was.

I can't tell you what a satisfying thing it is when Father and Son are finally on the same page. 

After all the reading, and all the catching up, and enjoying all of Mr. Grizzard's wonderful observations of life and the human condition I have a little concern.

If I was able to catch up with my Son........I'm pretty sure he's not getting enough fiber.