Daft Old Duffer returns. Ed
It is surely reasonable to assume that all the habits and mannerisms we humans have evolved – everything from starting and looking round when we hear a sudden noise behind us to a mother’s instinctive urge to starve herself in order that her children have enough to eat – all are aimed at helping the human race to survive and prosper in a somewhat hostile world.
With one apparent exception.
How on earth, I have often wondered, has the increasing loss of memory in the elderly – and especially the elderly male – helped the survival of mankind?
But finally the penny has dropped
It has helped by removing the useless, the ones no longer fast enough to hunt, no longer strong and quick enough to fight. Yet still well able to demand food.
Picture the scene; The tribe have acquired a nice fresh carcass, either by killing it themselves or (I think far more likely) having driven off another predator with yells and stones. They have hacked off some nice juicy hunks and wandered off to find for themselves a comfortable and safe spot wherein to gorge themselves senseless.
All except for Neanderthal Dod who is old and useless and been pushed out of the way with the traditional cry “eff off you useless old fart. Find your own food!”
But now, left behind, he can shuffle forward and sort out a bit of knuckle end to suck with his gummy mouth.
Then he looks up and sees the thwarted lion or, wolf pack, or feral guineau pig, returning to reclaim its kill.
Neanderthal Dod’s last thought was probably – “Bugger. Now where did I put that bluddy spear?”
