It's time you and me did some 'ass-a-lin'
my friend told me one day.
Excuse me? I said, Just what do you mean
by this 'ass-a-lin' thing you say?
A fine Southern word, he replied with a grin.
It means not doing anything you have to -
no work, no laundry, no necessary chores.
Just do what you've got a mind to.
You can browse antique stores or quaint book shops
or sit on a bank with a pole,
paint a picture, write a poem, or stare at the clouds.
The important thing is to not have a goal.
It's more fun to do with a very good friend.
The best time is the fall or the spring.
But this is just my personal thought -
ass-a-lin should be your own thing.
As a woman of the 90's, I said to him,
My time is pretty well allotted.
With work and meetings and programs and such -
to go ass-a-lin I'd have to be prodded.
This day's almost gone. Tomorrow's a mess.
Next week there's so much to do.
Next month I'll be busy trying to catch up.
Next year's pretty well planned out, too.
I think I'll have time in a couple of years
to go with you to do some ass-a-lin,
or at least have the time to sit down and plan
when there's sure to be no hass-a-lin'.
You've completely misunderstood the bloomin' concept,
my friend ruefully shook his head.
And then, he went ass-a-lin without me,
and took some other girl instead!
Suzie Jarrett