I got a call to pick up a fare named’ Mark’ this morning, just before sunrise. Mark is one of those guys that you look forward to picking up; he is smart, witty, interesting and gay - literally. He lives on a street north of Tampa in an older neighborhood which ten years ago was pretty much urban scare tissue. Then, a phenomenon happened. Mark, and many like him, began to move into the area, and with their flare for decorating and remodeling, the area was soon being re-gentrified into a marvelous and quant place to live.
Mark has a cat (I love cats). It is solid black (reminds me of a cat I had long ago named Amos). The cat is usually involved in some kind of antics when I show up. This morning, he was just sitting in the yard near the driveway looking at me as I pulled in. His pale blue eyes lit up like demon eyes as I entered the driveway, the one true pointer that I was indeed at the right place. For time immortal people have acquainted cats with strange bewitching abilities. I think it has more to do with their female characteristics. Face it; you have cat women, not cat man.
Cats don’t need you, they can do fine on their own, they feign attention when they want something, they treat you like a servant, they are aloof and always looking for the next bigger and better deal, they don’t respond to auditory commands, and seem to prefer that you are not around, but will give you just enough love to keep you wanting more. I find all of these qualities to be female in origin. Again, I love cats.
Mark hops in and tells me where he is going. He works at the hospital now, and no longer cuts hair. As he puts it, even the recession has taken its toll on hair cuts. He needed a steady gig and had some nursing experience. The steady pay check is important to him right now. Times were much better three years ago, and I remember him back then.
Mark had taken advantage of the easy financing that was available a few years ago. He, at one point, had over five houses that he had mortgages on, and was fixing them up and flipping them. His plan worked for some time and he made a profit on every house he sold. I should have bought one of them. I walked into a mortgage company office back then to pick up a fare (I had five bucks in my pocket) and they wanted to give me an ARM. How cool is that?
“Sorry,” I said.
“I don’t like packing my stuff up and moving six months later“.
Perhaps I could have found a way to hold onto the property. Who knows?
Anyway, Mark got caught short - way short. He was holding the bag (many bags) when the economy fell apart like a two dollar watch and his life went down the drain like liquid Plummer. He says he is alright about this, and he knows who to blame. There is a villain and this man did him in like a back ally mugger…George Bush.
Mark is convinced that “W” ruined his life. Like many fares I pick up, who are embroiled in domestic issues, the blaming is immense. Humans simply wont live what Socrates called “the examined life,” Instead, opting for “a life of quite desperation” seems more functional…some more quite, some more functional than others.
The fact that he was done in by his own poor decisions is a concept that is anathema to this man. Was it Bush that forced him to take out those mortgages? I don’t think so. I think many people did enough to do themselves in. Mark also holds onto the mantra I hear often…”It took eight years to mess things up; it will take another eight to un-mess them.” Really? Is that right?
We were told the current occupant of the White House is a genius. Keith Olberman claims Obama has the highest IQ ever recorded (next to his, I imagine). My question to all my fares that hold onto this concept is this:
What can a moron do in eight years that a genius can’t undo in five minutes? I am just trying to follow your logic. Because now I am hearing from the “unexhausted” Obama supporters that it is going to take time for the economy to get better with natural market forces needed to play out. Hummmmmmm.
Was that not the Republican plan all along? Seems the horse is being changed in midstream.
To be fair Obama has done this:
1) Bailed out the Banks (he did not have too because only the account holders money is insured)
2) Bailed out Wall Street (he did not have too…what was it Marcus Aurelius said that if Gordon Gekko has what you want, you do business with him). Politics is indeed a practical profession.
3) Bailed out GM. They are now making a profit and millions of jobs were saved. How cool is that?
I am not sure John McCain would have done any of this stuff.
A floor was put under the economy and total collapse was avoided. However, none of this was George Bush holding a gun to your head so YOU would perform irrationally.
Notice how cats will never blame anyone for anything. They just go with the flow, adapt, hunt and move on. That is what I, you, and America need to do. It’s time to turn the page and right our own destiny without ever mentioning George Bush again.
Busch Gardens could have been a major theme park in America. Unfortunately, they have let the area go down and the blight is keeping tourist away. The area around it has become an eyesore. Why is that? Have any of the politicians ever driven up Busch blvd and seen the filth and low-end industries that litter this area. You would never find liquor stores and payday loan places anywhere near Disney World. 
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