Most of my friends are okay, but some of them? JHC, some are incredibly stupid. The trouble is, they happen to be some of the most important in my life, long time friends. They are the ones I can really count on for support. I guess that's why I let them get away with it.
People are so angry now, about everything. If you make a comment on something, even a benign topic, they will turn it into something over which they can express their extreme outrage. Like today. I read a news article about the alleged crooked democrats in office in Flint, Michigan. I don't know how bad they really are and, truth be known, I don't give a shit anymore. I have lived more years than I have left, so it is the problem of the next generation. But this article talked about what Flint had become since the auto industry pulled out many years ago. Crime ridden, drugs, corruption. And it made me incredibly sad. I used to live in Flint. I moved there about a year after I married my first husband. He was in the Marine Corps and stationed in my hometown as a recruiter. We met through a mutual friend. He was born and raised in Flint. He immediately got a job at General Motors, the Fisher Body plant, as a door hanger. I got a job at a dental supply company as a shipping clerk. I fell in love with Flint, it was so big-city with so many things to do and see. I learned my way around, began making friends and before long Jim and I were able to buy our own home. I found a great day care for our son. Those are the things I think about when I remember Michigan. But Jim and I divorced after 6 years of marriage. He had gotten laid off and decided to go back into the military. He was transferred to Kalamazoo, and I refused to leave Flint, my job and my friends. We drifted apart, he met someone and so we called it quits. Things were good though, I found a nice apartment for me and our son and for about two years things were great. But then, the auto industry started to fall apart and I was forced to move back to Ohio. I knew it was only a matter of time before I got laid off. The auto industry was so huge there, that when it goes, so does everything else. Years and years ago I asked my ex what Flint was like since I left. I wanted to take trip there and revisit my old life. He said, "Don't do it. The Flint you knew is dead. Believe me, you don't want to see what it is now."
Anyway, this article made me nostalgic, wistful and a little sad. I only posted it on facebook because most of my friends don't know that I ever lived there. All were supportive. But one good friend, said nothing, he just posted a link to a Wikipedia thing about fake news. So? I wasn't talking about the article's content, only about having lived in Flint in its heyday. But pointing that out to him would do no good, he wants to gripe about the political aspect and he will do it no matter what I say. And if I don't join him on his war wagon, I will be labeled as un-American, part-of-the-problem, all the usual crap. And he'd probably unfriend me. So, I just snoozed him for 30 days to give him time to wear himself out. Why do I want a friend like that? If he stays off politics, he's a hell of a nice guy.
I'm awfully glad I'm not young anymore. This kind of garbage is not going away. It's only going to get worse and I don't plan on hanging around for more than another 20 or 25 years-ha! That will make me about 85-90. I'd prefer to not live past 80, but if I do, I'll make the best of it.
