So How's About Those Monkeys?!?

“So what do you think about the monkey problem?” the first thing I thought when I heard the lunch table beside me was, did I miss something? I tend to stay on top of what’s going on, maybe this was new? Then I heard the explanation, during last season’s Amazing Race monkeys were behaving like Yogi Bear in Jellystone and snitching picanic baskets.

Actually there is growing concern regarding the aggressive behavior of baboons but it appears the aggression is attributable to human activity and interaction, something I’m sure was explained in detail by the Amazing Race producers.

On the whole the conversation between these four late 20’s early 30 something’s was vapid and shallow at least on the part of the bank employee who regaled his lunch companions with the marvels of tax deductible expenses like BlackBerry’s and how through the wonders of Tivo he manages to catch all his favorite shows except the season finale of AR. “Oh, that’s right you’re from Montana aren’t you? Where in Montana? Is it like the movie A River Runs Through It? Do you fly fish?” By the time this table had finished their meal I was looking for the mute button.

I don’t know if it was the afternoon heat or the fact that I have pent up emotions surrounding the hospitalization of both my parents for separate, life threatening, conditions or maybe it was just that my love of conversation for conversation’s sake was being assailed by this banal banter. Whatever the reason, the smug sense of self importance leaking from this lad rubbed me the wrong way.

Hey, have you found Twitter.com yet? Well I guess if you’re reading my rants and rambles you’ve noticed the rolling scroll on the right side of the page. I love Twitter, I knew I would when I learned how much of an impact it played in our last presidential election, the Mumbai bombing and the Iranian unrest. I imagine Twitter to be what Letters to the Editor used to be, without the edits and time delays and if you can get past all the spammy, get rich/get followers junk.

I’m a bit of a narcissist, what writer/twitterer isn’t? I understand the urge to monopolize conversations and believe what I have to say is utterly captivating, particularly to a captive audience. Luckily I also have a healthy dose of humility and recognize that while the universe is unfolding as it should (thanks Max Ehrmann) this phenomenon isn’t due to my particular brand of brilliance.

I really don’t take myself seriously, unlike the guy I was standing next to at the Italian Street Painting Festival earlier in the day on Saturday. When we heard a balloon pop he commented “they’re shooting at us.” I immediately replied “I should probably move because if they’re shooting, it’s at you.” He wasn’t amused. Benjamin Franklin’s caveat in How to Please in Conversation, “raillery is a part of conversation…use it with all the caution possible,” might’ve come in handy before I responded. Oh well, there’s always next time.

Saturday’s lunchtime conversation may have gone unnoticed were it not symptomatic of some larger conversations going on here in Martinez; conversations where, like the couple at my neighboring lunch table, citizens are being talked at, where self and special interest’s abounds and humility, self deprecation abases.

The art of conversation is in decline, so states the premise of a book I’m reading. If we lose our ability to purposely seek out ways to challenge our ideas, our premises and listen to what others have to say; if the art of conversation really is in decline here in Martinez, can community be far behind? I hope not, meanwhile I’ll just keep tweeting. Feel free to follow me and poke fun. I promise I can take a joke, just look at my last boyfriend...