1984

I just finised reading 1984 by George Orwell. I know, I know, most everyone read this book in High School. I didn't. I picked it up to read because I had every intention of joining our local ACLU Banned Books Book Club a couple of Wednesdays ago as they reviewed and disussed 1984. Well, didn't make the meeting but did finish the book even though it took me an unusally long time to read it.

However, I find it hard to believe a 12th grader would be able to fully understand all the poltical themes running throughout the book, many of which are most relevant today.

Read this if you haven't!

Legal Briefs

True stories
anonymous woman: Someone is trying to steal my inheritance.
me: oh, really
anonymous woman: (all dignified) Yes, someone drugged my husband and took him to the bank and made him withdraw $20000 from our account.
me: oh, really how do you know this? that your husband was drugged?
anonymous woman: He told me.
me: *cricket,cricket*
anonymous woman: My husband doesn't want to go to the police because the police 'round here are probably in on it. The people in this town are crazy. My husband is scared.
me: I bet.
...

duffus: I was playin' 'round on my job with a co-worker. I was just jokin' but he got all serious and told me he was gon hit me. I didn't believe him. But he walked up on me and punched me in the face. We both got fired. I wanna know what my legal rights are. I mean they didn't have no right to fire me. I was just playin'
me: You have the right to apply for unemployment benefits and be denied.
duffus: You playin'?
me: *crickets*
...

Like School on Saturdays, No Class

I've had locs for what...9 years now, so I am used to people asking questions about my hair. I usually am not offended by some of the things people say about my hair or locs in general. I just roll with it. But you know what, it never ceases to amaze me how some people just don't have home trainin' and will say and ask the most "irregular" stuff...

Earlier this week while getting "the frisk-down" by the bailiff while passing through the metal detectors in the courthouse, the maintenance lady (I guess) comes out of nowhere (really) and says, "Your hair is long. That ain't all your hair, right?!...I mean it ain't all real right?!" So, now everybody in the whole damn place is looking at my head.

Me?! I 'm trying to get to the PD's office and asking several times and several ways can somebody tell me where the PD's office is?!

She starts in again with the "that ain't your hair" business so the bailiff helps her out and says, "Mam she's talking to you." I say, "um, yes my hair." "Can you tell me where the PD's office is thank you" -to the bailiff. She tries to give me directions but Hairlady interrupts her and takes me by the elbow and shows me exactly how to get to the PD's office but not without trying to fondle my hair before we part. I do a quick Matrix move and escape being head molested.

Then later that same day in Popeye's tryin' to use their facilities and get an apple pie for my 2 hour car ride, another older lady comes up on me with hands outstretched asking me "if I bought all that hair on my head." She repeats and says "that ain't all your hair...haha...you didn't buy all that somewhere didja..haha..." I half-smile and advise her to have a nice day.

So unclassy, so uncothed...but I guess they didn't mean harm? Just didn't know that it ain't cool to ask people if their hair is "real"? Although, we are talking about grownarswomen though. I dunno...