The Ultimate Answer to Kings: The Song in my Head...

They say that Louis XIV had the inscription Ultima Ratio Regum cast into all the cannon of the French Army. It means "The Ultimate Argument of Kings," and that always struck me as one of the most honest and up-front things any ruler or would-be ruler ever said. "We can dress it up prettier than this, but when it comes down to the unvarnished truth this is what it's about: You'll do as I say or I'll send my goons to kill you."

I thought about that for a long time. If there's an ultimate argument, it seems only logical that there must be an ultimate answer. For years I thought the ultimate answer must be the bullets in my rifle, but it never seemed quite right. I've got bullets - he's got frigging Cannon Balls. I mean, if there were three hundred million rifles throwing bullets at him, then maybe. But we all know that's not going to happen. So if there's an ultimate answer to his ultimate argument, it sure as hell ain't bullets.

It finally came to me - and that's when I left the city, abandoned a goodly percentage of my goods, and gave all that was behind me a good, stiff Randian Shrug.

The ultimate answer to kings is not a bullet, but a belly laugh.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

The Song in my Head...

This song didn't mean anything much to me in the 'sixties. Many years later, after fifteen or so years of marriage when we didn't really have a thing left in common but before we started admitting it, it got a lot more relevant.

3 comments:

Kevin Wilmeth said...: Perhaps you need a better tune in your head.

You could do a whole lot worse than this one.; August 17, 2011 at 12:10 AM
The Grey Lady said...: Could be worse it could be Joni's I've looked at love from both sides now. :O); August 17, 2011 at 7:54 AM
Stephen said...: Haven't heard this song in years and years. Thanks.; August 17, 2011 at 9:55 AM