Freddogg Off The Chain

This is an actual conversation I had with an institutionalized mental patient back in 1960. The man named Henry had a Masters in business from Princeton but after a car accident rattled his brain a different Henry emerged. Still a millionaire as Co-owner of the Rheingold Beer Corporation but unfit to swim in the mainstream of American society where people will smack your face if you get smart with them and refuse to back down.

“It’s cold up there in Alaska plenty cold.”

‘Yes I believe it is Henry.”

“Maybe it’s not!”

“Have you ever been to Alaska?”
“No, I haven’t Henry.”

“Maybe you have though. It is cold, plenty cold?”
“I’m sure that maybe it is.”

“You’re sure that’s maybe it’s not!”
“Do you like snow?”
“No I don’t!”
“You do!”
This went on and on and finally I saw a flaw in his logic and figured incorrectly that the laying of logic on the illogical mind is a moment of revelation that makes them better.

“Alaska is cold plenty cold. Do you like Alaska?”

“Yes and no Henry. Yes and no.”

He did not hesitate. “Yes and Yes”!

There is a lesson to be learned here then again maybe not.

Freddogg