I was a bit excited to see Old Dog post about that big think site. I was especially interested in how they defined philosophy. You know it's not about those old Greek guys, or those French mystics, or those Germans that write those long dense books that nobody understands.
It is for us, The People, for guys with nothing better to do than say, "I dunno, here is what I think about that." That is what is what I hope for for this forum, interesting and oddball opinions that give rise to more interesting and oddball opinions. You know something to talk about.
I wonder if Old Dog got around to reading more of the article. I did and I got to the part where he was talking about the five different kinds of philosophers. I generally lose interest when I hear about the six main reasons for whatever, or the seven different kind of things, might as well be astrology.
But still interesting to talk about. I picked the two different kinds of philosophers that I thought I was and began formulating an answering post. But before I could get it written down Old Dog was on another trip.
Well a letter to the editor to be exact. When I got mine in the Sun-Times they called me the day before to see if I was a robot or something. I have sent out a couple since but no phone call and no letter in the next day's paper.
The beginning of Old Dog's letter is a little off kilter with "Greetings," and the upper case letters, and folks get uneasy when you talk about Jews and movies, but I liked the ending. A world without Daffy Duck indeed.
And now for something a little different.
Seems like for every time you get to the train right before it leaves there are ten times as many that you get there just as it's leaving. In a fair Universe, that did not have it in for you, there would be an equal amount of last minute boardings and last minute just missings. Just saying.
So this Saturday the ding that announces the closing of the doors dinged just as I was sliding into a very good seat. I pulled out my magazine and my reading glasses and was all set for a fine ride early in the morning.
And then this guy, young guy, was leaning over me asking something I couldn't hear above the noise of the doors closing and the train pulling away. I was sure he was going to launch into some pitiful story that would end up with me giving him money, which I was not in the mood for so I just told him to go away.
He continued his story that I still couldn't hear and I repeated myself louder and he drifted away.
He drifted away to a guy hanging by the straps in front of the door and they had a brief conversation, and the young guy got off at the next stop.
Kind of an odd thing, but sometimes if you are not familiar with the station you might get on the northbound train rather than the southbound train that you wanted, and to change trains you get off at the next stop and wait for a train going in the other direction. Now that I thought about it maybe he was asking the guy which train he was on. And thinking back to when he approached me his voice was more like asking a question than asking for money.
Of course I could be wrong maybe he was asking for money, but then maybe he wasn't. No way to tell now. But you know I should've at least listened to him, no matter what. My bad. I fucked up. I was down one with The Universe.
I got off at my station and walking towards the stairs I saw this guy standing right in my way. Just lollygagging, just doing nothing, but standing in my way. I shoved past him, maybe gave him a tiny bump, muttered something like "Sorry," or "Scuse me." and he looked up at me and said "Don't let that happen again," and then added, "You piece of shit."
Kind of odd. Kind of funny. I smiled a little, now I was even with The Universe.
What do you guys think?
