That’s what you’re supposed to ask, right? When you wake up after an accident, when the doctors in the ER or concerned passersby in the parking lot are leaning over you like a circular seince? Or like you’re a character in a cop buddy movie without the buddy?
I really don’t recognize my surroundings. And, no, it’s not because it’s Carnival time and everybody’s havin’ fun. It’s the same in August.
Today I saw a woman, older than me, nearly cause an accident on the street while talking on a cell phone. Thirty seconds later, I saw her nearly cause an accident in the parking lot, still talking on the cell phone. Five minutes later, she ran her cart into a shopper in the grocery store… No, I won’t say it. You say it. Come on, you know… talking on the cell phone.
Every day, I read posts about how it’s Hillary’s fault that people think Trump likes Putin. Today, the JCC uptown was evacuated after a bomb threat. Someone swore on Facebook it was because liberals were trying to discredit Israel. The head of the American Conservative Union tried to tell me it was “left-wing fascists giving Heil Hitler salutes” who were masquerading as the alt-right.
Is anything real anymore? Is there a zero point?
Look, I know I’m old. If I had a lawn, you’d be yelled off of it before you could bring your emo-grunge-hop blasting Hyundai to a stop next to it. My phones are dumb and I’m no better. No hubris here, bra.
But does anyone actually know anything anymore? Is there a generally-accepted ground state?
“Patriots” cheer a made Putin man. “Family values Christians” tell refugees to go die somewhere else. Bettys who literally can’t end a cell phone call from the street to the parking lot to my ankle in the pet food aisle rail about kids lost in video games.
I really don’t have a clue anymore, so I ask: is there a there there? Is there a zero?