Idling Thoughts

It was an ice-and-snowy morning. I was still struggling with condensation on the wind shield when I pulled into the curb to drop my young boy off near the main entrance to Wolfville School. Yes, I was running late again.

A herd of placard-waving yobbo's were huddled in a scrimmage near the entrance.

What's this? I wondered...
Are the teachers out on strike?
Is it a group of beligerants with a grudge against the school?
Perhaps this is what goes on during an "in-service day"?

I was perplexed. Best, thought I, to wait a while to be sure my child gets inside safely.

I was just about to drive off when a finger-wagging placard-bearer broke away from the herd and started towards my car. Curious, I rolled down the window.....
Don't idle your engine, say's he.
A thousand thoughts raced through my mind --- like:

I wouldn't even be stopped here if you weren't milling around with your shady-looking mates.
Yeah, like how else can I keep my windows from frosting over?
How's your bum? Mine's freezing.
Can I defend myself against the mob if I tell them what I really think?

At heart, I'm a live and let live guy --- so I just waved, rolled up my window, and drove away.

Still, I stewed. You see, I'm not a total idiot. I have been known to figure things out for myself, on occasion. If my car is idling --- there will be a good reason.

Now I'm downright ticked off. You see, there are all these busy-body pumped-up potentates who seem to think they have the god-given right to legislate my behaviour down to the last detail. I like to make my own decisions. I bought "Just Us" coffee in part because I liked their "Fair Trade" business concept and also because I liked their coffee. Then the political stunts-men on Wolfville Council declared Wolfville to be a "Fair Trade Town". When those clowns on Council started pontificating about business and consumer choices --- well, coffee just didn't taste good anymore.

I'm not in the habit of using pesticides, or smoking (much less in the car), or letting my engine idle for no good reason. I always turn off the light when I leave the room. But let me tell you this. When some fruit-cake starts legislating away my right to make my own decisions on such matters I'll be damn sure to do all of the above (except smoking --- my lungs just can't handle that). Real men, and real women, don't let the nutty-as-a-fruit-cake crowd micro manage their lives!

I was at the "Candidates Forum" held 8 Oct at Wolfville School. If you want holier-than-thou fruit-cakes to save you the burden of making your own decisions in life, vote for the following wo-persons:

Robert A. Stead
David Mangle
William Zimmerman
Sheila G. Richardson
Ann Henderson
and there must have been at least one other on the former Council.