Monday, September 1, 2008

computer incompatibility

So, I will begin describing my journey, or whatever you want to call it, by sharing some things that happened while I was in transit (Charleston to Charlotte to Newark to Panama City).

On the first leg of the trip I got to sit by myself, and I just slept (of course—in the words of Rita, the sister-in-law of my cousin’s wife…playing the role of host mama I suppose, “You sleep like a rock.”)

The second leg , I had to sit next to a gentleman in his fifties or so, who was very friendly and kind, but who assumed the patrimonial role that many men this age do when coming into contact with a young lady traveling alone. Well intentioned I know, but did he really have to keep patting my knee, poking my side, and assist me in all things (not just getting my pack down from the overhead, but also helping me take off my jacket?)

And what can I do? I guess I could have asked for a seat change, but that would have been kind of ridiculous. I’m just tired of the nice patriarch. I guess I could have said “please don’t touch me,” but then I would be stuck next to him for the remaining hour and a half flight. So I did what most “young ladies” have learned to do our entire lives: GRIN AND BEAR IT.

But that’s not even the whole story. After we talked about what I considered to be somewhat open-minded topics, e.g. teaching American students to actually learn languages beyond English instead of the joke that such education is now in comparison to other countries, we went on to election talk. (Remind me never to let anyone know that I was a political science major in the future to avoid such interactions-jk.)

He began with the classic line, “My wife says I’m racist because I won’t vote for Barack Obama, but I’m not. I just don’t want someone named Barack Obama to be President. And he’s a Muslim. A Muslim in the White House? How do we know he’s not a part of one of those terrorist cells or something?”

Jaw drop.

I thought that time after time Obama has shown he is not a Muslim (sorry to skip the whole, wait you are a racist thought), and I told the gentleman I was pretty sure he had gone on record again and again that he has been a practicing Christian (why isn’t this as scary to anyone else? Shit , Christians think I’m going to hell for being a fag.* They hold signs telling me that God hates me (well, they do use the word fag too, but not in the same sense I think) outside my pride festivals, as well as at the funerals of American soldiers).

But back to the guy on the plane, has FOX News and the GOP really convinced the average American that Obama’s name and (false) religious affiliation are enough to keep him out of office, not to mention justify another four years of the Bush agenda?

Yes.

On the third leg of the trip, I sat next to an American who had bought a home in Panama (which he rents out partially). He spends 9 months in Panama and 3 months in the States each year, returning for a month at a time. What a life!

He told me that he was also interested in coin collecting. I told him I knew the word numismatics from my GRE prep. I don’t think he was impressed.

But when I told him I had been to Cuba, he became much more interested. As I thought, Cuban money has a high selling price at these trade shows. And to think, the Che $3 coin (it comes in bills too) only costs about 12 cents American. He gave me his email, and asked if I was into capitalism at all. I said yes, if it could fund my trip to Cuba.

I used my headphones and sleep to avoid any more interaction with him. But, alas, he had been drinking at the airport bar and on the plane, so he kept having to get me to move so he could go to the bathroom (though one time while I was ‘sleeping’ he actually crawled over me and jumped into the aisle).

Then, finally, an hour and a half late, we touched down in Panama.

*Sorry if I offend, but just think of it as the whole reclaiming the word thing.

1 comment:

Leigh said...

kaylee, i found your blog and read every single word and it was a good use of my time, congrats. i can't believe some guy said that to you about obama. but why haven't you blogged about your trip? and where is this old blog? it can't be any worse than my current (although never posted on) blog.