Darn It

Have you ever darned socks? I have. And the trick is to keep things as unlumpy as possible, so your sweet foot doesn’t keep finding the darned spot and swear a blue streak, in pain.

This week I literally darned a sweater that was Irish wool, warm, and moth-eaten. Certainly more worthy of darning than a sock. (To be fair, I haven’t darned a sock since I was a kid.) But I like the way it turned out. What are you making?

Do you swear much?

It just made me think about swearing, and whether I say Darn it! or Damn it! or other profanities blurted in anger and frustration. I do both. (Recall the Midwestern vibe.) I don’t think I have much compunction either way.

I do when writing. I’ve almost never written the word fuck – though I say it. I use it in characters’ dialogue, bec who the hell is someone who never swears?

What are your thoughts on swearing? In real or fictitious life?

• Darn it! tells the universe to fix something.
• Damn it! puts out a very different message and request.

I’ve darned this sweater, and I’m darned proud to wear it.