When I originally wrote this, I had a minor medical procedure earlier in the day and had a severe headache that I couldn’t rid myself of, so I decided to write a post with a little levity. There is no particular theme. 

When I drive to Columbus, I always stop at the Loves Gas Station in Washington Courthouse to use the bathroom and buy coffee. I stop once on the way there and another on the way back. 

About 4 years ago I made the trip and was returning late at night. As I entered into the store, this young White man, in his late teens or early 20’s, walked up on me and began screaming and berating me. I do not remember his exact words, but he claimed that I did not stop at the stop sign when I came off the highway. 

Initially,  I was stunned because I could not understand why someone who I perceived as a  CHILD was screaming in my face.  It took me a minute to calm down and process what he was saying and craft a response. He seemed to be getting attention from the patrons and employees in the gas station, but no one came to my aid. He seemed to be enjoying the attention he was receiving. 

However, my powers as a psychologist can be used for good or evil. I can quickly assess a person’s motivation for their actions, reach into their soul, grab it and twist it until they feel like a very small human. Aren’t we all glad I choose to use my powers for good? 

Once I noticed he was enjoying the attention, I whipped around and moved very close to him with my face inches away from his. He was shorter than me, so I made sure to tower over him and asked one question, “Are you dead?!” He began to stutter and fumble his words, so I repeated the question, “ARE YOU DEAD?!” He responded, “Well, no.” I said, “THEN SHUT UP! You are making a big deal out of nothing trying to play the victim for attention! I did not blow through a stop sign. You were speeding, so STOP TALKING!” He turned beet red and walked away. People in the store laughed at him. 

I only felt a small pang of guilt for treating him that way. He did not know who he was up against. I had embarrassed him thoroughly and purposefully. That young man needed to learn to respect his elders. 

I made a similar trip the weekend before I wrote this post and made my usual stops. Anyone who knows me knows, I love to sing. So, as I stood in line at th same gas station 3 years later, I began singing whatever was on the radio. A young White man in his late teens or early twenties came up behind me and began to sing with me. We harmonized and battled til the song was over. The patrons and employees seemed to enjoy it. He was also doing it for the attention. When it was over he said, “We should try out for American Idol!” I said, “As a duet!” He said, “ Right! And, when we get there, we’ll just tell everybody else to leave cuz they got no chance! We’ll just tell them to go home!” We laughed, high-fived each other and paid for our goods. When we departed, we said, almost simultaneously, “It was good singing with you!” We smiled at each other and walked in opposite directions. 

Does this make up for the first boy berating me, an adult Black woman old enough to be his mama? Absolutely not. Was it fun? Damn skippy! Do I have faith in generation Z that they may some how actually find a way to live as people regardless of color? A little.