Rose 1

Weekday mornings I detest the Starbucks near campus, too crowded. But if you're going to the university library Saturday or Sunday, it's a great way to start your day. I arrive about half an hour before library opening time. One of those small tables is barely big enough for your coffee, a textbook and notebook.
Several minutes later, Cindy arrives. Does she ask if she can sit here? Or how I'm doing? No, simply closes my textbook, sets down her coffee and starts her rant, "is that Harper evil or what? Junior league version of his buddy Bush. There is a reason Bush is that way. Texas cowboy with his shorts on too tight, affects the blood circulation to his brain."
She laughs, I join in.
She continues, "and now look at what the Prince of Evil is doing ..."
When she runs outa energy, I deduce I am expected to say something, "look at the bright side. This is a democracy, you'll soon enough get another chance to vote against him."
Bad move, she looks angry, "and vote for what, smart ass? The Marxist Leninist Trotskyite who'll tax us out into bankruptcy to pay for all his silly ideas? Or maybe dude man with poorer English than most illegal immigrants from China?"
I shrug, "well now, don't you think that makes us better off than Americans? We get a choice of three idiots, not just two."
She takes umbrage, "you actually believe we're better off than Americans? Do you ever read a newspaper from one year end to another? The Canadian tax system is so unfair compared to ..."
It's on the tip of my tongue to suggest she emigrate if she feels that way, but I choke it back. No point being nasty.
As the tirade dies down, she looks at me, as if seeing something for the first time, "I've got it, know what your problem in life is."
"And that is?"
"Perpetual smartassism. It's why you never have any friends. Also why you never seem to have a boyfriend. Everyone knows guys are naturally smart asses. And yes, they like smart ass girls, but only if she's not as smart ass as them. They hate it, loathe it with a passion when she outdoes them in perpetual smartassism."
"Perpetual smartassism?' Is that a diagnosis from your third year psy text?"
Sniffs, "there you go again, just never stop." Picks up her coffee, goes to sit at the counter.
Back in history, McLuhan said the medium is the message. Now had this criticism come from a peer, an approximate equal, I might be willing to give it consideration.
However she happens to have been my younger bro's for cover girlfriend back in his closeted days. Once he came out, he decided she is sooo a waste of time.
Since every time she sees me she gets nasty, I hardly think her message warrants further thought.