Zacklies

Well, here we are, on the final day of the A to Z challenge.  This year, we'll wrap things up with a bit of irreverent humor from my late Uncle Stephen.



Stephen Kirton, Circa 1965



Stephen was always good for a joke, and he was the sort of amiable fellow that could get away with just about anything.  He could tell an off-color joke or two no matter what company he was keeping without causing much offense because he just had that certain air about him; a unique charisma and empathy that let him off the hook for saying things that would get other people crucified.

One of the odd jokes he liked to tell was about the "zacklies," and he often varied the story to suit different people.  In the joke, someone would go to some doctor or psychiatrist, complaining about people avoiding them.  The doctor would say, "You've got a case of the zacklies."  The patient would ask what that was, and the punch-line went: "It's where your mouth smells zackley like your ass."  Obviously, this joke could be considered quite offensive on several levels, though it was the kind of humor my uncle excelled at telling (or retelling most likely).

Though, he was far smarter than such childish humor might lead you to believe.  He was an accomplished Chiropractor who always sought to expand his knowledge, even as he struggled with inner demons and various addictions.  I recognize now that much of his flamboyant, extroverted behavior was a cover for the hidden pain that lurked within his soul.  As so many people tend to do, he hid his emotional scars from the world behind a veil of jocularity.

Uncle Stephen was someone who could get along with anybody, and often did.