Awhile ago, I was riding a bus in downtown Honolulu. I know I was riding a bus, because I had the leisure to observe my surroundings. Observing one’s surroundings while driving in Honolulu is an excellent way to wind up either with a harp or without a gecko. Not recommended.
Anyway. I’m observing my surroundings while the bus is stopped at a light. Milliseconds after the light turns green, a young fellow steps up to the intersection and pushes the pedestrian-crossing button. You know, the one that tells the traffic light, sooner or later, to stop the cars and flash the “WALK” signal for the pedestrians?
And pushes it, and pushes it, and pushes it, and pushes it …
“OK, machine. I’m here. I’m ready to cross the street. You will do my bidding. NOW.”
Never mind that traffic on this street, a major thoroughfare, is backed up halfway to LA. That it’s moving for the first time in what seems like half an hour, thanks to the very same traffic light that Our Young Fellow is risking a repetitive strain injury on. No. The I AM at the corner is annoyed that there are red lights between him and the beach at Waikiki, and he wants them gone. This instant!
How selfish.
“Damned if I know how. The way the world’s stocks are being depleted, soon ain’t nobody gonna be able to sell fish, ‘ count o’ because they ain’t gonna be no fish to sell.”
“So stop fishin’ until the stocks build back up again.”
“You kiddin’?!? I got kids to feed, and mortgages on my house and my boat to pay. Not to mention my new truck. Just look at the chrome on that baby. I don’t know nothin’ else, so I’ll fish ’til the day I die, or the fish are gone. And I’ll thank you to keep the gummint off my back until I need ’em to pay my bills for me when the fish that the bloody scientists were too stupid to keep stocked are gone.”
“Isn’t that a little …”
“Hey. I don’t see nobody refusin’ to buy Filet-o-Fish burgers.”
Now, I know that the Beatles were ahead of their time, but did George Harrison really know about memes in 1969? Yes, yes, the pedants say the word should be pronounced “meme, rhymes with dream”, not “me-me rhymes with see me”. But the latter pronunciation certainly fits. What are those questions for, if not to tell everyone about “me”? Though a person new to the blogosphere (if there is anyone left out there who’s new to the blogosphere) could look at one of these things and say how selfish …
“I answered that question already! Don’t you ever listen?”
Sheesh. Where is that Grundir when we need him?
– O Ceallaigh
Copyright © 2009 Felloffatruck Publications. All wrongs deplored.
All opinions are mine as a private citizen.
O'Ceallaigh & The Quill 
didn’t that pedestrian realize that pushing and pushing doesn’t make a difference? same with elevators
Davis, do the facts ever get in the way of our impatience?
I had never heard this song! It does seem a bit ahead of its time — or we’ve never really changed at all …..
“Davis, do the facts ever get in the way of our impatience?”
Always asking the tough questions.
Love the song, I might have to use it one day. I can’t recall hearing it before. The only thing I have of his is “The Concert for Bangladesh”.
No, Quilly, I’m afraid we’re still the same.
I’m just the calamari of the blogosphere, Cooper. “I Me Mine” is on Let It Be, the last track to be cut by the Beatles (less John Lennon) on the last Beatles album. I had considered waiting a day and making it an Old School Friday post, but then somebody might think I was a twentysomething blogger, and that would be a catastrophe.
I enjoyed listening to that. And I agree with you.
It is no longer a dog eat dog world.
It’s a me myself I world. 🙂
Haven’t you heard, Thumbelina? The dogs are dead!
do you actually listen to this music
you always link to?
or
do you just search for youtube vids
that go along with what youve written?
dont tell me you actually remember it from when it was popular
because it was never popular in the “top 40” sense
and please dont think im busting your…chops
i am really just curious
trumpet playing jazz dudes dont strike me as listeners of psycho-delic – pot smokin songsters…
but hey
whatever blows up your dress
i guess
Actually, jude ;), I do. Or did. In fact, when I was in college and graduate school, I was a radio announcer, both on the college and some commercial stations. So I kept up with this music professionally, so to speak. As as for the horn, well, this audience don’t give a damn ’bout no trumpet-playing band.