I woke up and had to tear down my Dexter kill room. It was only once I stepped back into that plastic bubble that I saw the dog had come down and peed on the floor. Now luckily, it was on plastic sheeting, so the carpet stayed fine. However, a dog peeing is a dog peeing, and there were consequences that followed, and I'm a man who knows how to consequence. My dog got spanked, and when she bit me, she got slapped. (I'm not giving her Popeye blows, no need to call the shelter for animal cruelty.)
I hung around the house as usual for a Monday, cleaning my room, making a healthy lunch, and played COD. Around 3:30, I left for school. You have to understand, it was such a beautiful day. As I was driving, I realized "I can't go to my debate class on a day like this.... who wants to argue on a day like today?!" I drove into the sun, heading for Holland. I had contacted a guy on craigslist who was selling a plethora, yes, a true stock yard of posters and other movie memorabilia, so I called him and headed towards mini Dutch land.
On the way I stopped and grabbed a Xing Tea, which is priced at the gas station on Byron Road about 8 miles west for only $1.00 thats with tax and deposit. I made it into Holland and found this man's apartment. He was clearly a nerd, but that's cool, because in my own way, I'm one too. He showed me the stuff in his garage, which was only the tip of the iceberg. He then led me up to his apartment (after typing this I realize how sketchy craiglists sounds... strangers taking you up to their apartments) and we finished looking through everything up there. He's got comic books, posters, and autographs from Comic Con's galore. I was there for probably thirty minutes, and found some art I really liked. I paid the man, and was happy to know there are people nerdier (way nerdier) than me. I have my moments. Taking a minute to reflect on this man, this stranger: Here is a guy who probably didn’t have a lot of friends in high school. He was probably picked on. He was overweight, and well, he fit the role of the comic-book nerd. He felt special because he got to go to big comic book galas and meet writers, other fans, etc. That was the highlight of his year. At home, he’s more of a lone, yet spending the thirty minutes I did with him looking at his items and talking to him hopefully meant a lot to him. I like him to think that the world isn’t just a cold place. It’s inhabited by nice people too, but the bullies come into play. Bullying…. Let’s save this for another time.
I was still going to go to my Spanish class, and when I punched in GVSU on my GPS, it said it was 48 minutes away. I didn't believe that, mainly because, well, that just seemed too long. I was wrong. I hadn't realized I had gone so far south in Holland that I was nearing Hamilton, complete with signs for Benton Harbor and Niles around me. I drove through downtown Holland, still taking in the slowly setting sun, and enjoying the weather. Exactly as predicted, but with some minor trimming, 42 minutes later, I pulled into GVSU. I was only 4 minutes late for my class, but so was my professor. That worked out swell.
Went home that night and put together my speech for my class in the morning. I couldn't pick a topic, and it was only after I stopped at a McDonalds for a late night dine that I realized what I would choose. My speech topic is fast food gambling. Okay, I'm a nerd.
- Holland, on a day like today. no photo credit -
