What is this affliction?

Jeff and I have been blessed to meet a really great couple, April and Guy and their two little girls Maddie & Maycee. We met through our 6 year olds. After meeting we learned that we live around the block from each other. Since that time, we have been together almost every weekend. April and I talk for hours, just about every day. Sometimes we even stay up until 2AM talking. It seems like we never run out of words. Jeff and Guy like to complete each other’s sentences. It is so weird. If I didn’t know better, I would think they were a little too partial to one another. April and I like to tease them but we are really, very happy that they have so much fun together. It’s just an all around good fit. The children get along and the mommies and the daddies get along too.

In addition to the fact that they are just great people, they are fun to be around. We have had great times camping, drinking at a local redneck bar, playing Rockband, doing kid’s stuff and eating out. As you probably already know, I keep my camera in my purse. And, for whatever reason, Guy seems to get caught in precarious situations more often than the rest. Those are my favorite kind of photos, candid, honest and surprised. I post lots of pictures of our times together on my facebook so you have probably already seen many of them.

Since I have started blogging, I have been spending a good amount of time organizing my pictures. This is no easy task as I have thousands of pictures and it is a bit overwhelming. I do enjoy looking back and re-reviewing my pictures and I still giggle at them just as I did when I first pulled them off of my camera. Recently, during one my periods of reminiscing, I noticed something very odd about Guy. He seems to be afflicted with some sort of strange illness.

Being the good friend that I am, I phoned April right away. I shared my concerns with her. I had remembered seeing another photo that Kayleigh (April's sister) took where he showed the same signs, even in front of his father-in-law. I pointed April in the direction of that photo. This prompted her to review some of her own photos. She is a camera buff too, you know. Low and behold, she found a couple of pictures too. One of them dated as far back as 2002. We are now really worried that this affliction is permanent and we aren't quite sure what to do about it.

Whatever this disease is, it appears that it makes it difficult for Guy to keep his tongue inside his mouth. At every turn, it is hanging out. Sometimes it sticks out in full thrust and looks quite sharp. Other times it takes on an angle as if to point at the person he is standing next to. We have even observed it appearing ever so slightly, but full and peeking out just over his lips.

Guy’s health being of great concern prompted me to do some internet research. I just needed to get an idea of how serious this condition might be. I searched and searched and cannot seem to find an exact medical cause.

In my research I learned:

Lizards stick their tongues out because they are tasting the air and temperatures and can sense their environment from doing it probably because their eyesight is poor and search for prey by doing it

A snake sticks out its tongue to collect data for its Jacobson's Organ, an organ strategically located in front of the roof of the snake's mouth that functions as a chemical receptor.

Cats most often leave their tongue sticking out when they are grooming themselves.

Babies stick their tongues out as they explore their mouths and learn to do new things with their bodies

Adults sometimes stick their tongue out when concentrating on something because you are using the hemisphere of the brain that is also used for processing motor input.

One yahoo response indicated “Early man lived in small groups or packs. The males, when showing aggression, mistrust or fear would stand erect, thus exposing the genitals as a threat. In modern society, this would be highly frowned on. Showing the tongue takes the place of showing the genitals, though it has exactly the same meaning.”

Another Yahoo response said that sticking the tongue out is a sign of your state of health. It also indicated that in ancient times a sick person might challenge someone with a sick tongue. Or it might also be a sign of jeering, invitation, insult, etc. depending of the presentation.

So what does all of this mean? Is he showing us his genitalia, trying to pass on some illness, concentrating, tasting the air, collecting data or exploring his body? I am not quite sure. One thing is certain, April and I need to spend more time observing and researching. Take a look at this picture and let us know what you think.

From A Fresh Cup with the Guernsey's