Eight Feet Deep

Somehow, our neighborhood now has another cussing lady.

For years now we have had this woman who walks up and down the streets of the neighborhood talking to herself or whomever she believes she is talking to and punctuates her one-way conversations with profanities made in elevated pitches.

Now we have another woman who pushes around a shopping cart and talks to herself and, albeit at lower tones, she too makes her exclamations with a load of cuss words.

It makes me wonder, how on Earth did we end up with two cussing ladies? I bet most run of the mill neighborhoods don’t even have one.

I shouldn’t make light of the situation because it is really sad.

A man who lived where the second cussing lady passed by today asked her in his rather elevated tone why she had to use such “violent” language. I think “vile” was the word he was looking for, but I got his point. She didn’t make any kind of thoughtful response unless that is what you call telling the man to kiss her ass and then going on about whatever she was doing.

With both the first and the second cussing ladies, I just ignore them. I don’t look at them. I don’t say anything to them. I have found that is the best way to avoid having a barrage of expletives hurled your way. I mean, it’s kind of like stepping in dog crap. It’s not pleasant, it’s disgusting actually. But you clean it up and go on about your life.

I can see why the man today was upset. Some people have less tolerance for bad language than I do. But unfortunately, there really isn’t a whole lot anyone can do except — as the man did this morning — say what is on his mind.

He could have called the police. But what would that have accomplished? More than likely she would be taken for psych evaluation and 24 hours later be back on the street. As far as I know these ladies are harmless — a little scary and certainly frustrating — but I don’t know if they have harmed anyone except perhaps in self-defense.

They could go to the local mental health authority and get their meds. But if they wanted to do that they probably wouldn’t be out on the street cussing up a storm.

So where does that leave us? It leaves us to ponder the bigger question of how do we handle what is essentially a mental health crisis in this country? Maybe some folks smarter than me will see these cussing ladies some day and think about them as I am doing. Then perhaps they will come up with some solutions. I’m sorry. I don’t have any solutions.

Damn it.

“They say it’s your birthday. ‘They’ meaning the Beatles.”

“But I thought the Beatles were dead.”

“No just John and George.”

“Wait, I thought Paul was dead.”

“No, just a rumor and one that was disproved almost 40 years ago.”

“Oh my. So that means … “

“Yep. The Walrus was Paul.”

“Well, since “they” say it’s your birthday, it’s my birthday too — yeah! I’m already on vacation so I will take the day off a little more if I can do that.”

“Feel free. After all, it is your birthday too — yeah!”

Well,it isn’t as if Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity has jumped ship to support Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, although I remember that neither GOP loudmouth had few positive comments for the GOP standard-bearer Sen. John McCain during the primaries.

But lo and behold, more Republicans are jumping ship to support Obama. Former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Ret. Gen. Colin Powell has company with other GOP notables: former Bush press secretary Scott McClellan, former Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chaffee, and former GOP Governor of Massachusetts William Weld, former Sen. Larry Pressler, R-South Dakota.

Granted, many if not most of the above are not Rush Limbaugh Republicans (meaning lunatics), but then again Limbaugh was not at all a McCain supporter until the GOP candidate was selected at the summer national convention.

I pass this along mainly as a note of how momentum seems to be building for Obama. That isn’t to say he will win. The GOP has become very astute at stealing elections, perhaps it is something they learned from the Democrats.

My personal feeling is that I plan to vote for Obama. I wish I knew more about what he stood for but I know that he didn’t pick Sarah Palin, someone who isn’t really fit to be a mayor much less a governor or vice president or president, for vice president. That is kind of where it all stands. I hope we get through this election okay as well as the next four years.

Will Bush save Sen. Stevens’ bacon from the fire before leaving office?

The “venerable” Alaskan GOP Sen. Ted Stevens was found guilty today in a Washington court for ethics violations. Of course, since Stevens is 85 and George W. Bush is on his way out the door it seems doubtful the Geezerlator will ever see jail time. What is even more a rosy prospect for liberty and justice, his fellow Alaskans could vote him back for another 6-year term in office. Then the heat would really be turned up on Bush to pardon Stevens and then the only ones who could turn him out to pasture would be the Senate itself. And even if the Democrats win a super majority of seats next week, the so-called “old boys club (with a few old girls mixed in there)” might not have to guts to get rid of such a powerful old coot.

So, weep not for Ted Stevens, not yet at least. His fellow GOP fatcats and even some of the Dems may come to his rescue.

After a long, hard day, week, year, life, it’s nice to just kick back and enjoy the stupidity of people. I have a very specific example in mind — the Texas College Republican Ashley Todd — who admitted to police in Pennsylvania today that she made up the story about being attacked by a large black man who cut a “B” on her face presumably for “Barack.”

Perhaps some people will just see this hoax as just a desperate act of a very unstable young woman. I can identify. I’ve known a few unstable women, young and old, during my time. But why did a McCain staffer know so much about the alleged attack before the facts of the case were established?

But in the meantime, read all about this saga and see how the human species has evolved.