Thank you

First I would like to thank all those who have hounded me for more blog postings. It's appreciated and I don't want to let you down.

That leads me into my question... Where are all the "Thank you's" nowadays?

I'd like to say my parents raised me to be polite and a gentleman, but I don't think that's the case. They did a fine job but I never remember having "Always say please!" and "What do you say..?" ingrained in my brain while I was growing up. I'm polite because it's decent, and I'm only half a gentleman.

So what the fuck? When I hold the door for someone and they say "Thank you.", it makes me think "Now there's a nice person. Recognized I was doing something nice and acknowledged it." But then there's the important business guy, who has people open doors for him all the time I'm sure, walking into 711. I hold the door and he doesn't give a shit. No thank you. No head nod. Motherfucker. It's then I think: "I hate that guy. He's a prick, has way too much money, and gets way too much pussy. I hope he gets abducted, dropped in an African jungle and torn to shreds by rabid jaguars." True story.

If it stopped there, I wouldn't be so concerned. Homeless people. I'm one of the few people who's either decent enough, or too much of a sucker not to give to certain people. Not receiving gratitude from them is very damaging to my sense of humanity as well infuriating.

ACT I

It's a cold December morning. I'm walking to the bus stop enjoying a morning "stizz."

Enter homeless man 'A'.:

"Got a cigarette?"

"Yeah sure man."

(Balter reaches for cigarettes, removes one and holds it out.)

"Pretty cold out he..."

And before I could finish my sentence, he's gone. Snatched the cigarette out of my hand and swooshed by me in a blur of assholishness. No thank you. No: "Have a splendid day, kind sir!! You're a gentleman and a scholar!" He almost took my fucking hand with him. I know he's homeless, so no rabid jaguars, but what a bum.

End Scene.

ACT II

A crowded taco bell. Work day. Lunch time.

Enter homeless man 'B':

"Got some change?"

I realized I really didn't, although I don't know if I would have actually given it to this guy. I had dumped my coins in the tip jar and only had 20's.

"Nah man, I'm sorry. How about a cigarette?"

The look he gave me.

"What the HELL am I going to do with that??"

Holy shit. Call me crazy but I thought all homeless guys smoked. I was speechless. I regret not saying "SHOVE IT UP YOUR FUCKING ASS!!! DIE! DIE! DIE!!!". You know, a "No thank you" would have been nice.

Suffice to say I only give out cigarettes to people who offer to buy them now. And no, I don't take their money.

And another one involving cigarettes just today. A dude comes over to the smokers outside the office today. Some who don't work for the lab. He approaches all of us, and gives a: "Heyo, anybody got a cigarette?" Everyone looks at each other and finally one nice guy pulls out a cig for the man. "Yo this a Camel? I don't smoke that shit! Those are terrible!! ..Anybody else?"

It should go without saying that there was no one else. I half-wished that someone would have pushed a piano out of a window at that exact moment, crushing every bone in this man's body.

Too much?

-b