The Murphys

            It’s a small world after all.  To think friends here in Washington would know the Murphys!

            Back in Colby, Kansas, I met John Murphy shortly after my husband, Jack, had his second hip surgery.  In fact, Mr. Murphy camped out in our living room most of one summer and part of the following fall—until Jack recovered from his third surgery and was ready to boot him out of the house.  However, I didn’t mind having Mr. Murphy as a guest.  His assistance more than made up for the extra work he created for me.

            It was reassuring to know, night or day, Mr. Murphy was always there.  I must admit that some people questioned his extended use of our living room accommodations.  Surely, a few of the kind women from church who delivered meals to us during Jack’s convalescence wondered why our guest stayed in the living room.  They probably would have been surprised to know that Jack virtually lived in his mauve lift chair, which I purchased the morning after our return from the hospital because the couch and the bed were too low for Jack’s temporary hip. 

For a long time, Jack didn’t mind the company in the front room.  Nor did I.  Now, don’t get me wrong:  I like my privacy as much as the next person.  In fact, I left Jack and Mr. Murphy alone on a regular basis.  It seemed they often had issues to settle between themselves.  Invariably, once those transactions had taken place, I was called in to mop up the mess, as it were, and I learned things I didn’t necessarily want to know about their business.

            So, imagine my surprise when I found out just today that Mr. Murphy has a very large family, and one of his sisters lives right here in Oak Harbor.  She has better accommodations than Mr. Murphy did:  the privacy of a bedroom far surpasses the potential open front door of a living room.  I understand that she, too, is a temporary guest. 

I suspect that the Murphys have a family business going.  You might know them by their French surname, Commode; or their Colonial-era moniker, Chamber Pot.  Some of you may have met their lowly second cousin, Bedpan.  Finally, if you keep up with all things British, you may even know the Murphys' rich ancestor, Royal Lavatory.