Pokes and Hooks

Imagine you are on "Jeopardy," and Alex asks you for the question that fits this answer:  "Pokes and hooks."

Give up?  I dare to speculate that no appropriate question comes readily to your mind.  That's because such information lurks exclusively in the ever-unique mind of Sooby.

I came to an understanding of pokes and hooks in the early hours of Saturday morning, when Sooby, as usual, awoke early and came to join me as I was sleeping in the guest bedroom at her house.  Note that I said was.  That is because, once Sooby crawls into bed with me, any actual sleeping quickly becomes past tense.

The second I turned over toward her in the pitch darkness of the ever-so-early morning, I knew something was wrong.  I felt the small earring pulling out of my right ear lobe as it brushed hard against the pillow.

"As soon as it gets light," I said to her, "I am going to need you to help me do something."

Although I couldn't see for sure, I imagined her brightening up at this prospect.  She is ever anxious to help, and always enjoys a good mystery.

"What?" she asked.

"My earring came out somewhere in the bed," I said.  "I'm going to need you to help me find it."

"Where did it come out?"

"Somewhere up here around the pillows," I said.  "But we'll wait until daylight to look."

"What does it look like?"

"It's a very small white square," I said.  I could almost hear the gears in that little head of hers churning away toward a new day and the mission it would bring. That's when she asked her most provocative question.

"Is it a hook or a poke?"  It took some time for this question to burn off the brain fog that settles in after the three-hour solo drive and late bedtime of the night before.

Finally understanding, I answered, "It's a poke.  Now, let's try to sleep a little bit more."  Although there was no further sleep in my horoscope that day, Sooby did find both pieces of the lost earring once we had a little sunlight to work with.

So there you have it--the question you will need should you find yourself in a TV studio with Alex Trebek. Imagine yourself in Final Jeopardy, with a fortune on the line, as Alex reveals the final answer: Hooks and Pokes.

When that happens, grab your marker as the familiar theme song winds down, and dash off your question with a dramatic flair: "What are the two kinds of pierced earrings?"