Worms
Ah, look. Here’s a can of worms. *points to can of worms* Tempted to open it?
I wonder where the phrase comes from. Someone, somewhere, back in the annals of time, PROBABLY ACTUALLY HAD a can of worms. They were most likely told not to open it.
‘Oh, right. You’ve got a can of worms.’
‘Yeah?’
‘Yeah. So. You’d better not open it.’
‘Why not?’
‘Uh, cos… er, y’know. Some terrible shit is going to happen.’
‘Because I’ve opened this can of worms?’
‘Yeah. Yes! That’s right. DO NOT OPEN IT.’
[man opens can of worms] [some terrible shit happens]
Of course, it could all be completely analogous. The can of worms stand for the blackest hurt within the very souls of us, which we never want to see the bright of day, but sometimes, unavoidably, and irrevocably, actually really have to. Worms is a good image. Twisting, torturous, writhing knots of slimy entanglement. Tinily vicious eels of hatred. I just want to get a big stick and poke them.
And that would mean opening my can, first. Maybe I’ll just clutch it to my chest for a while longer. It burns into my flesh there, but the anticipated consequences upon a grand worm-can-opening reveal make me feel a bit sick in my throat.
What would you do? Clutch your can and wait for it all to calm down? Or open that can and have a good stir?
I cannot offer any words of wisdom, or advice, for every situation is different. But I did open mine a while back, and now I’ve developed a strength to move forward. Opening the can was the scariest bit for me. Everything after that fell, and is falling, into the right place.
I can’t say I feel like opening a can of worms much.
I’m with Emily, unhealthy repression followed by eventual emotional melt down, preferably at some family even or other. ‘Tis the British way.
Event, I mean.
If you put aside the can of worms and think instead of Pandora’s Box, the analogy might be more tolerable. For after all hell flew out of the opened lid, but hope remained inside.
DO NOT OPEN. Put it in a box, nail it shut and then bury it in a desert. (I am really very good at facing up to things.) Or open it and then I will take you out and we will drink lots of wine.
*mwah*
I would take the can, give it a jolly good shake, point it in the face of someone I dislike and crack it open. Cos I’m nice like that.
LMAO
Open it in a safe place with people you trust NOT ON THE BLOGOSPHERE – take care of yourself!! Love Cathy x
I have a habit of opening cans of worms, as often the aftermath is less stressful than the anticipation of what might happen.
Any remember The Word which used to be on Channel 4? There was some guy on the ‘I would do anything to get on TV’ that ate a load of worms.
I think someone else ate a pube sandwich.
Ah jeez I remember that. And someone snogged an OAP. And they showed a video of someone else throwing up in their g/f’s mouth as they kissed. Such a classy programme.
I’m from the school of unhealthy repression so I’d probably put that can of worms at the back of the cupboard and try to forget it’s there, except at night when it would taunt me from the cupboard til I opened it in the middle of the night and caused a disastrous worm infestation and middle of the night drama that could’ve been avoided. Good plan?
Oh love. Good luck with this one. I keep lifting the lid on my can of worms and then jamming it down again. Too scary on so little sleep.
If the can of worms will bring a better future in the long run, like feeding a flock of birds or providing bait for a flock of fishermen or something, then I would open it.
If it will only provide a writhing mass of earthyness for a toddler tormenting amusement, then best not.