In the basement (cellar in New England) my old man had two things tacked up next to the fuse box. One was his childhood teddy bear, a little red and white homemade cloth stuffed toy with a layer of sawdust. Second, a faded sign with a sad looking guy sitting at a bar with a drink in front of him. I was just reminded, in conversation today, of what was written on the sign. For memory’s sake here is what it said.
One day I sat at the bar, sad and lonely, and a voice came to me out of the gloom saying “cheer up, things could get worse.” So I cheered up, and sure enough, things got worse.