Not Good Eating

Why am I already reading ANOTHER Stephen King novel? That's a great question! Kaitlyn at Square Books recommended DOCTOR SLEEP and then Tom Franklin and I had one of our infamous luncheons and was there wine involved? YOU TELL ME. But Tom also recommended DOCTOR SLEEP. Which is about an alcoholic. So I stumbled back to Square Books and got a copy of DOCTOR SLEEP. Later I wound up on the balcony at Ace Atkins's office, as you can see. Somehow, with the patient guidance of Dr. Theresa, I made it home still clutching my copy of DOCTOR SLEEP, which, so far, has had two figurative owls in it: a "night owl" and a "boiled owl." This "boiled oil" was neither drunk nor sore, however, unlike earlier boiled owls of our acquaintance. Someone was described, in fact, as being "tougher'n a boiled owl." WHAT! I looked it up in my GREEN'S DICTIONARY OF SLANG and this measure of toughness goes back at least as far as 1909. And I guess it makes the most sense of any of the boiled owl comparisons. I imagine if you boiled an owl (DON'T!) it would be tough and just not very good eating. I'm sorry I doubted you, Stephen King! I guess a boiled owl can be whatever we want it to be. The versatile boiled owl, ladies and gentlemen.