While walking into our local hardware store today, I was stopped by a complete stranger and asked a question. Normally, in our small town of the rural Midwest, I find this manner of open conversation friendly and charming. After all, we live in a small town and we should expect to be civil to all that live here. The question was directed at my political bumper sticker on the back of my car, a sticker that supports the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama. I was asked, “So, I see you are going to vote for Obama?” To which I assumed the individual was interested in my views on the matter, after all this is a small town where people talk to each other. My answer was a simple “Yes.” I was then offered little opportunity to engage this person in political dialogue as he said, “You will live to regret it,” and walked away with a smirk on his face, confident that his jibe would hit its mark. Seeing that this person was more interested in doing the talking than listening, I chose to ignore the rude and insidious nature of the individual. Upon my inspection of his vehicle for bumper stickers of any nature, I discovered that he chose not to display any. I wish that I was given an opportunity to stop and talk with this individual. I might have asked, "Why did you not put a bumper sticker on your car? Could it be that you are afraid to commit to something that you will live to regret?" I did not place a bumper sticker on my car in the past two presidential elections and now I wish I had. In retrospect, I did live to regret my choice of presidential candidates in the year 2000. I regretted my choice so much that I chose not to vote for the man in the year 2004. Can you imagine the conundrum that people would have if I had kept a bumper sticker from each of these elections on my car? Or maybe it would point out the obvious, that voting with the Republican party is not so much a grand thing anymore, it’s just old. With this said, I hope that all residents of voting age reflect on their choices ahead of them, never regret placing a bumper sticker on the back of their car, and, if you do place a bumper sticker on your car, carry a political pamphlet or two to place under the windshield wiper of the guy who told you "You will live to regret it".
--Mr. Wild
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4 comments:
How rude! You do get the best/worst comments from strangers. I wonder what it is about a huge (I mean height, 6foot 4inch? ) man that makes people decide to pick a fight with you. Really they should know better.
Hi, Mr. W. - My neighbors are having a political sign war. Mr. Violin next door to us put out an Obama sign. Apparently he offended Mr. Velour across the street who called him to task. Violin encouraged Velour to adopt his own signage, which to my surprise he promptly did. Unfortunately for me, Velour's sign is directly across from my home and I have to look at it all the time, while Violin's sign the one I would prefer is next to the house so I never see it. The sign war has progressed to opposing views on Proposition 8 here in California (the let's legalize bigotry prop). I just hope that unlike bumper stickers, these signs come down after Tuesday. My husband says they add color to the winter landscape, that seems to be a more productive perspective.
So as the rest of us get elated or disgruntled about the political signs we see Mr. jump_thru_hoops just smiles happily at the decorations. LOL
Does Mr. jump_thru_hoops require glasses by chance?
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