Quote of the Day: Philo of Alexandria

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle."


I don't know what's been going on lately but I've been running into some especially belligerent people. This morning two homeless men cursed at me for not giving them change. One even followed me across the street, berating me the whole time for being a liar because I told him I had no change. I honestly wasn't lying. I really don't consider a twenty to be change.


On Friday, I saw two guys on the bus almost get into a fight. For some reason that day the afternoon was crowded beyond comprehension. I had to stand up the whole time which is something I never have to do. So anyway, getting on and off the bus was quite a chore. We had been stopped at a stop for nearly two whole minutes that felt like an eternity and when we finally started to move some guy yelled, "Hey. Open the back door. I want off." Everyone groaned because we were all getting impatient with not moving for so long. I also think some of us were also getting a little tired of involuntarily groping each other. (I'd seen this guy before. He looks like your typical aging computer geek*. I know he is see too because I see him reading his SQL manual with his bifocals every morning.) When he got the door, the bearded punk-rocker/metal-head who resembled a viking standing next to it said, "How long does it take you to get off the bus? I mean seriously, man?"

The other guy got right in his face and yelled, "It takes me a long time, buddy," and then he turned to make his escape out the door to avoid any retaliation. The funny thing was the bus driver had already shut the door so before the man had a chance to get of punching range we were on our way to the next stop. Neither man looked at the other one as we rode along but you could just see the older guy fuming with impotent rage. The viking looked nihilistically amused by life and everything in it.

So anyway, when we stopped and the door opened, the slow poke finally got his revenge. He elbowed the other guy's bicep and said, "What's it to you anyway, buddy, how long I take to get off the bus?" The other guy elbowed him back and said, "Get out of my face." His eyes were quite fierce looking so I don't really blame the other guy for running off the bus as quick as he did. I did think elbowing him again on the way out was a little unnecessary though.

So after it was all over, the metal head looked at us all and said, "Dude's a loser. It's not my fault he fell asleep. You know me, I'll roll with anybody any time." We chose to believe him and went back to pretending like nobody else existed on the bus but ourselves and our mobile devices.



*I use the term "computer geek" with nothing but love and affection. Some of my best friends are computer geeks.