Conversation

He asked if I would have any interest in a man earning $17,000 a year. The question was posed by one of my twenty-something coworkers with a do-rag tucked up underneath his security cap.
“Hell no,” I snapped at the crazy boy.

“Com’on, Valerie," he whined. "Not even if he was good to you?” He punctuated the jive with an animated low hand swipe across his crotch.

“Shit. No.”

“I thought women wanted to be financially independent and support for themselfs.” (He pronounced the plural of self with the “fs” not the “ves”.)

“Exactly.”

“Why not?”

These are the conversations I am having these days as I pull chains across the bridal path to keep stupid people from getting kicked in the head by a race horse. It was a serious series of questions. “Because at 54, I have my own assets and means of support ,and I don’t want to get involved with a man who can’t suppose himself.”

“I can respect that.” Satisfied with my answer he strolled off to answer a text message on his cell phone, despite the policy that says cell phones usage is not allowed while on duty. Yeah, the immediate attention spans are short too.