Things I Learned Today
I’ve been gone a long time. Been lost in Pynchon’s dreamland, and still am.
Today I learned that, if he had lived, Kurt Cobain (who I feel no emotional attachment to, but I know some of you do), would be one month and a day older than me. Yes, Kurt Cobain would be 40 in February. It is somehow comforting that the icon of the generation that came after me is older than me.
I bought beer the other night, and, as usual, got carded. The guy took a look at my ID, then looked at me, and said, “Congrats….you’re doing well for yourself.”
What else is going on with me? Well, hmmm….some silent despair over the coming war with Iran. Make no mistake about it, it will happen. It was obvious when the national media passed on the fact the we were going to up the strategic oil reserves by 20 percent. Even at this late date we are still buying oil from Iran, and it’s slut mistress, Venezuela.
Tonight I had dinner with my parents. They are conservative…kind of. When Clinton was president, my mother would make some sound of disgust every time he spoke on TV. I think there are a lot of people (millions) across this land who feel the same way, which is why I don’t think that Hillary could become president. Obama….let’s face it….America is still at a point (unfortunately) where it won’t elect a black president. Don’t believe the polls. You can knock 10 percent off his numbers, simply from the fact that so many people will lie to pollsters because they don’t want to be accused of racism. I don’t know much about the guy. I like what I have seen. He speaks well and thoughtfully, impressive, actually. Serve another Senate term, and then go. Put some skins on the wall.
And so I mentioned that my parents were big time conservatibe….well over the past two years I have discovered that not only are they not as conservative as they claim to be, but I have discovered why people lean so hard to the right.
It all came to a head arouind the time that Reagan died. I was at my parents house, reading the newspaper, while Reagan was about to be brought into the Rotunda. Guns were shot off….the usual 16 (I think thats the right number) gun salute…and my mother remarked that she thought it was a disgrace that Bush wasn’t present. Smart ass that I am, I replied, “Weren’t those gunshots the military dragging him out and executing him for crimes against the American people?”
Well, my mother didn’t find this funny at all, but I decided to push it. I got her to admit that she was for the right to die, a woman’s right to choose, and stem-cell research. And not just admit that she was for those issue, but STRONGLY in support of them. “So why so staunchly conservative?” I asked.
“If you had to write a check for $6,000 in property taxes, you’d be conservative too,” was her reply.
It shut me up, and made me think. She might be right.
Anyhow, tonight a story about Iraq came on TV, and my father said, “Well, I guess it will he up to Hillary to clean this mess up.” Maybe a corner has been turned.
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