PEOPLE ARE STRANGE

Yesterday it was 78 degrees on the back patio of the house.

It was short sleeves and shorts around our house. It could have been naked day at Bob's house but it would not have been right to shock the neighbors. Heck, walking around with no clothes would have been like the days of old at Hippie University.

Summertime, and the living is easy. That was the song for the day.

Spring has sprung in February at least in California. For those of you back East who are still shoveling snow, sorry about that.

If you don't think that it's spring in California, check out the tree in the backyard. Even the tree thinks that it's spring.

Today I'll work on a planting area that contains a fountain bought a few months ago. It's in the front of the house and looks terrible. It pales in comparison to the planting areas.

An organization we belong to pared a number of member couples together in groups of four. The idea is to bring each group of couples together February through May to share a meal and get to know one another.

Last night was the first meal with the other three couples. The host couple had a lovely home, well appointed, good middle class environment.

At the get go it was apparent the three other couples knew each other well. There was no interest in getting to know anything about the wife and I. That's life. I can live with that.

The three men talked a lot about fishing and fishing boats. The wives sat, listened and behaved themselves like good wives should (this comment will get me in trouble). Strike one.

By choice I have never fished. There's no appeal. I like sailboats.

During the evening there were racially more than a few racially prejudicial and anti-gay comments from two of the couples. Did they really think that we appreciated or subscribed to those comments?

What was interesting was that the racially oriented comments were made in the presence of one of the couples who happened to be Japanese American.

Dinner was pork loin roast, twice baked potatoes, salad, rolls, no vegetables. Any meal without vegetables is a good one.

Candace made a cheesecake for dessert. It was great.

One of the couples were full of themselves and cornered most of the evening's conversation. How very boring! The husband bragged that he was teaching at the local community college. Strike three.

Candace piped up and said, "What are you teaching, funny business?" I about blew all of the food out of my mouth when I heard that. That's my baby, I thought to myself. Good one!

That comment pissed the teacher off and put him in his place. He became most quiet and subdued for the remainder of the evening. Mark one up for the wife.

The conversation was dumbed down talk of the lowest common denominator. Stupid white people talk. We're not snobs and get along with most people but last night was over the top in terms of what's right.

Several times during dinner the wife and I looked at each other and rolled our eyeballs. Were we on Candid Camera? It felt like it.

There are three more meals with the three other couples. I don't think that I could personally sit through another.

We'll not be present for anymore of their racially prejudiced or anti-gay conversations.

I hope they enjoy each others company.