Throw a sicky

I was wondering if John F Kennedy had a funny feeling at the start of this day all of those fifty years ago?

If he did, it may have been one of those strange 'should I get out of bed' sensations that all of us have experienced at one time or another. A brief feeling of foreboding can also flit across our consciousness, just for a mere second or two and so does not cause us to dwell and fret about it too much.

Such feelings can often be dismissed as laziness, sloth, a reluctance to go to work, for example, especially if there is a the good possibility of being criticised for not doing something you were supposed to. It could as easily be just a hangover or the fallout from a dodgy takeaway the night before.

Most of us have that quiet inner voice attributable to a Jiminy Cricket type conscience, our guardian Angel or our God. It does bear to be listened to. I can testify to that personally. Whilst driving at high speed towards the flyover into the centre of my home city I clearly received a cautionary message in my psyche to slow down which out of shock and surprise I obeyed immediately. In doing so I saved myself from the attentions of the police radar trap freshly established at the foot of the downslope of the road.

Portents and Omens have figured highly through history.

Whilst not one of those superstitious types I do have friends and acquaintances who are and will not venture out into the wide world without consulting their horoscope for the day or reading the tea leafs in the bottom of that first cuppa of the day.

Well, back to this date , the 22nd November and whether, armed with the information I am about to impart ,John Fitzgerald Kennedy may have opted to skip the Dallas engagements or perhaps requested a vehicle with a bullet proof screen if not wanting to disappoint his supporters in Texas.

From my basic research it appears that this specific date in history has had more than its fair share of deaths, natural or otherwise amongst the famous and infamous.

I would see that as a bit of a downer and perfect justification to perhaps not go out anywhere or place yourself in potentially harms way. I do not discount those who did actually err on the side of caution, stayed in bed and dropped dead anyway. I apologise in advance for highlighting mainly Brits out of the list of 135 personalities, so far.

1247 AD. Indicated as the day of the demise of Robin Hood. Erstwhile bandit with philanthropic approach to the distribution of wealth.
1773. Robert Clive, pseudo servant of the Crown with Imperialist intentions of his own.
1896. George Washington Gale Ferris, inventor of the Ferris Wheel. What goes around comes around. A bit of a revolutionary in his own right.
1900. Arthur S Sullivan, one of the composing duo with Mr Gilbert. Not Gilbert O'Sullivan.
1916. Jack London, author.

Now the spooky bit with both C.S Lewis and Aldous Huxley , authors on the same day in 1963.

Add JFK to the list and things just get worse in the following years with, amongst many others commemorated on 22nd November,

1980. Mae West. Now floating about in heaven.
1992. Sterling Holloway. Actor and original voice of Winnie the Pooh.
1993. Bill Bixby. Actor in the Incredible Hulk TV series.
1997. Michael Hutchence. Rock singer, Did everything in excess.
2007. Verity Lambert. Producer of the first Doctor Who series.

Not a good day to contemplate anything too ambitious. I just hope the conspiracy theorists do not read too much into it..........................................................................................................................