Pookas

Pookas. Also known as Pucas.

Pookas are animal spirits. The Random House Dictionary says "an Irish spirit, mischievious but not malevolent, corresponding to the English Puck." I always think of Harvey the giant invisible rabbit. Jimmy Stewart's martini-drinking, fun-loving, invisible best friend.

In our house, 'pooka' has come to mean old friends of Jimbo. Or people he used to know, at any rate.

Since Jim is an older, more worldly squirrel, he has lived a number of lives before meeting me. He is one of those guys, though, that makes strong connections with people and then easily loses touch due to geography. This results in the fact that he has many stories about his friends, but he doesn't know where they live now and I have never met them.

I am coming to accept that I may never meet the legendary Charlie, son of Gus and Son of Perdition. I may never meet Timothy, the Winnipeg 'Stand By Me' boyhood friend. I may never meet any of the art school crowd. Sigh.

All of this was not very disturbing until I watched the movie "A Beautiful Mind", in which you slowly realize that the man's best friends don't really exist. They are all in his mind. THEY ARE ALL POOKAS.

Jimbo's daughter is suddenly getting married in Vancouver, and because we spent all our money on the kitchen and I've used all my holidays, Sprout and I are not going to go to the wedding. Instead, we will all go in the spring when their baby arrives. I am sad to miss the wedding because it's Shmally's wedding, and I am also sad to miss the wedding because I think pookas will be at it! Damn, damn, damn.

(If the pookas actually exist.)