After I squalled my eyes out and kept sobbing over and over "&=( that little kitty!," this was my response:
In my opinion, apathy is the worst psychological state that exists in human beings. I can't imagine that scenario, where I just walked past anyone, human OR animal, and didn't act on it. If I did, I'd seriously want someone to kill me, because I think there's no purpose in the world for people like that.
This actually segues perfectly into another subject that I've been meaning to touch on, so I guess I can just compound the stories.
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Back when it was really, really hot outside, right after I had moved into the attic and was eating giant bags of gas station ice for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and me and the girls were living directly in front of our only half-ass window unit, I had made one of my many trips to the nearby station to pick up my daily diet of bagged ice. As I was pulling out of the parking lot, I saw this little lady standing on the side of the road, holding one of those signs, advertising for some furniture store.
Just so you know, that's completely ludicrous to me, to have human beings standing out in the blazing heat, holding freaking signs, just to get publicity/business. Those jokers that dress up in gorilla suits and twirl signs for Little Caesar's Pizza - I hope you have EMT's on standby...for real.
PUT THE FUCKING SIGN ON A POST. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT PEOPLE CAN STILL READ IT, EVEN IF THERE'S NO ONE HOLDING IT.
Anyway, back to my story. I didn't even need to see her face to know this wasn't what she needed to be doing. It was 90-something outside. Which, yes, if you live in Bama, you get used to the horrid weather; the changing from heat to AC in the same day. I went ahead and passed by her, and she just looked so defeated. So, I circled the block, pulled back in to the gas station, went in and bought a giant, cold bottle of water.
I pulled up behind her, and said hello as I walked up, so that I wouldn't scare her, although I know I still kind of surprised her. I reached out and handed her the water, without another word. Even now, the shocked look on her face is enough to make me cry. It was like seeing someone's complete astonishment at the fact that consideration and thoughtfulness still exist. I mean, all I did was buy her a water - it really was NOTHING on my part. But on her face, it looked like it meant so much more than that. She just stuttered and stumbled and kept thanking me, over and over. I just waved my hand, as I got back in the car, and said, "It's absolutely nothing. You just don't need to be standing out in this heat with nothing!"
*All I've ever wanted in my life is to be a vegetarian, ecologically-minded humanitarian. And, I completely don't care what anyone else thinks about that aspect of my behavior or principles.
When I was in health class at Jack State one day, we had a visitor. Several chicks started screaming and climbing on the tops of their desks. As I looked several aisles over, I saw the tiniest mouse, trying desperately to make his way through the classroom. I can't imagine what was going through his miniature brain, with all the commotion he caused! I simply stood up, walked over, scooped him up in my hand, took him outside to let him go, washed my hands and went back to class. Needless to say, I endured many odd looks through the rest of the semester. I've become extremely accustomed to those nowadays. *rolls eyes*
I figure, if an animal is going to bite me (which, of course, he didn't), then it bites me. I'll make a trip to the doctor's office - no biggie. If I get rabies, just don't come near me when I'm foaming at the mouth. It's all very simple, really.
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When I was in junior college and would drive back and forth to Gadsden, on all those country back roads, I'd often come across a turtle trying to get across the road. I'd always stop my car in the middle of the road, with my hazards on, or pull off the side of the road. The terrapin would usually panic, retreating back into his shell as I approached. So, I'd lay down on the ground (yes, belly-down, on the road), to figure out which side was his head. Because I didn't want to just chuck him to one side or other of the road. I mean, what if I put him back where he started? Well, then he'd accomplished absolutely nothing, thanks to me. I stopped a fair amount of traffic doing this, pissing off many people, and just flipping them off as they drove by, honking and cursing - "GOD-DAMNED HIPPIE!"
Why, thank you very much! I'm glad you noticed. I am indeed a second-generation hippie and fucking proud of it. &=D
(yes, I'd stop traffic to save this lil guy, too.)*****************************************
My uncle Gordon remembers this, I'm sure. My mom and I went to visit my grandmother one day, and as we got out of the car and were walking towards the house, we heard this crazy scratching from the back of one of my uncle's friend's truck bed. So, I peeped over the side and saw this GIANT lake turtle, scrambling to get out.
I KNOW that joker didn't crawl in there on his own, unless evolution was making a major leap, and that guy grew wings. I'm also not an idiot, and I knew what they were planning on doing with that turtle. I grew up in the freaking redneck capital of the world (to me, it was enough), and I know these weirdo southerners will deep-fry and eat just about anything that has a pulse, which, personally, disgusts me. &=P
Anyway, I grabbed that sucker out of the back, against his protesting hisses, stuck him in the backseat, and told my mom to drive like hell to the closest body of water. We drove right down the road, to the local civic center, and I put him in the lake there. My heart swelled with pride, as I watched him enter the water and frantically swim away. I remember thinking how glad I was that he was afraid of humankind. He should be. Look at what would have become of him.
It's ok, pal - you'd probably do better just putting the damage on dem Cheetos and beer. &=)
We went back to the house to visit and never said a word to anyone. When we got home, though, my uncle called, and he was PISSED. &=) Hey, you know, that's what you get when you have a budding psychotic environmentalist in your circle.
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You know, my mother NEVER discouraged me from doing the crazy things I did. She was a little apprehensive that my life's goal was to end up in a tiny rubber raft, in the middle of the ocean, holding a sign that said "STOP THE DRILLING!" But she always pushed me to believe in what I believed and to never let anyone sway me. I'm incredibly open-minded, and I'll always listen to what people have to say (within reason), but you'll never change my mind. I'll always covet life, in any form.
****The main point I'm trying to get across is that compassion and altruistic behavior should be more apparent in this world and should span across the spectrum of human and animal-kind****
Being patient and kind isn't difficult. People should try it more often...
2 comments:
there was a turtle in the backyard a couple months ago, i drove all the way to a pond and let him go. =)
I'm glad! You should always do things like that! And, if turtles end up taking over the world, I won't tell anyone that you contributed to it, if you don't tell anyone. &=)
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