[lit-ideas] Train Tromping, Like the Old Days, with Hippy Nazis

From: David Ritchie <profdritchie@xxxxxxxxx>
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Wed, 28 May 2014 12:44:33 -0700
My thought today--and there may only be one, so let's savor it, eh?--is that 
instead of commanding others to "have a nice day" people should do more to make 
said goal happen.  Mess with others a bit, maybe.  L. left on the stairs a big 
box of cheerios (which I now know, having looked up the spelling, started 
commercial life as a product named "cheery oats") and a woman's swimsuit she 
had decided not to keep, both to be returned to Costco when I went to get dog 
food.  No problem.  I hie'd me to the returns counter.  The woman there was 
most apologetic, said she was having trouble unlocking her till.  "I am 
shocked, horrified and outraged," I said--or words to that effect--and gave her 
a big smile.  "You keep me waiting here for several long seconds... and this 
swimsuit doesn't fit me at all well either."  We had a little chat and both 
felt, I believe, that the day had got off on the right foot.  It could be that 
it's downhill all the way from here, but we'll always have the returns desk.

Watched for a friend in a production on the tele last night at B's house, while 
following a second drama.  As B's wife and daughter were readying themselves to 
return from Spain, P. (the daughter...keep up now, keep up) came down with a 
dose of what I'll call "full sluice and upgechucking."  B. called Delta to find 
out what the procedure might be under these circs. and got a fellow with a 
thick Caribbean accent, "You cyan do this... but you cyan't do that..."  With 
poor cell reception, B's hearing and the thick accent, not much information was 
transferred, but the upshot was that P. and T. were going to miss their flight 
and later try board another.  Who knows what, in the modern way of doing 
things, this may cost.  

My friend didn't feature in episode two, but I learned some things.  World War 
Two, as told on the History Channel, was about strong leadership and weak sound 
bites, morsels really. Dick Cheney spoke authoritatively.  Hitler had a 
long-haired guy in his entourage, practically a hippy in Nazi uniform;  
Chamberlain went to the same hairdresser.  In 1940 French troops went into 
action wearing American helmets from two or even three years later.  There was 
nary a horse involved in Blitzkrieg;  everyone had tanks.  Well one.  

Costco had fifty five dollar backpacks.  I'm wondering whether I can carry a 
month's worth of stuff--including jacket and tie-- on my back.  Since later 
this summer I'll be getting on and off trains and tromping around somewhat, I'm 
tempted.  Why not provide everyone with a bit of a laugh, geezer with a red 
pack on?

Carrying.

David Ritchie,
Portland, 
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[lit-ideas] Train Tromping, Like the Old Days, with Hippy Nazis

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