Dispensing With Courtesy

I WAS AT WAL MART, waiting for my car to be serviced. Fox News was on, and a law professor was telling FOX that the united states constitution is obsolete, and should be replaced. I've seen this guy in the media lately, its as if he's making the rounds with his anti -constitutional spiel.

I happen to agree with him. And, for some reason, at the moment, in wal mart, i felt that i just had to tell somebody. the only people in the waiting room was an older black man about my age, and a young athletic looking attractive couple.

these people were well dressed, which i never am, and they looked serious, professional, white collar, sophisticated, educated. and here i was, wanting to talk...to..anyone? surely these people were eager to hear my thoughts on the U.S. Constitution.

i closed on the black guy, he seemed like a natural target. "thomas jefferson thought a new consittution would be needed about every twenty years", i said glibly. the man didn't seemed impressed, so i thought i'd try again.

"i agree with the professor", i offered, "the constitution is obsolete. Hell, black people are legally three fifths of a human being, it says."... Again, not much of a response. Undaunted, i charged ahead: "there's a lot they don't teach you in history books. Like, jefferson's relationship to sally hemmings, his sixteen year old slave."

This time he grunted, as if in disinterested acknowledgement, and i gave up the hunt.  he just wasn't going to be friendly, and there was nothing i could do about it. his perogative. i was the one who had accosted him, inivited. 

For a minute, it bothered me, the man's lack of interest. Then , i came to my senses, and realized that, after all, the man had suerved my purpose quite well. I had vented, and i felt good.

Later I walked into a barbershop, and spoke to a lady about making an appointment. instead of saying "may i have your name please?", she said "who are you?"....i felt like i was standing at checkpoint charlie.

"who... am...I?", i repeated, rhetorically. "I've been asking that for fifty seven yewars"... she didn't seem to think that was very funny, nor any of my other subsequent attempts at humor. never even smiled at me, in fact. and here i was, a potentail customer for years ahead, worth thousands of potential dollars in business.

rudeness doesn't bother me; it gives me an excuse to be rude, thus expandint my options. nor am i much on amenities. i thought the lady in the barber shop had a little wise ass coming to her, and, she gave me rudeness, and i gave her good humor.

the great science fiction writer robert heinlein siad that you can measure the health of a civilization by how clean its public restrooms are, and by how consistantly people exchange amenities and courtesy, unconditionally, under all circumstances.

As for me,I always love getting past the amenities, and down to business. Once we shake hands, thereby showing each other we have no weapons, and ask each other meaninglessly how are you doing...