SamuraiHoghead
New member
I live in the rural community of Mt Shasta in far northern California. I moved here 30 years ago to distance myself from the 'not rural.' In rural Siskiyou county (there are 9 traffic lights in ours, the largest county in the state, with the least population density) means that tourism is a major source of income.
Fine.
But...
It used to be, when you went to the grocery store, either of the two in town and saw all the locals you know, it was a every bit a social occasion as much as a shopping trip. And the visitors meant an exchange of culture, usually interesting, especially from those from other countries.
Now, post Sun Set magazine article, the tourists have swarmed like blow flies on fresh carrion and think ALL the locals are there to please them; however today, if plowing through a tourist clot in the store aisles and you offer up the requisite ‘excuse me’ polite society demands, it doesn’t even get a grunt in return; if doing the speed limit all you see in your rear view mirror is grille and traffic laws are pretty much merely a collection of suggestions.
One visitor went as far as to write a letter to the editor suggesting things WE could do to make his next visit better for him.
For me, that was IT!
So, I am at one of those stop lights and I let the car roll back a bit cause I wasn’t paying attention. Totally my fault. Of course the tourist stopped a couple of inches behind me, for once as an advantage since the bumpers met at ultra slow speed. I look in the rear view mirror a see a very upset and agitated person violently motioning me to pull over. I did, right across the street from the police station / fire department, where the traffic light is.
Then, this furious guy climbs out of his car and lo and behold, he’s a midget.
He flies to the front of his undamaged auto and says, “I knew it! LOOK at this! Just LOOK at this!â€
His bumper had two smudges from the rubber bumpers on mine. I pointed that out and offered to buy him a deluxe car wash that was just down the street across the railroad tracks.
Nope.
Not nearly good enough.
And puffs up as much as possible and says,“NO! I am NOT happy!â€
I’d had it.
So I said, “Well then, which one ARE you?â€
That’s when he came at me. I was startled at first but a simple palm to the forehead held him at bay until the police almost immediately arrived, being right across the street. There was a report taken and insurance info exchanged, etc., and it was a done deal. Dunno where he wound up, but I am expecting to see a letter to the editor in the paper.
So anyway, I’m in the check out line at the store telling the checker, of course a local, about this incident. I noticed the cow in line behind me was jumpin’ up and down on one foot to hurry me up and get me the hell out of her way so as to cram as much ‘rural’ life as they can into the 48 hours at their disposal. That makes me go slower, in a rural sense.
I paid for my groceries and bags in hand, as I turned to go the cow behind me spoke.
“You know, referring to a ‘little person’ a ‘midget’ is the same thing as calling a black person the 'N' word.â€
I replied, “Lady, I wasn’t talkin’ ta you. Further, they’re not the same at all, since NO one cares if they piz off a midget.â€
That was my ‘enough is enough’ moment. I think we've all experienced them.
If you've had one, what was yours?
Fine.
But...
It used to be, when you went to the grocery store, either of the two in town and saw all the locals you know, it was a every bit a social occasion as much as a shopping trip. And the visitors meant an exchange of culture, usually interesting, especially from those from other countries.
Now, post Sun Set magazine article, the tourists have swarmed like blow flies on fresh carrion and think ALL the locals are there to please them; however today, if plowing through a tourist clot in the store aisles and you offer up the requisite ‘excuse me’ polite society demands, it doesn’t even get a grunt in return; if doing the speed limit all you see in your rear view mirror is grille and traffic laws are pretty much merely a collection of suggestions.
One visitor went as far as to write a letter to the editor suggesting things WE could do to make his next visit better for him.
For me, that was IT!
So, I am at one of those stop lights and I let the car roll back a bit cause I wasn’t paying attention. Totally my fault. Of course the tourist stopped a couple of inches behind me, for once as an advantage since the bumpers met at ultra slow speed. I look in the rear view mirror a see a very upset and agitated person violently motioning me to pull over. I did, right across the street from the police station / fire department, where the traffic light is.
Then, this furious guy climbs out of his car and lo and behold, he’s a midget.
He flies to the front of his undamaged auto and says, “I knew it! LOOK at this! Just LOOK at this!â€
His bumper had two smudges from the rubber bumpers on mine. I pointed that out and offered to buy him a deluxe car wash that was just down the street across the railroad tracks.
Nope.
Not nearly good enough.
And puffs up as much as possible and says,“NO! I am NOT happy!â€
I’d had it.
So I said, “Well then, which one ARE you?â€
That’s when he came at me. I was startled at first but a simple palm to the forehead held him at bay until the police almost immediately arrived, being right across the street. There was a report taken and insurance info exchanged, etc., and it was a done deal. Dunno where he wound up, but I am expecting to see a letter to the editor in the paper.
So anyway, I’m in the check out line at the store telling the checker, of course a local, about this incident. I noticed the cow in line behind me was jumpin’ up and down on one foot to hurry me up and get me the hell out of her way so as to cram as much ‘rural’ life as they can into the 48 hours at their disposal. That makes me go slower, in a rural sense.
I paid for my groceries and bags in hand, as I turned to go the cow behind me spoke.
“You know, referring to a ‘little person’ a ‘midget’ is the same thing as calling a black person the 'N' word.â€
I replied, “Lady, I wasn’t talkin’ ta you. Further, they’re not the same at all, since NO one cares if they piz off a midget.â€
That was my ‘enough is enough’ moment. I think we've all experienced them.
If you've had one, what was yours?