Fast Facts for philosophers

            “Well, anyway, I was just philosophizing,” Mrs. Leeway said this morning.

          I gave her my I-don’t-think-that’s-a-word look, a look I perfected when the kids were young. That look has many uses. It has conveyed, “No, you can’t have the car tonight,” and “No, you can’t have ice cream.”

          Today, it meant that I didn’t think philosophizing is a word.

          Ignoring my look (something which even the kids do now), Mrs. Leeway continued, “Maybe that’s not a word, but that’s what I was doing.”

          You have to be quick on the uptake in our family. I stepped in immediately.

          “I am generally fearless,” I said, “but if I were afraid of philosophizing, I would have philosophi-phobia.”

          Mrs. Leeway laughed, which always brightens my day. I am pleased with life when she smiles and anytime she laughs out loud, it’s like angels singing.

          “Maybe,” Mrs. Leeway opined, “it isn’t a word. Maybe I’m just getting old.”

          “That would be ancient philosophy,” I said.

          “Yes,” she said. No laugh this time.

          Needing to regain momentum, I charged ahead.

          “If it was fake, it would be faux philosophizing,” I proposed.

          That drew another laugh and I was rolling again.

          “Know what you have if you were afraid of a fake philosophy,” I asked.

          Mrs. Leeway admitted that she did not.

          “Faux-philosophi-phobia.”

          Our neighbors probably wondered why we were laughing like loons when we opened the garage door and climbed into the Mustang.

          Well, what they don’t know won’t hurt ‘em. That’s my philosophy.

          Thanks for reading.