I’m at the beach this week. And, having taken vacations where we stay at a condo or a townhouse or a room with a kitchen before, we are working really hard to keep it “all in the family” by eating meals that we have cooked together. Tonight was steaks on the grill.
In the community that we are staying, gas grills are prohibited. In fact, charcoal grills are the only type allowed and even they are restricted to the “grill zone”. That is, a very pleasant little area with 3-4 grills complete with seats, and a deck and plenty of room for co-grillers to meet and greet.
Tonight was a full house.
Three of us dad’s were grilling tonight and we began with the usual introductions. Each of us was recently arrived and as such, we felt compelled to entertain conversation – we being neighbors for the next week or so. As always in the “man way”, we began to introduce ourselves through our work, or career.
One guy ran a company that manufactured ball caps. The other ran a boutique wine and cheese shop. Me, I just work for the man.
We talked about the rain, the weather, women and kids. We laughed over beers and burnt chicken. We swapped stories and matches. All nonsense talk really, just fillin’ time the way men do until they realize that the end is apparent. That time in the conversation when we can reasonably claim we have to leave and still save face. When that time comes, the conversation turns serious.
We all three began to gravitate to the economy and “the way things are”. Now mind you, I have no idea these men’s name. I have never seen ’em before in life and likely won’t even see ’em again here. But we all three agreed that:
- A reasonable society should help each other out.
- That help should not create dependence.
- We have long ago crossed that line.
- Where unemployment benefits are concerned, we would be better off deciding how many weeks is enough and just lump sum the check.
I swear to gawd this is true. I find more like minded people wherever I go. This nation isn’t broke. This nation is being managed by the morally inept. By the intellectually inept. By the spiritually inept. Every single person I know and talk to understands that what our government is doing is buying votes.
The rest is just chit chat.
As I write this it occurred to me that my specific audience was perhaps biased; two business owners and a massive free market corporate lackey.
Then it occurred to me that perhaps there is something to be said about the fact that these individuals find themselves gathered in a rental community on the beaches of North Carolina for a week. Maybe what successful people think matters. Maybe when Michael Jordan advices about basketball people should listen.
Maybe.
Duke.
