Broken Dream

A few days ago, my wife, Lynda, informed me that I'm "half cracked".  Apparently she is not alone in her assertion, as she also told me that several other people agree with her. I was speechless....a rarity.

For those of you who may not be quite sure how someone comes to be labelled as "half cracked", let me explain.  I believe the term is unique to Newfoundland and it's synonymous with crazy, but in a nicer way.  If that's at all possible?  The context in which the term is used and the intonation the speaker utilizes when describing someone in such a manner is oh so important.  As a result, it is possible to be called "half cracked" and it is not meant in a derogatory sense.  Some of the funniest, most genuine and caring people I know certainly fall on the good side of being half cracked.  It's not unusual to hear the following: "Let's get together with Wayne and his wife this weekend.  They're a lot of fun and he's half cracked."  Or how about after an awesome Friday night on George Street - "Everyone was sure having a time.  They were all half cracked.  Want to go down town again tonight?" 

So being described as half cracked is not necessarily a bad thing.  I think that's how Lynda meant it when she said it to me last week.  I can see how I have earned the title over the years.  Perhaps the negative thing about being half cracked is that it's not possible to ever go back to being un-cracked.  Think of an egg.......makes sense I guess, as an egg with a broken shell can never be whole again. (As proven by all of the king's men.)  But if I take that thought process a little further, then is an egg really ever half cracked?  It's either cracked or it isn't.  Right?  It's the same as being pregnant......you're either pregnant or your not.

So that explains what transpired between Lynda and me yesterday.  No, Lynda is not pregnant and neither am I!  I came up with what I saw as a good idea and was gathering more information about it.  I must agree with Lynda that it is somewhat of a different idea.  Actually, the word she used was "extreme".  It turns out that not too many people have done it before.  I spoke to someone knowledgeable in the field and was told that she had not had anyone do what I was proposing in the 25 years she has been involved in this endeavour, even though it is quite possible to do it and it is actually a very good thing.  I'm not about to tell you what it was.  That's between Lynda and me.

As it turns out, the timing is probably not right for me to proceed with this idea.  Lynda is great at helping me see the big picture during those times when I am looking at things through a narrow tunnel.  I appreciate her counsel.  There was no need to consider the context or the intonation she used when she was telling me what she thought of my idea.  It was short, sweet and quite clear.  She said I was "cracked".  I think it sounded better when I was just "half cracked".