We are social animals. I know this. I try to be social whenever possible. When I say social I mean being polite. Having something nice to say about anything without being contreversial or confrontational. We can’t know everyone on the planet. So when humans meet other unknown humans we try and be social. We say something nice about the weather, not something nice, or not nice, about abortion. In this way we feel connected and good about one and another. We are all sharing this planet. We need to get along as best we can. We already have shouting matches with friends and family over issues. Why do that with people we are only going to be around for a few mintues?
As I have written before, I now own a CNG powered pickup. I am very proud of this purchase. Yes I am saving a fortune on fuel and yes it also happens to burn cleaner which is good for the environment. What part of this equation is bad? So I’m parked at the CNG station filling my pickup. It’s a lovely spring day, birds are chirping, insects are procreating when this CNG powered car pulls up to the pumps. A twenty-something girl gets out of the drivers side and a fifty-something looking fellow gets out of the passenger side. I’m happy to see them. I’m happy to see one of my people, CNG people. I don’t know them so I employ being social. I say “good morning fellow CNG people.” The man looks at me with a scowl and said, “excuse me!” I say “We’re CNG people, we’re saving the environment.” The man looks right at me and says something that has reverberated in my mind since. He said,”I don’t give a damn about the environment!” I didn’t have anything to say after that. It shocked me. I still don’t quite understand what he was saying. Who doesn’t give a damn about the environment. We need air and water and stuff. It’s pretty important. I didn’t say I wanted to shoot people who own chainsaws or make everyone smoke hemp. I said we are saving the environment. It’s a bit of an over-statement but it’s a fact that we are leaving a smaller carbon foot print. That’s a good thing. The only explanation I can come up with for him saying such a thing is that he wanted me to know right up front that he was not on my team whatever team that is. I believe I’m fairly moderate about environmental things. I really want us to do whatever is best to keep our air and water clean. If CNG is around and cheap and is better for the environment then let’s use that. He wanted to make sure that he wasn’t on my CNG team. He doesn’t give a damn about the enviroment was meant to mean he doesn’t give a damn about me and my hippie, tree-hugging type. That’s fine. He could have smiled and said “I like it because it’s cheap.” That would have been something we both could have agreed and been happy. Oh no, he had to mistake the short haired hillbilly standing at the pump for an environmental terrorist. Next time I’ll say something about weather. If someone says “I don’t give a damn about the weather” I’m punching that sucker in the face. Save your comments. I already know what you’re going to write. I’ll save you the trouble. I don’t give a damn about this blog post.