Posted by
Bob B on Monday, October 20, 2008 8:02:39 PM
Wow ! Look !, a Walgreens !
I recently had the experience of traveling by small plane from my home in the greater NY area to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Neither fuel nor bladders allow a non stop in a four seat airplane. So we stopped to p#&, eat lunch and RON (aviator lingo for Remain Over Night). Aviators may not realize overnight is one word but we do know not to use words like pee when in the Bible belt.
Well my good friend and copilot, we remain good friends because we rarely discuss politics, sex or taxes, seemed utterly amazed by what he saw on the ground in flyover country. “Wow ! Look !, a Walgreens !” is but a sample, and I did not make it up. How clean everything is. How trusting the people are, how welcoming, how friendly. Amazing ! Wow ! Never imagined it !
Now please understand, I love my good friend. He is a real gem. But all I could think as these exclamations came forth is ‘out of touch with the real America’. Yet he has lived in New England for many years, visited Florida, Texas, and worked in California. He is a genius. He is sophisticated. (I cringe when I use that word as a compliment as I do in this case.). He is an American citizen and loves this country yet seems completely out of touch with its quintessential core. Sadly he is not alone.
Perhaps John Edwards was right there are two Americas, just not the two he saw.