When does a hole in the ground become a grave?
Why do some people always get offended?
And why do the box tickers always take their side?
A rather interesting, and slightly disturbing, story appeared in our national press some time ago. A certain gentleman, I shall call him mister shovel to save him any embarrassment, was fired from his job for being too cheerful.
Why, I hear you ask, should a person be dismissed for being too cheerful?
Well, Mr. Shovel’s occupation was that of a gravedigger. And he had allowed himself to be photographed in a newly dug hole that would soon be a grave, smiling at the camera, and looking to the entire world to be enjoying himself.
This was deemed inappropriate by someone. A complaint was made, and Mr Shovel was duly given his marching orders. Apparently, you cannot stand waist deep in a hole that is soon to be a grave and laugh.
Which begs the question if you can’t laugh in that situation, when can you?
Another question comes to mind from this situation.
When does a hole in the ground become a grave?
One of the dictionary definitions of a grave is a place for the burial of a corpse, usually underground.
My question is, if there is no corpse in the hole, is it a grave?
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If the answer is no, then Mr. Shovel has been ill used.
The photograph clearly showed him standing in an oblong shaped hole, but the only body in the hole was that belonging to Mr. Shovel.
And the photograph clearly showed him standing erect, laughing and waving at the camera. Not the attributes you would expect from a corpse. Even if that person had died laughing.
In an ideal world, Mr. Shovel would still be in the job he clearly enjoyed.
In an ideal world, the sour, miserable article who complained would have been ignored.
But it seems there are people out there who just sit around all day and look for anything to be offended by.
Sadly, we do not live in an ideal world, and the box tickers won again.
Thanks for reading.
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