Grumpy people
Voting in Florida is a bit complicated. First you have to show a picture I.D., and sign a sheet affirming your address and identity. That enables you to receive a “chit” which you take to another desk. You sign that “chit” and then receive a ballot to complete for the optical scanner.
The woman ahead of me at that second desk was displeased. She had been handed a felt tip pen to sign her name, and she let it be known in no uncertain terms that she hated felt tips, and that no-one would ever recognise her signature..
The volunteer clerk was a cheerful as a person could be, but despite all his efforts, the woman was determined to be displeased.
I bit my tongue, and when my turn came, I told the volunteer that I liked felt tips. It was a bold face lie. I am a fountain pen man, but I wanted to encourage him in his good cheer.
“Why”, I wondered, “would a person get so bent out of shape about a pen”? “What about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?” I There’s something about which I get grumpy!
Last evening I was with my friend Ben Morse at a concert given by the Florida West Coast Symphony Orchestra. I loved every minute. After an overture by Rossini, a 19 year old woman was the soloist in the marvelous Mendelssohn Violin Concerto.
I know if a soloist is bad. What I do not know is if that soloist is good, fabulous or brilliant. Ne’er mind. I was entranced.
The intermission came and the woman to my right asked “What did you think?”. “I loved it”, I replied, “I was almost in tears”.
She frowned. “Tears?” she asked. “Yes” I said, “this is the first time I’ve ever heard the concerto live”
Discretion being the better part of valour I asked for her opinion. “I thought that she (the soloist)”, came the reply “was a bit weak”.
Not ready for an argument I took myself outside for a cigarette. A couple passed me. The man said “that Mendelssohn piece has no melody”. His wife told him that it was filled with wonderful melodies. “Well, I did not hear them” he said.
It turned out that a newspaper critic had said of the Friday night performance that the soloist was weak. That’s where my seat companion had gotten her unshakable view!
I can be grumpy at times. But I try to be of good cheer.
I am glad to be able to vote, whether or not I like the pen.
And I loved being at a Symphony Concert.
Why should we in these United States be so fortunate, and yet so ungrateful?
The woman ahead of me at that second desk was displeased. She had been handed a felt tip pen to sign her name, and she let it be known in no uncertain terms that she hated felt tips, and that no-one would ever recognise her signature..
The volunteer clerk was a cheerful as a person could be, but despite all his efforts, the woman was determined to be displeased.
I bit my tongue, and when my turn came, I told the volunteer that I liked felt tips. It was a bold face lie. I am a fountain pen man, but I wanted to encourage him in his good cheer.
“Why”, I wondered, “would a person get so bent out of shape about a pen”? “What about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?” I There’s something about which I get grumpy!
Last evening I was with my friend Ben Morse at a concert given by the Florida West Coast Symphony Orchestra. I loved every minute. After an overture by Rossini, a 19 year old woman was the soloist in the marvelous Mendelssohn Violin Concerto.
I know if a soloist is bad. What I do not know is if that soloist is good, fabulous or brilliant. Ne’er mind. I was entranced.
The intermission came and the woman to my right asked “What did you think?”. “I loved it”, I replied, “I was almost in tears”.
She frowned. “Tears?” she asked. “Yes” I said, “this is the first time I’ve ever heard the concerto live”
Discretion being the better part of valour I asked for her opinion. “I thought that she (the soloist)”, came the reply “was a bit weak”.
Not ready for an argument I took myself outside for a cigarette. A couple passed me. The man said “that Mendelssohn piece has no melody”. His wife told him that it was filled with wonderful melodies. “Well, I did not hear them” he said.
It turned out that a newspaper critic had said of the Friday night performance that the soloist was weak. That’s where my seat companion had gotten her unshakable view!
I can be grumpy at times. But I try to be of good cheer.
I am glad to be able to vote, whether or not I like the pen.
And I loved being at a Symphony Concert.
Why should we in these United States be so fortunate, and yet so ungrateful?
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