asshole
Main Entry: ass hole
Pronunciation: \'as-,(h)ōl/
Function: noun
Date: 14th century
1 usually vulgar : Anus
2 a usually vulgar : a stupid, incompetent, or detestable person b usually vulgar : the worst place--used in phrases like asshole of the world
-- Merriam-Webster
In William S. Burroughs's classic novel Naked Lunch, there is a scene, a routine really, about a man who taught his asshole to talk. It's brilliantly funny, upsetting, and acidic in that Burroughs way. Monty Python on smack. For years I thought the piece was nothing more than fiction. Yes, the world is full of strange, unbelievable wonders. But surely this was just Burroughs riffing off of some make-believe routine he used to do for friends.
I was wrong.
A man named Barney Ronay has mastered the trick. Unbelievable indeed!
And after you read about that incredible piece of human ingenuity, you can read a measured and thoughtful reply.
