I hadn’t planned on it but here I am again at the Rush Rush café. It’s not that this place is addicting but there is no comparison to watching the blooming beauty of youth unfolding with that of Monday night television, even if there is Monday Night Football. In this day and age, however, I may have to turn in my man card for failing the testosterone test and not paying homage to the football gods. Also, my patriotism might just be challenged like I heard Big Tech’s challenged when he expressed a lack of enthusiasm for American sports, he being an émigré from Bulgaria and all. Many a Monday eve I’ve sat down to gaze away the time and watch the game only to find my mind heading for the door. So I must face it, I’m a sucker for real life and prefer it to the piped in images presented to us on a 24/7 basis.

I can still remember the fateful night when my mother, sister and I drove up our street and saw that blue glow emanating from the domicile. Without a word being spoken my sister and I knew that the modern age had arrived at out house. Even that lost icon of tv past, the test pattern, was fascinating. What did it mean? Was it like a men at work sign meaning don’t bother the tv men cause there was important stuff going on behind that pattern? So don’t touch the dial! The dial fell under the domain of one’s father, and the wise child would tread lightly should they dare to dream of changing the channel. Not that there was much of a choice with a total of three channels. But nay it isn’t nostalgia for the “good old days” of three channel tv that directed me to the Rush Rush this evening. Although I do miss the newscaster that could speak in whole thoughts and generally didn’t interrupt the person being interviewed but I realize that I’m just being old fashioned.

No, I came here to clear my head. You see just as the fog was settling upon my mind for some good television viewing I heard one of the commentators speak of how the quarterback was contacted by a defensive lineman. I first thought why he didn’t just say something to him in person? Then the question was did he use a text message during the game? The issue of players blogging and text message during the game was quite the topic during pre-season should you remember. I further thought that these two guys must really like each other above and beyond the usual athletes’ camaraderie to need to make contact during the game. Then the fog lifted further and it became clear that the quarterback was tackled by the lineman. Now I do realize that contact must be made in order to tackle a member of the opposing team, but being contacted is not how I would describe being picked up and delivered to the ground at Mach 1. Is there a school where these sports announcers, and their brethren newscasters, go in order to learn how to obfuscate the language with such panache. The next time someone says that they will contact you – duck or take your chances!

And so, it’s the Rush Rush for me! Even if the latest variation of slang is often lost on me it still is great fun to be surrounded by the real thing. I should be a bit worried right now as I don’t remember whether it’s Coke or Pepsi that’s the real thing! I prefer to think of it as a sign of health, though. But back to the café and looking around this evening I don’t see a single other Baby Boomer. I don’t even see the babies of the Baby Boomers out and about on this night. And this failure of Boomers to get and comingle could easily be considered a breach of the Social Contract. Yes, I hear the collective “Huhs?” where is he going now! But this failure to engage the younger set can easily leads to myths being created by the tube and not by you and me. And dammit, I’ve worked to hard and lived to long for that. I’ll make my own myths thank you! I know it’s a daunting challenge to those of my age but do it we must! This idea of learning a whole new thought pattern and patois will only stimulate the old grey matter. Think of the fun to be had. There is a particular delight I get when I engage someone younger than me and I don’t go into the old wise guy mode. It just confuses them to no end and there’s nothing like a good gotcha! It’s at times like this that I think of the old Crosby, Stills and Nash song about changing the world and then I look around and see that so many think that the jobs been done. Well that might be true but now it’s time to hire a new gang with a better skill set. My motto for the day – New people with new conversations gets new ideas! Maybe a should get a job sloganeering! The Pols might need me yet! So come on, get out and smile at someone!

Should you have doubts as how to start find a place like the Rush Rush and dive in! You might find one like Do Right behind the counter. Now here’s a guy who know how to work the language thing. One moment he’s speaking English, then it’s Arabic with the appropriate dialect and next it’s Spanish. I have no idea what he’s saying but it sounds good and that’s good enough for me. So get out and give it a try if Do Right is around be assured he will have something to say to you.

Keep smiling

Gump’s Brother

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 12:50 pm and is filed under Information, November, Social Contract. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.