Slow Down, Tithonus

What I sometimes don’t like about the X-Files episodes were the esoteric titles. One of them was “Tithonus.” I watched it again last night. It’s about a police photographer named Fellig who claimed to be about 150 years old because he cheated death sometime during the days of Yellow Fever in the U.S. in the 18^th through the 20^th centuries. He was in a hospital sick from Yellow Fever but didn’t look at Death, which was some kind of entity taking those who were dying from Yellow Fever. Death took his nurse instead because she looked at him.

Ever since then, he’s been trying to catch a glimpse of Death mainly by following people around who he somehow knew were about to die. I think the idea was that if he caught up with Death and stared at it, then he could finally die, because by this time he’s so tired of living that he’s attempted suicide several times. He often acts like he’s in a hurry to catch a glimpse of Death.

The main way Fellig knows who is about to die is because they look black and white instead of in living color. Agent Scully is working with another investigator who believes Fellig is a serial killer. Fellig looks at Scully and she’s monochromatic (black and white) which means she’s about to die. So, he tries to stick close to her so he can get a look at Death. The other investigator shoots Fellig and the bullet also hits Scully. Fellig tells her to close her eyes and he finally gets his chance to look at Death and dies. Scully survives.

So, that preamble leads me to talk about the title “Tithonus” a little. Tithonus in Greek mythology was this rich mortal with whom Eos, the goddess of dawn, fell in love. She made him immortal but forgot to give him eternal youth so he gradually because a shriveled up, demented old fart. This led to some pretty intense arguments between them:

Tithonus: So, here I am, senile because you neglected to give me eternal youth when you gave me immortality. This is just like the time you made me a Braunschweiger sandwich, but instead of using my favorite spread, Miracle Whip, you used mayonnaise!

Eos: How does that even make sense? I try my best! You should use your walker more often; then you wouldn’t trip and fall so much.

Tithonus: Excuses! And you hide my Geritol!

So, Eos turned him into a cricket to interrupt his constant babbling.

Anyway, occasionally I think about my mortality because I’m not getting any younger. I’m more forgetful. I can’t walk as far as I used to. I can still juggle, but I’m beginning to accept the fact that I may never be able to do the shower pattern or the off the head trick. Sena and I still play cribbage, but I’m starting to notice that I make certain mistakes in counting that I didn’t make in the past. I can’t stay up as late as I once did.

On the other hand, I can get along without certain things like TV, mainly because I notice I enjoy reading more. I ignore the news a lot more than I formerly did. I would rather listen to music or watch the birds. I admire Sena’s garden from our back windows, where I can watch the dawn arise.

I’m in no hurry.