"It's November again," said Dud, waving his empty cup at Loretta for a refill. We'd seen him in this mood before, but not since his marriage to Anita. "I noticed that, too," said Doc, looking curiously at Dud and hoping to draw him out. "November," Dud said. "The pitfall of the year. What the Indians call The Hunger Moon. A time of unemployment and disasters of the heart. A time when novels about suicide should be written." "Whoa there, Dudley!" said Steve. "What brought this on?" "Steve," he said, sincerely, "didn't you ever notice that whenever you're really broke, it's November?" "Can't say that I have." "Didn't you ever notice that women always break up with you in November, even if they wanted to clear back in July?" We shook our heads. "Dud," said Doc, "is everything all right at home?" "Oh ... sure." "Job going all right?" "Well ... yeah. Got a raise, actually." "You need a loan or something?" "No ... I'm OK." "Then why are you in such a down mood?" "Because it's November," he said. "November is also the time for Thanksgiving and fall colors and families getting together, too, you know." "It's November again," said Dud, waving his empty cup at Loretta for a refill. "You know why we celebrate Thanksgiving at the end of November?" Dud said, sighing. We'd seen him in this mood before, but not since his marriage to Anita. "I noticed that, too," said Doc, looking curiously at Dud and hoping to draw him out. We shrugged. "Because we're so happy it's almost December." "November," Dud said. "The pitfall of the year. What the Indians call The Hunger Moon. A time of unemployment and disasters of the heart. A time when novels about suicide should be written." "I wonder of Loretta could slip a pill into his coffee this morning," Doc said. "Whoa there, Dudley!" said Steve. "What brought this on?" "Steve," he said, sincerely, "didn't you ever notice that whenever you're really broke, it's November?" We all sighed. Sometimes Dud could ruin a picnic, I swear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brought to you by "Ol' Slim's Views from the Porch," available at www. unmpress.com and wherever nonsense is appreciated. "Can't say that I have." "Didn't you ever notice that women always break up with you in November, even if they wanted to clear back in July?" We shook our heads. "Dud," said Doc, "is everything all right at home?" "Oh ... sure." "Job going all right?" "Well ... yeah. Got a raise, actually." "You need a loan or something?" "No ... I'm OK." "Then why are you in such a down mood?" "Because it's November," he said. "November is also the time for Thanksgiving and fall colors and families getting together, too, you know." "You know why we celebrate Thanksgiving at the end of November?" Dud said, sighing. We shrugged. "Because we're so happy it's almost December." "I wonder of Loretta could slip a pill into his coffee this morning," Doc said. We all sighed. Sometimes Dud could ruin a picnic, I swear. Brought to you by "Ol' Slim's Views from the Porch," available at www. unmpress.com and wherever nonsense is appreciated. | 
