i'm blue ...
It was the day after the 2004 elections and I was so depressed by the outcome that I decided to go to the gym and press away my disappointment.
I was at the bench press when Lee, one of my gym friends (acquaintance, really), walked in wearing an oversized white t-shirt with a “W” on the front. As he walked away I was treated to the back of the shirt which read, “W is for Winner … Bush/Cheney 2004, Committee to Re-elect the President.” My immediate thought was, “I had no idea he was Red!”
I walked over to him and just stared at him. He looked up, grinned, and said, “It’ll be alright. Talk to me when you’re no longer angry.” I went back to weights and ignored him for the rest of my workout. I saw him a few weeks later and still couldn’t bring myself to talk to him. He waved and I grumbled, “I’m still not ready to talk to you.”
I saw him again last night and was finally able to chat with him. I asked him if he had a chance to talk to Miguel who had returned to working out after a four month absence (Miguel’s wife passed away in November). He said he hadn’t but that he would make his way upstairs to see him. Then he asked me, “Are you friends with Miguel?” I replied that we were just gym friends and that he helped me once with some advice.
“You were unhappy with me, but you’re okay him. You do know that he is more Red than I am?” Lee asked me. I told him that I was okay with Miguel since he didn’t wear his politics on his sleeves (or his t-shirts). (By the by, Miguel is really, really Red, but that's another entry.) We spent some time between sets talking about politics and the people behind them. He works for congress so it was enlightening to hear him admit that many of the hardcore stances are just rhetoric to stay in power.
Lee’s Red but he’s a good guy. Miguel’s Red and also a good guy. And this is a scary admission, but I believe W is a good guy too. I didn’t vote for him, I don’t agree with many of domestic policies, and I think his foreign policy will come back and bite us in the ass in ways unimagined. But I do believe that his intentions are good and that he believes his actions and policies are good for the nation.
On the trip home, I tried to think of close friends I may have who are Red. I couldn’t think of any. How is it that all my friends have the same politics as I? It came as a surprise to me because I’m not particularly outspoken about politics. My friends are multicultural, they have different religious beliefs, and different economic backgrounds, but we all somehow share the same political beliefs.
Maybe I have closeted Red friends who are afraid to come out. I'm going to pay closer attention to the statements they make and try not to be so judgemental. My goal this year is to make a couple of friends who are Red (and cool).
be my friend?
I was at the bench press when Lee, one of my gym friends (acquaintance, really), walked in wearing an oversized white t-shirt with a “W” on the front. As he walked away I was treated to the back of the shirt which read, “W is for Winner … Bush/Cheney 2004, Committee to Re-elect the President.” My immediate thought was, “I had no idea he was Red!”
I walked over to him and just stared at him. He looked up, grinned, and said, “It’ll be alright. Talk to me when you’re no longer angry.” I went back to weights and ignored him for the rest of my workout. I saw him a few weeks later and still couldn’t bring myself to talk to him. He waved and I grumbled, “I’m still not ready to talk to you.”
I saw him again last night and was finally able to chat with him. I asked him if he had a chance to talk to Miguel who had returned to working out after a four month absence (Miguel’s wife passed away in November). He said he hadn’t but that he would make his way upstairs to see him. Then he asked me, “Are you friends with Miguel?” I replied that we were just gym friends and that he helped me once with some advice.
“You were unhappy with me, but you’re okay him. You do know that he is more Red than I am?” Lee asked me. I told him that I was okay with Miguel since he didn’t wear his politics on his sleeves (or his t-shirts). (By the by, Miguel is really, really Red, but that's another entry.) We spent some time between sets talking about politics and the people behind them. He works for congress so it was enlightening to hear him admit that many of the hardcore stances are just rhetoric to stay in power.
Lee’s Red but he’s a good guy. Miguel’s Red and also a good guy. And this is a scary admission, but I believe W is a good guy too. I didn’t vote for him, I don’t agree with many of domestic policies, and I think his foreign policy will come back and bite us in the ass in ways unimagined. But I do believe that his intentions are good and that he believes his actions and policies are good for the nation.
On the trip home, I tried to think of close friends I may have who are Red. I couldn’t think of any. How is it that all my friends have the same politics as I? It came as a surprise to me because I’m not particularly outspoken about politics. My friends are multicultural, they have different religious beliefs, and different economic backgrounds, but we all somehow share the same political beliefs.
Maybe I have closeted Red friends who are afraid to come out. I'm going to pay closer attention to the statements they make and try not to be so judgemental. My goal this year is to make a couple of friends who are Red (and cool).
be my friend?
2 comments:
I really like reading your blog. Good stuff. Interesting and entertaining. Thanks.
I just Love your style. You crack me up!
Hey, thanks for checking out my "blog". Not nearly as interesting as yours.
You are funny.
As far as Aveda and Victoria Secret for my husband on his birthday, good idea. Can't wait!
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