I’d be a lousy presidential candidate.
Normally I think of myself as cool, calm and collected, but when I start defending myself, I start twisting facts, lying, posturing and just being a self-righteous ass.
I can listen or I can defend myself but for some reason I can’t do both well in the same conversation.
I can be a great listener. I can listen calmly to criticism and to views completely opposite to my own and my blood pressure doesn’t rise…until I start challenging or defending. Then my ego gets involved and I become a monster.
I had a traffic incident today.
I was walking from the Robertson branch of the LAPL towards Airdrome. A car was coming down Airdrome traveling east and wanting to turn right.
The walk light was on.
The white driver (about 35yo) did not look to the right, only to the left to check the traffic.
I had the right of way.
It bugged me that he was going to cut off my cool calm walk (full of Alexander Technique with my head riding high on my spine and shoulders relaxed and broadening, my hips going out and my legs stretching long) so I smacked his car hard and waved angrily in front of his windshield.
He stopped.
I walked in front of him and across the street.
"Was it really necessary to hit my car?" he yelled.
"You almost ran me over," I responded.
"Oh, come on," he said and drove off.
I would never bang on the car of anyone who looked violent, particularly not a young black man.
