This brings us to a serious fork in the road; and if you've ever tried to have a conversation with a serous fork, you know it is not a laughing matter.

For centuries, now, we have been appending to our best plans and firmest agreements the concept that we would see them come true "God willin' an' the creek don't rise". The phrase serves similarly to the upiquitous tag-lineof the Muslim world, where even an agreement to meet for breakfast must have Insh'allah tacked on -- if God wills it -- as the ultimate disclaimer of responsibililty.

But now, we have (as I said) a serious parting of ways, as our little prayer has now left the conditional mode and gone from the subjunctive to the simply declarative: THe creek has riz. Stilly makes this abundantly clear, and brings sharply to view that it has even happened before, but we ignored it. This sort of blissful linguistic self-deceit is no longer an option.

So NOW what do we do?

I think we might do well to fall back on "come hell or high water", a qualifier from a more rugged age when folks got done what they meant to do, or died trying. (I don't believe the Arab world has an equivalent, but since they weren't bettiing on the creek anyway, this is immaterial).

Wouldn't that add some color to our pastel lives?


A