I have a new blog.... here's the link:
http://theagapelife.wordpress.com/
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Friday, August 01, 2008
Oh Barney Fife...
Sometimes when I'm working I wish I could carry a video camera. The scenes I see could be straight out of hollywood, and that makes me rethink those scenarios I've always thought to be ridiculous. What if people really act like the characters I see in movies?
I was sitting in a restaurant (working), slightly overwhelmed by the situation I found myself in a few moments earlier, and became distracted by a deep booming voice coming from a few tables away. I turn to see an older man with the look and voice of the Skipper from Gilligan's Island talking to a younger looking Barney Fife (late 20's to mid 30's). The Skipper was talking away in between and through the bites of food he was taking and Barney was sitting, hunched over, arms folded, quivering and almost had a look of constant flinching. As the Skipper is talking I'm able to pick up that he is Barney's father and he's giving him a relationship talk. The Skipper tells Barney, "Now, you're a few years behind for your age, your girlfriend, she's a few years ahead of you in maturity."
This is how the conversation went. The only time Barney said anything it was "Yeah, I like that story, you like telling that one" in reference to what I assume was a well used story told by the Skipper, said with a smile that looked as well worn as the story.
If this were a movie Barney's girlfriend would make some teary eyed speech about how she'd have no choice but to leave him if he didn't respect himself enough to stand up to his domineering father. And then, inevitably, Barney would stand up to the Skipper who would stand, mouth gaping, in shock and surprise and apologize for the years of bullying, etc. and everything in life would be great from that point on.
Unfortunately for Barney, this is not a movie. Hopefully someday he's able to summon the self esteem to stand up for himself. What do they call it? Implosive anger...
Anyhow, I guess the point is that we need to allow others to be themselves, to make their own choices. There are other points too. One word: manipulation. I will leave that for you to ponder. I have to go to work.
I was sitting in a restaurant (working), slightly overwhelmed by the situation I found myself in a few moments earlier, and became distracted by a deep booming voice coming from a few tables away. I turn to see an older man with the look and voice of the Skipper from Gilligan's Island talking to a younger looking Barney Fife (late 20's to mid 30's). The Skipper was talking away in between and through the bites of food he was taking and Barney was sitting, hunched over, arms folded, quivering and almost had a look of constant flinching. As the Skipper is talking I'm able to pick up that he is Barney's father and he's giving him a relationship talk. The Skipper tells Barney, "Now, you're a few years behind for your age, your girlfriend, she's a few years ahead of you in maturity."
This is how the conversation went. The only time Barney said anything it was "Yeah, I like that story, you like telling that one" in reference to what I assume was a well used story told by the Skipper, said with a smile that looked as well worn as the story.
If this were a movie Barney's girlfriend would make some teary eyed speech about how she'd have no choice but to leave him if he didn't respect himself enough to stand up to his domineering father. And then, inevitably, Barney would stand up to the Skipper who would stand, mouth gaping, in shock and surprise and apologize for the years of bullying, etc. and everything in life would be great from that point on.
Unfortunately for Barney, this is not a movie. Hopefully someday he's able to summon the self esteem to stand up for himself. What do they call it? Implosive anger...
Anyhow, I guess the point is that we need to allow others to be themselves, to make their own choices. There are other points too. One word: manipulation. I will leave that for you to ponder. I have to go to work.
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