To Be or Not To Be

I’ve worked with this man for almost a year now and I have a pretty good idea of who I think he is. Well, before yesterday, that is.

You see, he’s a sweet man. He’s Greek - not that that has anything to do with anything but I thought I’d throw it in there. He’s also very conservative - at least he comes across that way. He’s very prim and proper and very meticulous about his appearance. He doesn’t come across as vain or arrogant but it’s obvious that he cares how he presents himself. And he’s in my top five list of nicest people I’ve ever known.

So given everything I just told you (and I hope I gave the impression I meant to), I was surprised when he was walking down the hall yesterday, whistling away. Loudly. Not at all self-consciously or as if he was even aware that people could hear him.

Not that I’m saying there’s anything wrong with whistling to your heart’s content. Not at all. It’s just it didn’t fit the image I have of this man.

But to top it off, I recognized the tune he was whistling. That was the real surprise.

Now, it’s possible this is a real song from a real musical (I’m not familiar enough with Shakespeare’s works to know if there are any musicals of them out there) but where I remember it from is Gilligan’s Island.

Yes, you read that right, Gilligan’s Island. There was an episode where they put on a play - I can’t remember why - and they did it as a musical. I think it was MacBeth or Hamlet (to be or not to be anyone?) and part of the lyrics were “not to be...that is the question that I ask of thee” and it’s done in a staccato beat.

Anyway, that’s what he was whistling. As I said, it could be that it’s truly from a musical and he was showing how culturally advanced he is but I can’t get the image of this sweet, genteel man, running out and buying up all the seasons of Gilligan’s Island, and this is what stuck with him. It’s kind of like taking the mask off the lone ranger...that image stays with you and you’re never quite the same again. LOL