WAL-MART, Maryland, and Health
Hey Folks,
When I was 12 or 13, a kid about my age walked down the alley behind my house. I didn’t know him – we went to different schools.
Well, for reasons known only to the “Intelligent" designer of mankind this kid thought it would be fun to fuck with the "fat boy." Without any introduction he started in on me, grinning like the self-satisfied monkey he was.
I was used to such crap, but cruelty always surprises me just the same. The perpetrator was often surprised too - if I could get my hands on him.
The young Republican in question here had correctly guessed that he could outrun the fat kid and, as it turned out, make it safely home ahead of my wrath.
His house was on the next street over, at the end of the block, and he managed to stay ahead of me - spouting nasty taunts all the way - until he triumphantly vaulted up the porch stairs and into his living room - slamming the front door in my face.
I found out later that my new pal was a Boy Scout, but the salute he gave me from behind the door was two fingers short of official. I considered breaking the glass.
Then I tried the door.
The dumbshit hadn’t locked it.
I went in, grabbed him, dragged his nasty self out to the porch, down the stairs, rubbed his cry-baby face in the mud of his mommy’s flour garden, and went home.
* * * *
Now the moral of this story is that people make assumptions. A culture, a society, a civilization are all built on assumptions – arbitrary assumptions that may or may not be based in reality. As long as the assumptions are accepted by almost everyone and as long as they at least appear to be valid, business continues as usual.
Those who benefit from the assumptions continue to benefit, and those at the mercy of the assumptions continue to suffer in ignorance and peace, perhaps accepting their lot as god’s plan, or the way it's always been, or the way it’s “sposed” to be.
But one can challenge assumptions.
The little Eagle Scout* of my story assumed that god made fat boys to torment, and that skinny boys could get away from fat boys by running, and that no one would DARE open the door of one's house – locked or unlocked - and blaspheme the sanctity of sanctuary.
Well, little Lord Skippy was wrong. And he paid for it.
A lot of assumptions are made today about the economy, businesses and employees, capital and labor. These assumptions are arbitrary and benefit certain, small sections of society at the expense of the rest of us. As long as we accept THEIR assumptions, the Skippy’s of the world will be safe in their magic bubbles.
A recent case in point involves health insurance, the state of Maryland, our old pal WAL-MART, the Columbus Dispatch, and George “the Twit” Will. Watch for a commentary.
- Uke Man
* I was an Eagle Scout too; so I had nothing against the Boy Scouts - until I discovered recently that they discriminated against gays and atheists.
When I was 12 or 13, a kid about my age walked down the alley behind my house. I didn’t know him – we went to different schools.
Well, for reasons known only to the “Intelligent" designer of mankind this kid thought it would be fun to fuck with the "fat boy." Without any introduction he started in on me, grinning like the self-satisfied monkey he was.
I was used to such crap, but cruelty always surprises me just the same. The perpetrator was often surprised too - if I could get my hands on him.
The young Republican in question here had correctly guessed that he could outrun the fat kid and, as it turned out, make it safely home ahead of my wrath.
His house was on the next street over, at the end of the block, and he managed to stay ahead of me - spouting nasty taunts all the way - until he triumphantly vaulted up the porch stairs and into his living room - slamming the front door in my face.
I found out later that my new pal was a Boy Scout, but the salute he gave me from behind the door was two fingers short of official. I considered breaking the glass.
Then I tried the door.
The dumbshit hadn’t locked it.
I went in, grabbed him, dragged his nasty self out to the porch, down the stairs, rubbed his cry-baby face in the mud of his mommy’s flour garden, and went home.
* * * *
Now the moral of this story is that people make assumptions. A culture, a society, a civilization are all built on assumptions – arbitrary assumptions that may or may not be based in reality. As long as the assumptions are accepted by almost everyone and as long as they at least appear to be valid, business continues as usual.
Those who benefit from the assumptions continue to benefit, and those at the mercy of the assumptions continue to suffer in ignorance and peace, perhaps accepting their lot as god’s plan, or the way it's always been, or the way it’s “sposed” to be.
But one can challenge assumptions.
The little Eagle Scout* of my story assumed that god made fat boys to torment, and that skinny boys could get away from fat boys by running, and that no one would DARE open the door of one's house – locked or unlocked - and blaspheme the sanctity of sanctuary.
Well, little Lord Skippy was wrong. And he paid for it.
A lot of assumptions are made today about the economy, businesses and employees, capital and labor. These assumptions are arbitrary and benefit certain, small sections of society at the expense of the rest of us. As long as we accept THEIR assumptions, the Skippy’s of the world will be safe in their magic bubbles.
A recent case in point involves health insurance, the state of Maryland, our old pal WAL-MART, the Columbus Dispatch, and George “the Twit” Will. Watch for a commentary.
- Uke Man
* I was an Eagle Scout too; so I had nothing against the Boy Scouts - until I discovered recently that they discriminated against gays and atheists.
1 Comments:
Hi Tom,
Great story!! Keep sharing them. Sondra
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