Pulaski Day

Most mornings on the train are a test of any sane man’s sanity. The dregs of society all seem to invoke their lame ass thoughts and opinions on to the rest of the train. So, after riding the Metra for over ten years I have become pretty much used to it. However, even I could not take it this morning.

I always sit in the third car from the rear upstairs. I have sat there for years. However, this morning the train stopped short so where I normally stand the fourth stood in front of me instead of the third car. I figured what the hell is the difference and preceded to take the road less traveled and change things up by sitting in the fourth car. That would be a mistake.

In a way I blame myself. It is Monday and if you are going to gamble on such things Monday probably is not the best day to do so. Anyway, as I made my way upstairs I saw an man and a woman in their mid forties. I thought nothing of them and sat down and opened the mornings Sun Times. Shortly after sitting down is when the banality began. It seems the woman had just purchased a copy of US weekly and the two decided it was time to discuss the magazine.

As I have stated in the past, I just don’t get why anyone gives a shit about celebrities. I mean, sure I have my favorite actors and will watch almost anything they do. Sean Penn could open the phone book and start reading and I would buy a ticket. However, I could care less who he is having sex with. It makes no difference in my life. These two brain surgeons next to me would not stop going on about Meg Ryan, Jennifer Garner, Renee Zellweger and so on.

Then the woman made the asinine statement that Renee Zellweger is such a great actress. That just made my head explode. The reason she gave for this was that she had to gain twenty-five pounds for Bridget Jones and then take it off, only to put it back on for the sequel. Stuffing your self with Ho-Ho’s has nothing to do with acting ability. If it did than Louie Anderson would have won multiple Oscars by now. This witty banter continued for over a half hour.

The conversation then moved on to Pulaski Day. As any Chicagoan knows the first Monday in March is Pulaski day in Illinois. Then the woman said, “All I know about him is that they named a street after him.” The man’s reply, “I think he fought in World War II.” If either one of these wastes of sperm would have bothered to buy that mornings paper (as opposed to the all important US weekly) they could have gotten a full history of Casmir Pulaski and found out that he fought in the Revolutionary War, (Come on the guy was only 200 years off.) I guess being informed on things outside of Hollywood just does not matter to these yokels.

As I counted the feet the train inched along, I just wanted to escape their presence. Of course just as the train was about to enter Union Station it screeched to a halt. As we waited to get the green light to precede the two of them continued to blather on about nothing. The only good thing I surmised from the whole conversation was that they were married to different people. At least the world would be saved if they produced off spring.

At long last the train pulled into the station and I ran for the exit. Maybe I am being to elitist in my venting. I mean, on the way home I tend to get into conversations that are not exactly about saving the rain forest. However, my friends and I at least are somewhat informed about most current events. The sad thing is, most are severely un-educated when it comes to simple everyday matters. Most would rather escape into the made up world of Hollywood movies and reality TV. All of that makes me sad and want to give up.

What is the point of it all? Why do I bother to get up on my soapbox and care so passionately about so many tedious things? Many think that I should relax and just accept things as they are. I guess I am just not made up that way. I care too much about things. My principles mean something to me. I read that paper every morning and get pissed off about things I read, like a needless war, and oil prices that are skyrocketing, or a local economy where more and more jobs are being lost.

I don’t mean for this to be some tirade against the masses. I am as much versed in useless information as the next guy. However, it is a good thing to be informed, and I guess that is why that conversation bothered me so much this morning. These two were already brain dead and they did not seem to mind. Well, rest assured I will keep fighting the good fight. I will keep waling away about my beliefs no matter how many people I put off with what they may term a gruff personality trait. I just couldn’t live with myself if I lived any other way.