I attended my niece's high school graduation last night (congratulations again, Dylan!) and encountered a stranger whose motives mystified me.
During the ceremony, there was a loud air horn that sounded repeatedly. It was amusing the first couple of times, but became increasingly obnoxious as it was blown too frequently. After all the diplomas had been handed out, for example, it was appropriate and fun, but after a beautiful, gentle song sung by a group that included several graduating seniors, it just seemed out of place.
As we were leaving and I waited outside the rest rooms for my wife, my attention was caught by a man in a tank top--evidently, he didn't see the graduation as an occasion to dress up at all--walking along a nearby path spouting obscenities as if he were in a private place. Now, I have been known to swear with the best of them, but not in public and not within earshot of strangers who may be offended. I counted at least five uses of the word "f**k" or "f**kin'" in the short time I heard him speaking, and I was far enough away not to hear every word of the few sentences I overheard. Then I noticed the air horn in his hand--this was the same guy.
As luck would have it, we wound up driving out of the parking lot behind a large pickup with dual rear wheels, a string of LED lights along the rear bumper, and a polished sheen that said this was no work truck, but rather an advertisement for how macho the driver was. And yes---I recognized the driver as the same person who'd been shooting off his air gun and his mouth. Then we noticed the license plate: I POLUTE. At the same time, the truck accelerated around a corner, and huge clouds of black exhaust spurted from the long chrome pipes that grew up the rear corners of the cab.
I'd like to think that POLUTE was spelled incorrectly because this guy couldn't spell, which would be consistent with the stereotype I'd already formed in my mind, but I realized that the second L would have been more letters than would fit on the plate. Still, why would you purposely put that on your license plate? Is he proud that he pollutes? Does he not care? I assume he's annoyed by people preaching about the environment and conservation, so perhaps it's just meant as a joke. Still, with everything else I saw this person do in my short experience with him, I tend to believe that he thinks everyone else should shut up and let him do whatever he wants, and/or that he wants to provoke people.
I also noticed some lettering on his rear window. It was hard to read because the letters were white and the sun was reflecting on the glass, but I made out the words "your hybrid", so I'm guessing there was another use of some variation of "f***" and a disparaging comment on vehicles like the Prius we were driving. For a fleeting moment, I wondered if he'd seen us in his rear-view mirror and blasted the black exhaust for our benefit, but my wife correctly said that I was probably being paranoid. Still, I have to wonder why someone would drive a truck that periodically spews big clouds of pollution and then try to draw people's attention to it. What can I compare that to? A person who eats a lot wearing a T-shirt that says I TRY TO EAT SO MUCH FOOD THAT THERE WON'T BE ENOUGH FOR STARVING CHILDREN? A smoker with one that reads I SMOKE IN THE HOPES THAT YOU'LL GET CANCER FROM SECONDHAND SMOKE? A person (admittedly, like myself) who eats food shipped in from far away advertising that I DON'T EAT LOCAL BECAUSE THAT WOULD ONLY SAVE GAS AND SUPPORT THE LOCAL ECONOMY? (Yes, that last T-shirt would have to be an extra large.)
We are all guilty of doing something that isn't in the best interest of others or ourselves, but how many of us try to draw attention to it, or brag about it? We don't do these things to hurt others, or damage the environment, or waste resources--we do it because it's something we enjoy or covet, and we make the choice, consciously or unconsciously, to indulge ourselves. But to think about it and point it out to others? He even paid extra to have that license plate.
I tired to imagine a situation in which I could carry on a friendly conversation with this guy. Maybe, if I hadn't heard his air horn or breathed his exhaust or seen his license plate, we'd get along fine. But I'm guessing that it's more likely that he would soon say something so offensive that I'd feel compelled to walk away, muttering under my breath that he should go f**k himself.
During the ceremony, there was a loud air horn that sounded repeatedly. It was amusing the first couple of times, but became increasingly obnoxious as it was blown too frequently. After all the diplomas had been handed out, for example, it was appropriate and fun, but after a beautiful, gentle song sung by a group that included several graduating seniors, it just seemed out of place.
As we were leaving and I waited outside the rest rooms for my wife, my attention was caught by a man in a tank top--evidently, he didn't see the graduation as an occasion to dress up at all--walking along a nearby path spouting obscenities as if he were in a private place. Now, I have been known to swear with the best of them, but not in public and not within earshot of strangers who may be offended. I counted at least five uses of the word "f**k" or "f**kin'" in the short time I heard him speaking, and I was far enough away not to hear every word of the few sentences I overheard. Then I noticed the air horn in his hand--this was the same guy.
As luck would have it, we wound up driving out of the parking lot behind a large pickup with dual rear wheels, a string of LED lights along the rear bumper, and a polished sheen that said this was no work truck, but rather an advertisement for how macho the driver was. And yes---I recognized the driver as the same person who'd been shooting off his air gun and his mouth. Then we noticed the license plate: I POLUTE. At the same time, the truck accelerated around a corner, and huge clouds of black exhaust spurted from the long chrome pipes that grew up the rear corners of the cab.
I'd like to think that POLUTE was spelled incorrectly because this guy couldn't spell, which would be consistent with the stereotype I'd already formed in my mind, but I realized that the second L would have been more letters than would fit on the plate. Still, why would you purposely put that on your license plate? Is he proud that he pollutes? Does he not care? I assume he's annoyed by people preaching about the environment and conservation, so perhaps it's just meant as a joke. Still, with everything else I saw this person do in my short experience with him, I tend to believe that he thinks everyone else should shut up and let him do whatever he wants, and/or that he wants to provoke people.
I also noticed some lettering on his rear window. It was hard to read because the letters were white and the sun was reflecting on the glass, but I made out the words "your hybrid", so I'm guessing there was another use of some variation of "f***" and a disparaging comment on vehicles like the Prius we were driving. For a fleeting moment, I wondered if he'd seen us in his rear-view mirror and blasted the black exhaust for our benefit, but my wife correctly said that I was probably being paranoid. Still, I have to wonder why someone would drive a truck that periodically spews big clouds of pollution and then try to draw people's attention to it. What can I compare that to? A person who eats a lot wearing a T-shirt that says I TRY TO EAT SO MUCH FOOD THAT THERE WON'T BE ENOUGH FOR STARVING CHILDREN? A smoker with one that reads I SMOKE IN THE HOPES THAT YOU'LL GET CANCER FROM SECONDHAND SMOKE? A person (admittedly, like myself) who eats food shipped in from far away advertising that I DON'T EAT LOCAL BECAUSE THAT WOULD ONLY SAVE GAS AND SUPPORT THE LOCAL ECONOMY? (Yes, that last T-shirt would have to be an extra large.)
We are all guilty of doing something that isn't in the best interest of others or ourselves, but how many of us try to draw attention to it, or brag about it? We don't do these things to hurt others, or damage the environment, or waste resources--we do it because it's something we enjoy or covet, and we make the choice, consciously or unconsciously, to indulge ourselves. But to think about it and point it out to others? He even paid extra to have that license plate.
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