29 Dating Disasters – True Stories,

You can’t make this stuff up.

OH HELL TO THE NO!

They had smooth conversations on the telephone, decided to take it to another level and go out for a nice stroll around the city.  The evening vibe was right, things flowing nice, she was feeling him thinking, ‘yeah, this is going alright, has some potential,’ until it was time to go home and he asked her for bus fare.

Me:        “please tell me you left his trifling ass and walked away and didn’t give that man a dime!”

She:       “wellllll, I was so shock and disgusted I just gave him the $3.00 bus fare and didn’t look back.”

HE DID NOT, SAY THAT!

They chatted online, on the phone; he passed all the no points to a first date. They had a nice dinner then to a coffee café for coffee. The conversation shifts in to orbit as he ask, “so you gonna suck my dick?”  She stopped in mid-sip mouth open in muted shock. She excuses herself to use the bathroom, calls her friend who was nearby to pick her up with some emergency excuse and promptly leave him sitting there.

Me:        when I could catch my breath from laughing uproariously at the bold horror, “Tell me you got up and walk away immediately and left that fool sitting in his stupidity.”

She:       “I was so shocked I left for the bathroom and ask my friend to come get me, I deleted his number immediately.”

SAY WHAT! NO, HE DIDN’T!

She gets ready excitedly for her first date. By all accounts things were looking promising, after many conversations they made plans for a dinner and a movie. They meet at the designated place, they sit in his car. She asks:  when are we leaving for the movie?  He pulls down a screen, pops in a movie and pulls out a six pack of beer.

Me:        “you are frigging kidding me, hell you lying! Who does that?” I laughed till my sides hurt while she looks at me solemnly saying…

Her:       “am so done with this dating scene.”

WHERE DO YOU FIND THESE GUYS?

They planned a date for mid week (Wednesday). Tuesday afternoon she receives a call from him. She asks, “Is something wrong do you want to postpone the date?” He responds, “no am just horny and wondering if you would give me a blow job before our date tomorrow.” She hangs up.

Me:        between shocked historical laughter and disgust I said, “You damn lie! Where in heaven’s name do you find these men, please tell because I don’t want to go there, damn!”

She:       “Clearly am doing something wrong, am so done with the dating scene.”

DERAILED

They met on the train, great conversation, and quick number exchange as each leave for their destinations. They talked on the phone. They agreed to meet face to face for some “get to know you better conversation.”

She is thinking, ‘the phone conversation ended kind of sketch. She answered all his standard questions (are you married, kids etc.,) though he was somewhat resistance answer the same questions i.e. sharing his relationship etc.  Filing it away for later she opts to take the “wait & see,” approach. If her instincts were correct then it will show up and he will eliminate himself.

They met; reintroduce their selves with a laugh and sat down to converse.  She started with the unanswered standard questions (a must in to determine whether to proceed further).

She:       “Are you married?” She asked and noticed a bit of a shift in his body language. Having been schooled on body language she made note but said nothing waiting for his response.

He:         “Yes, but I am separated,” he said not looking her in the eye.

Noticing his inability to look at her directly she decided to rephrased the question using his response and expanding it to get a more definitive answer.

She:       “So you are married but separated, are you still cohabitating (living with) with your wife?”

He:         “Yes, but my wife will be going back to Africa soon.”

She:       “ah huh, hmmm, do you have children?”

He:         “Yes I have 6 children.”

She:       “Ah, that’s wonderful, so where is your wife now?”

He:         “She is at home with the children, but she will be leaving for Africa soon.”

She listened and contemplated his responses and quickly realized that this particular course is not one she wanted to partake in. the prospect of getting involved with a married man with children and unfinished business he needed to sort out simply wasn’t a good idea for her. She ended the date.

She:        “Thank you for meeting with me; it was nice talking with you. I have to go now.”

He:         “So, when will I see you again?”

She stared at him silently.

He:         “Am not going to see you again am I?”

She:       “No.”

He:         “Why not?”

She:       “You have a lot going on, many loose ends you need to tie up and you need to be able to do that unencumbered by another. I have no desire to become entrenched in your family dilemmas. I have too much respect for myself for that. You owe it to your wife to give her some respect before bringing another woman into the mix before severing the matrimonial ties.  Thanks again for your time, bye.”

50 TO GIVE OR NOT TO GIVE, WHAT IS THE ANSWER?

To give or not to give, that is the question but what is the answer? There are many panhandlers, beggars, homeless people, and people with mental health illnesses roaming the streets of Toronto (T.O.). Often times you see people, men, women, and youths with signs on cardboard pieces that read, “I am hungry and homeless please spare some change so that I can eat” or they just come right up to you and ask.

Begging is fast becoming pandemic in T.O. and one can expect on any given day to come face to face with someone asking for money, "spare some change”. The dilemma is, when confronted with someone who seems to be less fortunate than you what do you do. It is heart breaking to see and a vivid reminder of the fragility of life and how one's reality can shift in the blink of an eye.

How can one not feel compassion, after all it’s not hard to image (God forbid) oneself, a friend or a loved one in such a dire situation. But when does empathy override common sense and when is it appropriate to set aside common sense in favour of sympathy for another human being? This is the quandary. To whom do you give? Why do you give to one and not the other? What is the determining factor? What is the reasoning one employ in making such a decision? What are the barometers of preconceived biases secretly held and measured to determine suitability? To give or not to give and to whom to give, that is the question but what is the answer?

It is such a dilemma I witnessed yesterday on the faces of the passengers on the train while on my way to work. It was interesting to see diverse reactions, the hesitation, the judgement, the censure, the disgust, the compassion, the fear, the contempt and the asserted superior attitude.

It was just past 8:20 am when the trained stopped at Broadview Station and passengers loaded off and on. One passenger in particular, a young woman came on and promptly started speaking in a loud voice, “excuse me, can anyone please spare some change, I am very hungry and I need money to buy some food, also I am homeless and it’s very hard living on the streets. Can you please help me out please?” while going from person to person with her hands outstretched.

One woman reached for her purse but hesitated and looked around to see if anyone was giving. Satisfied that some where indeed giving money she retrieved some change and gave it to the young woman. Many others simply sat with their heads in their books, while others looked on with censor and judgements visible on their faces.

Realizing that she was not going to get any more money the woman quickly checked the money in her palm and indignantly shouted, "Come on people, $4! Four dollars is not enough; I need more than that to eat! Can someone give me some change please, please I need more.”

At this point a man 4 seats down to my left decided he had enough and told her, “There are many food banks that will give you food, go to one of them”. The young woman did not answer but instead chose to exit our car and went to the other car where I can see her again working her way through that car with her begging mantra.

I am sure you are wondering if I gave her money or not. I did not. Why you ask. Because I happen to know this particular woman, she’s an addict. Years ago I had an encounter with her when she snatched my eldest daughter drink out of her hand when she was little while we were waiting for the bus. She was not aware that I there, a little off to the side, when I confronted her she attempted to give the drink back. I did not take it back but I had her apologize to my daughter.

Does that mean I won’t' give to someone I think maybe an addict, no, it simply means I know her. It just struck me how much more bold she has become over the years seemingly unafraid to use people's fear that she might be crazy to intimidate as she invades their personal space while simultaneously sticking her hands out and asking loudly "can you give me some change! I need money for food!" It was just frighteningly jarring how calculating she seemed. I suppose after so many years of drug she probably has developed some psychological issues/challenges.

Though frightening I doubt that her display of calculating boldness will stop me from giving; it will render me a bit more cautious and mindful however. Is that the answer, to be cautious and mindful? I don't know as I cannot determine for anyone whether or not they should give or not. I give because I know that not all beggars are drug addicts or alcoholics or lazy, some may be suffering from mental health issues while others may have encountered unfortunate circumstances that render them temporarily homeless.

I have often given out change and on occasion purchased food for the person(s) asking, and I am more than likely will do it again. Why? It’s simple really. I give because I want to. I had one guy that had me in gales of laughter because he approached me as ask if I could spear a penny, I looked up into his face, he was a young Caucasian man probably in is late twenties early thirties and I asked, a penny, what can you get with a penny? He looked at me sheepishly and smiled saying, “well mam I know not everyone have money or much to give so I figure every penny counts.” I opened my red leather change purse just as my streetcar arrived and emptied it in his hands, it totalled $5.00 he looked at me and smiled saying thanks. I said, “Thanks for making me laugh,” bidding him a good evening as I boarded the streetcar.

I was still smiling as I entered the train and then the bus on my way home thinking that smile was worth the $5, silly right? The thing I learned from my experiences over the years with panhandlers is, when you are approached for money; if or when you decide to give, give simply for the sake of giving. Do not foolishly bamboozle yourself into believing that you can dictate how the recipient of your kindness will use the money. They will use it as they see fit whether you approve or disapprove.

So what’s the answer?

24 JUST BECAUSE

Yesterday morning 2 am my daughter gave me flowers with implicit instructions to take them to work and place them on my desk. They are “JUST BECAUSE”.

One of the traditions I created when raising my daughters was JUST BECAUSE presents. I gave them presents just because i wanted to. If they were on my mind, I saw something I wanted them to have I would get it. There were no special reasons, no birthdays, valentines days, Easter or any other special occasion. I never wanted to wait for some mandated holiday in order to let them know they were special to me. Presents ranged from the smallest of things, a special eraser, a sketch pad, special pencils for them to draw, to spontaneous picnics, movies, to performances at the theatre.  They were always excited when i called and told them I was coming home with a surprise for them and the guessing game would begin.  They waited eagerly at the door for me to arrive and besiege me with questions of “where is it, what is it, can i see it?”

Yesterday was my surprise. My eldest daughter called me around 1:30 am, “hey ma, you up, great, I have a surprise for you.”

“Oh really, am watching the Hunger Games.”

“Moooom, I didn’t ask you what you were watching I just want you to stay up.”

“Of course that’s why I told you am watching the HUNGER GAMES.”

“Ok, am on the bus, I’ll be there soon.” She comes in at 2 am, her arms laden with flowers. “This is for you.” I smiled and said thank you, I didn’t ask what they were for. I knew, its JUST BECAUSE.

So on my desk they sit proudly. Thank you daughter o mine. Much appreciate the appreciation.

32 LIFE IS FRAGILE–RAGE STALKING THE TRAIN CAR

Warning-endless use of profanities, this was written from first hand experience, uncut and unedited.

Life is fragile, things can change faster than you can catch your breath. Yesterday that fact was so apparent as the fragility of the evening shifted in the blink of an eye with a foreboding promise of shattering.

I was traveling home on the train with one of my colleagues when a young Caucasian looking man mid 20s early 30s boarded the train. He was dressed in urban wear with a ball cap. Soon after the train doors closed we heard loud music. The music ricocheted through the train car. The source of the loud music, the young man that recently boarded the train.

We were sitting a door and two seats down from him. People began looking around for the source of the loud music. Though unsettled by the looks on some of their faces, no one said anything. The music got a bit louder and as the train pulled into the next stop and a new set of passengers’ boarded things shifted quickly. One of the men who had boarded the train car asked the young man if he can kindly lower the music and all hell broke loose.

The atmosphere turned hostile taking on a combination of fear, irritation and apprehension as the young man who was asked to turn down his music began angrily hailing profanities at the man that dared to ask him to turn down his music. His rage was palatable as he spewed his outrage, “who the fuck do you think you are, telling me to turn down my music!

“Mind your fucking business!

“Who are you the fucking police?”

“Are you TTC fucking security, don’t come in here and tell me to turn down my music.”

“I paid to get in this fucking train!” “

“Fuck off! Fuck you!”

“Trying to tell me what to do.”

The gentleman who asked for the music to be turned down didn’t get an opportunity to respond as the raging man continued above a raw. “This is not your fucking home!”

“I am not in your fucking house!”

“I can do what I want, you can’t tell me what to do, you piece of fucking shit.”

The raging young man continued his rage of profanities flaring angrily for almost 5 minus until another young in his early 20s of mixed heritage (Caucasian and African Canadian) asked him to please stop the endless swearing. Oh heavenly father you would think he got up and slapped the raging young man by his reaction, this just lit the already blazing flame of his temper. I thought he would explode because he blew into more of a volatile rage as he turned his wrath on the serene young man. “Fuck you, you don’t tell not to swear.”
“Who the fuck do you think you are, I can fucking swear as much as I fucking want, you can’t fucking tell me what to do, you are fucking nothing, look at you, you want a fucking piece of me!”

“You fucking piece of shit, fucking shit, you want to take me on!” and he jumps up charging forward.

While the man raged and the young man responded gently the Asian woman sitting next to him, a seat between them gentle touched him as if to say, “Please don’t engage him.” Getting the message the young man smiled at her gently and remained quiet. His quietness seemed only to fuel the raging man as he sat back down but continued to cuss at the young man. Just as I thought things were dying down the still fuming got re-ignited as when he looked at the young man and started shouting, “I see your face is angry, you want to fight me, you want some of this, come I will fuck you up!” and he jumped from his seat, at this point I am thinking, ‘oh hell, I prayed, Lord please do something, this shit is getting out of control. I was very concerned because I did not know if he was armed or just verbally defecating. I kept thinking, ‘we all isolated in this closed train car and things has to be contained before the shit hit the fan.’

In an attempt to defuse things, I said, “come on please, don’t do this,” he looked at me and ignored me and moved into the space going toward the young man. The Asian woman she too trying to defuse the escalating situation she interjects without raising her voice above a whisper, she puts her hands out in front of her stopping the ragging young man from coming forward further toward the other man and she gently placed her other hand on the quiet young man sitting and said quietly, “please no.” The raging man sat down but was soon up again, he turned to the first man that ask him to turn down the music and cussed him some more, then to the young gentle man and cussing him violently then exited the train car at Main Station. Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. I thanked the heavenly Divine for the divine intervention and relaxed the rest of the way home.

18 Entrepreneurial? Self-Conversation, Vomit Shower

Yonge & Dundas in Toronto

Entrepreneurial?

What’s your take on an enterprising person? I sometimes observe some things that simply make me wonder. Here sits this dude, Caucasian, late twenties to mid thirties about 155-170 lbs, he seems in fairly good health yet here he established himself on the corner of Dundas and Yonge opposite Dundas Square in minus 9 cold, windy, freezing weather with 3 buckets (2 to drum on and 1 to collect the money) and a symbol beating a sometimes rhythmic melody that at time flowed into jumbled off beat rhythms – am guessing cause his hands get tired and I ask myself is this entrepreneurial? Is this enterprising? What are your thoughts?

Loud Self-Conversation

She practically bounced in the train a slight giggle on her lips, her full figure body tightly clad in black as she slammed herself down in the seat beside me. My bag sitting next to me on my right pushed slightly into my side from the momentum of her sitting. I remained silent. My bag was feather light no real harm was done; apart from the few moments it took to note her appearance and feel her oomph as she sat I was unphased by her and returned to my reading. Shortly after however I began to hear short snatches of rumbling and grumbling burst conversations. I looked up slightly to my right and realized she was talking to herself. My awareness peeked I split my attention between my book and her attentive to any sudden escalation in her tone and behaviour that would signal to me its time to move.

Beneath my eyes I observed her, she was young between 19-23, she wasn’t too heavily made up and she didn’t emit any foul odour except for the sporadic burst of self-talk she seemed ok. Fifteen minutes into the ride it became evident that I would have to move as she became increasingly unstable as she began to shout, “jelly beans,” and she would giggle, “I love the carebears,” snort, snort, and giggle. By the time we reached Victoria Park subway I knew I had to move immediately because she just bust out laughing so loudly that I jumped inwardly. I was uneasy. I looked at her, she rocked back and forth laughing and her eyes seemed a bit glassy. I got up gently as the doors were about to open as if I were about to leave and simply walked seven seats down away from her. In a small prayer I pray that she’d be ok and that I’d be safe and return to my reading though remained alert.

Vomit Shower (Observation of my daughter and her friend Blue)

They boarded the blue night bus 3 am in the morning. The club was jumping and they were tired but happy from partying all night. The bus was a bit packed from partiers alike. They managed to secure a spot half-way down the bus when an inebriated gentleman boarded the bus. He swayed precariously. He stunk of alcohol and belched loudly that signalled to my daughter that all was not well. She looked at him cautiously and heard him say to himself, “I don’t feel so good;” My daughter shook her friend Blue and whispered, “lets move to the back,” he of course not understanding her reasoning began to argue but she quickly shut him up with a sharp shout of his name and they both moved to the back of the bus. There they were able to procure two seats.

The inebriated gentleman now seated was behind a young couple. They were engrossed in conversation when suddenly the inebriated man began to vomit and vomited on top of the young man’s head bathing and the rest of his body in vomit. The girlfriend started crying and screaming eeeeww. Everyone on the bus made an oooh in unison and the young man in shock and anger jumped up swearing, “what the fuck, what the fuck, oh fuck,” and angrily punched the drunken man and shoved him out the bus. The bus driver blissfully unaware was alerted to the incident by the shouts and screms and immediately put the bus out of service calling in the incident. He locked himself inside the cubicle and refused to come out, exclaiming, “oh this is nasty shit, oh yuck, get somebody out here!” he shouted into the phone.. “ Oh Lord bring a change of clothes for the poor man, Oh! Shit! “Sir what size do you wear?” he shouted to the man from his driver’s seat. “oh shit! This is nasty!”

The young man was furious beyond words his girlfriend who got some bits and pieces of vomit from the spew just kept crying and going eeeew, eeeeew while my daughter and her friend Blue cringed in the back of the bus and tried not to regurgitate themselves from the sight of it all. Blue was thankful she bullied him to move.

22 REBIRTH

Dreams

Slaughtered,

Mildewed by affliction,

Soured by pain,

Caged by oppression,

Anaesthetized the passion once burned fury.

Defeated,

Hope lay slain.

Blissfully unaware …

Of the transformational renewing,

The unfamiliar unimagined ignition,

Of dreams,

As it emerges,

Triumphant and frighteningly hot,

Fuelling passions once thought extinct.

Written  2008 by D.S.B.Rhapsody/Rhapsody Phoenix © All Rights Reserved

24 The Act Of Kindness Or An Agenda?

I had an experience that reminded me of my grandmother. About two weeks ago I was buried up to my eyeballs in work when a dry throat and thirst prompted me to take a break. I decided to pause briefly to get myself some tea (a new habit am cultivating) when someone stopped by to say hello. She was heading in the same direction as I intended (the kitchen) when I thought to myself, 'why not ask her to bring you some hot water, that way you can get through some of this stuff burying you'. Now I am not in the habit of asking however I have learnt over the years that there is no harm in asking for assistance because if you do not ask, you’re not likely to get help, besides I thought, I am not asking for anything I cannot do myself. If she says yes, I am blessed; if she says no I am equally as blessed because I can get up and fetch it myself'. As far as I was concerned the person was more than welcomed to say no which would not have offended me in the least as I was, as I stated before capable of doing it myself. I didn't have anything to lose really, so I asked…

“Hi, are you going to the kitchen?”

She responded, “Yes I am, can I get you something?”

“Oh yes thank you, some hot water please, do you mind?” I held my teapot out quarter of the way between us poised to pull back in the event she said no.

“No, I don’t mind,” she said.

I handed her my little teapot and off she went. A few minutes later she came back with my teapot filled with hot water. At the door just before she could enter to hand me the teapot of water, she met a few more people by my door (it gets pretty busy which is why I close my door so I can get some work done) who had also stop by to say hello. She handed me the teapot fill with hot water for which I thanked her graciously then to my surprise she proceeded to tell the person standing by the door……

“You see what she have me doing, bringing her hot water, you see how nice I am. I got her a pot of hot water.”

Normally I would have let such a comment pass without acknowledgement but I remembered a few days before the same person was making similar statements about others (which I had recommended she address with the parties involved as i don’t engage in idle gossip) and I realized in that moment, that the kindness was not a genuine kindness but rather a tool by which this person uses to garner attention for performing good deeds. I decided to use the opportunity to put her on notice and perhaps in the interim make her a little conscious of her actions. I stated very calmly and concisely to bring attention to her so-called kindness…

“My grandmother always said, when you perform an act of kindness it is not something you go about advertising to everyone or anyone that will listen in hopes of seeking validation for a good deed performed. If you did not want to bring me the hot water you could have simply said no. I am not offended by the word NO nor would I have been hurt as I was quite capable of getting the water myself I was just so buried under work that I ask you since you were on your way to the kitchen. Had I known it would have been an issue I would not have asked.”

I guess she was embarrassed that I put the spotlight directly on her behaviour in front of the very people she was relaying the tale of "kindness" to because she started stuttering and half laughing, half clearing her throat saying…

“oh, haha, ah… I was only joking.” And she left.

My point….

Honour yourself, if you do not want to do something for someone when asked then say no and don’t do it. Do not say yes and then go around complaining about all your have done to anyone that will listen. By doing so you are further dishonouring yourself in addition to leaving a bad after taste/impression about the content of your character.

Gratitude Moment:

Though momentarily irritated I was glad for the experience (it was enlightening) because in that moment together with the prior experiences she taught me a bit about who she is. This information has made me socially wiser and it has allowed me to set my boundaries as far as she is concerned. Lesson noted and learnt, I was not upset about the incident, just thankful because 'actions speak so much louder than words'.

Mindfulness Thought…

Think before you say yes, and consider yourself in all things.

26 A Delightful Encounter

I was travelling on the train to work one morning when I encountered Paulette an opera singer. I sneezed and was searching fiercely for a tissue. I was about to give up when I remembered another compartment in my purse that may have one. I looked and hit pay dirt; it was a large napkin, since it was the only one I had I tore it in two and put the other half back in my purse. She (Paulette) looked at me and said. “Smart, I forgot mine at home, are you getting a cold?” I answered no it just allergies. The conversation continued:

Paulette: Do you take medication for your allergies?

Me: Usually I do however this time after speaking with the pharmacists I decided to forgo the regular medication and use the recommended sterile Saline Nasal Mist and Opticrom-a sterile anti-allergic eye solution. Its working very well and I have the added benefit of bypassing the endless drowsiness.

Paulette: really, oh I am so glad that I met you then, I too suffer with allergies and sinuses and it is a killer for me right now because I am a singer.

Me: hmmmmm…..really, what kind of singer are you?

Paulette: I am a opera singer, have double vocal cords, one of a few in the world.

I had no idea that people could have double vocal chords in any event she ended up singing for me on the train and giving me a mini vocal lesson on techniques, range, verses the natural gift. She used Celine Dion & Whitney Houston as her examples of Talent verses Gift (the ability to exceed excellence). While she was impressed with Celine and how successful she has managed to become she did not consider her a natural gift and critiqued her lack of precision in some of her notes and pronunciations etc. Whitney Houston on the other hand according to Paulette has the “gift”, range, talent, technique and vocal ability to surpass even what she has done before.

It was quite interesting listening to her, some of the terminologies she used went completely over my head as I am not knowledgeable about the vocabulary intricacies used to classified the varying areas of singing but I was delighted with the songs she sang for me turned down 90 decibels according to her or the people in the train may have been covering their ears, as it was they were already staring but I didn’t care. I was enjoying her company. We exchanged numbers promising to keep in touch and said our goodbyes as she departed before me going to her practice in preparation for her upcoming concerts. Even if nothing comes of it, I enjoyed meeting her and the small concert/lesson on opera.

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Share what are you thankful for today in my… Gratitude Journal

13 3 Sheets to the Wind & Flying Stupid

Have you noticed that fun has become a six letter word for STUPID? I often hear people talking about going to clubs and having a blast, yet they cannot recall a single moment of  this   “supposed”  FUN pass the fifth beer or any other alcoholic beverage. i.e. “fun” it seems is the key term for getting drunk, plastered beyond cognition.  Interesting isn’t it?

What I want to know is since when did being 3 sheets to the wind (drunk beyond memory) and flying stupid (impaired judgment), boasting about a killer hangover fun? Whatever happened to going out with good friends enjoying each other’s company, sharing outrageous experiences, laughing till tears run down your cheeks and your stomach hurts so much from laughing so hard you could hardly stand up straight and when you part ways you are left with a silly smile fixed on your face from the delightfully hilarious evening/night? Since when does FUN equate drinking beyond thought? I have had my fair share of encounters with drunks and let me tell you it was not pretty nor was it fun. In fact FUN is the last descriptive I’d use to designate the experience, ugly would be more apt.

Some people under the influence of alcohol presume they are the life of the party when in fact they are just plain sad, pitiful and plain out of control as their carriage, behaviour and actions all paint them in a very unfavourable light and that's putting it nicely.  In a word, ugly.

One such ugly incident occurred years ago on a Sunday afternoon. I was standing in the line of a McDonalds waiting to purchase a couple of ice cream cones for my daughters when this drunken man in his late thirties of aboriginal decent with scraggly unkempt hair that hung helter skelter on his head who with enough sense God gave peanuts made an nuisance of himself harassing people. I stood there  and prayed silently, ‘Lord please don’t let this man approach me and our girls, I am in no mood, please let him not see us, please Father Jesus I do not want to lose my cool.’ Of course life being what it is and God ever the teacher in teachable moments, the man decided to turn his attention on me. “Hey lady,” he slurred, “I like yuh,” he half laughed and half snickered,  “hehehe” as he drooled and slobbered on himself. I looked at him said hi and asked him politely to leave me alone. I guess that was the wrong approach because he launched at me and I just had to get very serious very fast. I side stepped his attempt to touch me, got in his face and screamed very loudly “BACK OFF!!!” He cowered in fright and appeared to sober up instantly, lol, lol, if I wasn’t so angry I would have bust out laughing from his terrified expression. I frightened my kids too because they have never seen that side of me. Needless to say, mister am so drunk I suck my own slobber sleeked away quietly like a thief in the night.

At least for my children it was a good source of amusement for them. They laughed for days and had constant re-enactments of the scene which would result in another fit of laughter. It just annoys the bejesus out of me when people allow themselves to become so inebriated that they are not only a danger to themselves but to others as well. I mean damn, why can't people hold their liquor or not drink at all why do they have to subject their inebriated self unto others, can somebody answer that for me?

While people have the right to do to themselves whatever they like in their own self-governance without any input from me or the rests of the world however the buck stops short their lack of self-control/governance  intrudes, impacts, affect and threatens to alter my life along paths I have no desire it being it then I have a say, know what I mean?

*sigh…….