Be Careful Of What You Ask For

.
Mom used to tell me that often. It never really made much sense to me. I knew what I wanted, so what was wrong with asking for it? Well, I thought I knew.

She would also say, "You got what you asked for!" I guess I did, but I didn't think it would pan out that way. I didn't understand.

Many years later, and a few years ago, I was walking into a post office. Ahead, and outside the office, was a woman chanting, "Change. Change, anyone?" It was a quite common thing to do in the valley of Los Angeles, when one had nothing better to do. You didn't even have to be hungry or homeless, and many were not.

Anyway, as I approached her outstretched, upward turned palm, I stopped and reached into my pocket. In Those Days, I carried my folded paper money in my left pants pocket, along with my change. Upon removing the wad, I separated the bills in front of her, and gave her the remaining "change." I think all in all, she got a few pennies and dimes, maybe a quarter, but not totalling more than 50 cents or so.

And, she saw the small and large bills that I retained. And, she had that confused look that I once had on her face, as I said to her, "Be careful of what you ask for."

The day before Martin Luther King Day, a friend stopped by the Thought Dock and asked me if I had heard that the President had pledged 100 Million Dollars for Haiti relief. And, he asked where all that money would come from.

Actually, I support the relief effort. So much so in fact, that I want America to annex Haiti so that we can build another missile base there. Not a bad return for giving up a bunch of granola bars. Remember WIIFM (What's in it for me) from that prior post?

So knowing that most everyone around here is liberal, I asked my friend whether he voted for the Long Legged MacDaddy. He told a long story of how he hadn't voted in years, but when the MacDaddy came along with his promise of "Change," he was excited. So, like some many others, he ran right out, registered to vote, and then help elect him. I told my friend, "Be careful of what you ask for." He could only reply, "Yeah, I know," and said he would never again vote the liberal ticket.

And, congrats to those of you in Massachusetts yesterday that came to their senses by following the Thoughts of the Dock. May the Kennedys rest in peace.
.