The lack of knowledge, as it applies to the use of turn lanes is overwhelming. Although it is a full size lane set aside just for you to get into until a safe turn can be negotiated, people will stick one wheel in, blocking the through lane like they are dipping a toe in the water checking the temperature. Completely oblivious to everything behind them. It could be because this is a tourist town and when folks go on vacation they leave all driving skills and sense at home like they forget to pack toothpaste. It is no exaggeration that I have seen out of towners do a u-turn from the right lane across six lanes of traffic, not including the tricky scary turn lane, after accidentally passing the Alligator Adventure. Because ya know going to the next light and turning around is just crazy talk. I suppose the worst part of it is that it's not even Easter and we have an entire season of horrible drivers that haven't even put up room deposits or started bathing suit shopping yet.
At work we have a few rules, No Religion and No Politics at the bar is top of the list. As a matter of fact the same rule pretty much applies at home as well. All of my adult life I have aimed to escape the "real world" and unplug from society. Compared to where I came from and from where most people are I suppose I have on some level. But I'm talking away from everything. Lately, we have discussed the idea of moving out of the country to somewhere Central America-ish. Where you could live comfortably on little money. Where Face the Nation and political ads aren't shoved up your ass 24/7. Where 1500 cable channels are unnecessary and unheard of. When I mention the idea to people I'm always met with the same sckepticism and comments, you know you have to worry about being kidnapped and they don't have phones and you would have to do without all the comforts. Somehow I feel those comforts are part of what wears me out. Shit man, tell me I don't have to do without the non-stop social media updates and pictures of what someone I went to high school with ate for fucking breakfast. Once I spent a week on a 32' Hatteras, coming up from Key West to Miami. Most of my time was spent on the back of the boat, straddling the deck box facing backwards watching the trolling lines, rocking to the waves lost in thought. On one particular night we docked in Marathon and went into a bar that I now know was Sparky's (may or may not have been at the time). Above the bar was a tv, the first I have seen all week, and they were reporting about where all Reagan's body would be on display. I remember thinking, damn Reagan died and I didn't even know it and how nice it was to be so out of touch. How incredibly nice would it be to have no idea about the shit show of Trump or Clinton or Bernie Sanders...to be able if the subject came up to go "Trump is running for President?? Are you fucking kidding?? Wow." Then go back to planting your orchids or making yard art out of crap you found on the side of the road on your daily bike ride into the village.
I have opinions on politics and candidates, and for that I feel a bit ashamed. Ashamed that I have been exposed to enough to have formed opinions. I really would like to be blissfully unaware. I fear or actually know that it is all too far gone. The political scene, the justice system, medicine and insurance and doctors, social security, disability, lawyers. It's all fucked up. "Fuck Martha Stewart...she's polishing the brass on the Titanic. It's all going down." A line out of my favorite movie Fight Club. We live in a society without consequences. But I'm the weird one for wanting to drop back and punt.
Yesterday I took a pile of serial killer books and traded them at the used book store for a pile of Carl Hiaasen, John MacDonald, Randy Wayne White and Tim Dorsey books. I had ran out of such reads and had resorted to the bookcase of hand me downs which lead me to 2 or 3 back to back serial killer/ cop / they get away in the end books. I need Travis McGee in my life and crazy characters that live in the Everglades and eat road kill. So about 20 unread books made their way out of my life and were replaced by just as many quirky island books. It made my soul happy. Distraction from the things society is spoon feeding the masses is going to come in the form of my garage projects and good books. Thanks CNN, but I'm busy.
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