…into the fog

Warning

Ξ March 4th, 2009 | → 8 Comments | ∇ Rants |

Rant ahead. I try not to post anything that isn’t funny or at least interesting, but sometimes, circumstances get the better of me.

Tonight, we hosted a vacuum cleaner sales rep. We did this as a favor, even though we already own said vacuum; but it is an older model, so we thought we’d see what new features have been added. For the most part, the demonstration went fine. Until the end.

See, as a Thank You for sitting through the demonstration, you get a free hotel stay in one of several selected cities. Randy was reading them off to me, when the rep piped up:

Rep: Have you been to Palm Springs?

Me: No.

Rep: Oh, good. You don’t want to go.

Me: I don’t? Why not?

Rep: I was there once for work. We had a week long seminar. That place is FULL of gay guys. You don’t want to be there.

Me: [flabbergasted] Well, since I don’t have a problem with gays, I don’t see the issue. I also don’t have a problem with men who don’t hit on me.

Rep: Oh, well, then you probably won’t have a problem. I hated it. They’re EVERYWHERE. I mean, every bar I went into, they were all over the place. I was freaking out!

I just sat there with my mouth open in shock. Then I got up and left Randy to see the man out while I stormed down to the basement for a cigarette. I’m a little ashamed of myself for not saying anything, but honestly, I couldn’t imagine what to say. I still can’t.

You know, have your feelings. Have your opinions; the fact that we’re all different keeps the world interesting. But what in the WORLD would make that man think that he could just spray homophobia all over our living room? The fact that we’re obviously straight? Because I know we never said anything that would even hint that we’re homophobic; so what brought that on? Does he think that most people feel the way he does, so it’s okay to just blurt it out at everyone? Gods, DO they?

Maybe I’m just used to seeing other perspectives from my time in Moms Online. Maybe I’m blinded to the way the world really is, who knows? But I don’t want to even touch the free house-bong he left. And I’m grateful that when he asked us for other names for referrals, we didn’t give him any. I don’t want any of my friends - gay or otherwise - to be exposed to that kind of thing.

How is it, in this day and age, that people can still think everyone thinks the way they do? I know, I’m just as guilty of that as the next guy  -even THAT guy, since I’m so surprised. But, still. Why hate someone because their life is different from yours?

Why Is It…

Ξ March 1st, 2009 | → 5 Comments | ∇ Uncategorized |

..that Randy can be sleeping silently until I come to bed, at which point he begins to snore loudly?

..that whenever it snows, our driveway becomes irresistible to people who need to turn their cars around, thereby packing the snow down so it’s much harder to shovel?

..that the phone can be silent all day - hell, all WEEK - until “Lost” is on, at which time everyone who didn’t call all week suddenly decides to “touch base”?

..that the shower can be warm and draft-free until I touch the razor to my ankle, at which time there is suddenly a cold breeze?

..that nobody in the house is hungry until a) I make something to eat and there is just enough for one; and b) I have just finished cleaning the kitchen?

..that the cats only have to barf up hairballs on our expensive (hand me down) oriental rug?

..that the day you pay all the bills and get them mailed out is the same day you get one of those bills from the doctor’s office, because your insurance suddenly doesn’t cover the procedure you had done?

..that the coupons the grocery store gives you are for the same oddball items you just bought - and only use once a year?

..that Randy can spend days trying to solve a coding problem, only to discover the answer while I’m trying to get him to help me make a shopping list?

..that the sun is at the wrong angle to ever touch your pillow - except for the day you sleep in?

..that you discover your favorite jeans stuffed behind the bathroom door, and are dirty after you’ve washed all the clothes in the house?

..that every time DaBoy is in a good mood, everyone else is having a bad day?

..that the phone call you’ve spent the day waiting for unfailingly comes in during the two minutes you’re in the bathroom?

..that mopping the floors guarantees that your loved ones will step in the one, single patch of mud in the whole city and then track indoors?

..that the combination of freshly washed sheets and freshly shaved legs makes men amorous?

..that you can spend the entire day dusting, polishing, vacuuming and cleaning, but the house doesn’t look any different when it’s done?

Add on…