!%*@)^%$& !!!

Researchers at Keele University on the other side of the pond have discovered that cursing helps ease pain. http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/04/18/wtf-study-shows-swearing-reduces-pain/

I can affirm that their research has merit. This morning, T.T. and I went to put gas in his truck. I rode in the back because it's finally Spring here in Granville County. T.T. parked next to the pump and then spent a few minutes patting himself down looking for his wallet. He rummaged around inside the truck, muttering a few curse words, before finding the wallet between the seat cushions.

As T.T. opened the gas tank lid, he jerked his hand back quickly. At first he thought he'd brushed a knuckle against a sharp piece of metal, but as the pain intensified, T.T. bent over to see what had stuck him. Hanging just above the gas cap was a large wasp, partially hanging out of a tiny wasp nest. T.T. jumped back a few feet, afraid the wasp was going to come after him.

It was rather cool this morning, so the wasp was probably too cold to venture out of its nest. T.T. looked at the wasp, then at his gas cap as if wondering if he could unscrew the cap without further agitating the wasp. He quickly decided the hell with that - in fact that's exactly what he said.

T.T. grabbed the windshield squeegee next to the pump and used it to knock the wasp from its perch. I backed to the other end of the truck bed as I don't get along well with wasps either. The wasp fell to the ground and T.T. proceeded to stomp the s....tuffing out of that wasp - cursing the entire time. When there was nothing left that resembled a wasp, T.T. looked at his swollen knuckle and cursed some more.

Apparently, someone who swears a lot builds up immunity to it and it doesn't help the pain as much as someone who swears infrequently. T.T. has a vast vocabulary of swear words, and he hates wasps, so he continued to curse as we drove down I-85 towards Durham. Passing motorists couldn't help but stare at the sight of a lone driver carrying on such an animated conversation with a beagle. They probably thought he was mad at me.

This research also shows that test subjects who use a neutral word - such as 'broccoli' rather than a swear word experience very little pain relief. So the next time you hit your finger with a hammer or stump your toe going to the bathroom in the middle of the night, let it fly. People will understand that it's just pain management.