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Happiness: Three Definitions
- Wesleyan University Press
- Chapter
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48 HAPPINESS:THREEDEFINITIONS 1. Canyoubetoohappy?Putsome inabox.Tapeit.Putitonthat shelfoverthere.ComeSadness, littledognoonelikes butyou’resweet,youare, inyourway.SoIgo tothewoodswiththatdog. Idon’tteachitanything.Notheel, notfetch,not protectmefrommonsters. Hehardlylooksbackatme, neverbringsme asticktothrowpasthim totheriver.Theriver doesn’tshineinthesewoods.Doesn’t makeasound.There’sanold washingmachineinit.Acouple ofshoes.Orthree.Nomatch foranyother,onewithlaces adriftlikesomelanguid seacreature,tentaclesbleached, wayward,notcaringabit ifthefishermancomeswithhisnet ornot.I’mthathappy. Idon’tcareeither. 2. Whichleadstoaquestion.Can happinessmakeyoustupid?(Ilove stupid,saidStupid.What?saidSmart. Butthat’sadifferentstory.)Theworld looksgreatwithout 49 sepia,withouteyetrouble,themoon, onemoon.Andallthisblinding daylight,justwhatwewanted,yes? Question:doyourelish orendure?Twocurious adjustmentsonthelens.Orthree: itdepends,yousaidorIsaid,notsure whattofixfordinner.(Didwe rememberlimes?cilantro? coconutmilk?)It’sjustthat,how stupidtoqualifystupid,said Stupid.OrwasitSmartatthewindow, talkingtonooneinparticular,squeaking theballoonintotheshapeofaduck orawindmill. 3. Infact,thingshappen inthrees,saideveryoneafterthesecond disaster(thosestrokes,thattrainwreck—you nameit—anearthquake,aflood).We eyedtheroom,eachother,checking thedoor—isitlockedforthenight? ThenIsleptanddreamtpeople walkinginlines,carryingtheirpicket signs:nothirdthing!Icould belaborthis.Icouldsayasmy longagofrienddid:howdoyougetthere? Firstyougothere!Thenlaugh myselfsick.Ortellthatdog: no,Sadness.Youhavetostayhome. Youcan’tnuzzletheleaves withmeallafternoon.Buttheway helooksup,outoffocus, soeyetoeye. ...