Feeding Frenzy

Okay, it may have been an exaggeration to say that the girl was sitting alone for hours, but that's not the point. The point is that, as soon as one guy starts talking to her, a bunch of other guys cluster around like sharks on a feeding frenzy. Okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration too, but the point is that she suddenly becomes attractive because somebody else is interested in her.

When I was a newcomer to Cheboygan, I walked into this crowded bar where there was standing room only, and not much of that. I never have been a stand up drunk, so I was about to leave when I spotted this empty table right up front by the band, so I sat down there. Pretty soon this lady came along and asked if she could sit with me, and I said "sure". During the course of the evening, we danced a couple times, but mostly we just talked. She was friendly enough, but she didn't seem to be coming on to me, so I didn't push it. The next night I came in and she was already sitting at the same table, so I asked if I could sit with her this time. Again it was "just friends", and that was fine with me. At closing time, she asked me to walk her home. She only lived a block or two away, so I walked her home. As we were leaving the bar, she got kind of clingy, which was fine with me. She detached herself as soon as we were out the door, though, and kept her distance as we walked, which was fine with me. When we got to her door, she didn't invite me in or anything like that, which was fine with me.

The next night I came in and the lady wasn't there, but the same table was empty, so I sat down there. When the band went on break, one of the musicians sat down at the table, introduced himself, and casually asked "How is that stuff?" "What stuff?", says I. "You know, that blonde I've been seeing you with?" says he. I told him that I didn't make a practice of referring to women as "stuff" but, be that as it may, the lady and I were just friends. "Yeah, right." says he, and he went back to playing in the band. The next night I came in, and the lady was sitting at the same table with the guy from the band, and they were all over each other. I said "hello" to both of them, but didn't ask to sit with them because I didn't want to intrude. It occurred to me later that the only reason this lady had been friendly with me was to attract the attention of the band guy, and it worked, which was fine by me. I mean, what are friends for if they can't help each other attain their goals in life?

I have always thought it strange that people spend millions of dollars trying to get elected president when the job only pays a quarter million a year. I know that most of it comes from contributions, but they must have to put up some of their own money in the beginning just to get the ball rolling. Then they go running all over the country campaigning. I would find that exhausting myself, even in my younger days. I'm sure there are easier ways to make a quarter million a year. They must be in it for the fame and glory but, chances are, a year or two into their presidency, their fame and glory will start to wear thin and, by the time they leave office, most of their fans won't even like them anymore.

I read a short story one time about this post apocalyptic scenario where the protagonist got to be president because there was nobody left who wanted the job. I might take it under those circumstances myself, but that's about the only way I would take it.