My Thoughts

A kid biked by Insider’s house the other day in the early afternoon. The know-it-all was punching his fingers furiously into his cell phone with his head down when he ran smack into a sidewalk, flipped over the handlebars and onto the old guy’s lush lawn. The boy immediately jumped up, got his cell phone out of harm’s way in the street and laid back down on the lawn to apparently gather himself. A few minutes went by and Insider noticed the kid had gotten back up and was now walking his bike along the road with one hand and punching things into his cell phone with the other. Apparently the kid was doing something called text messaging, which is similar to email, Insider’s young punk friend told him. When it was discovered all was well with the kid, the old guy just laughed and laughed, and it wasn’t just a silly little giggle. It was one of those Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show moments. Oh, Insider just loves his people watching.

That got Insider to thinking about this new phone " the Ipod that’s been all over the TV of late. As much as the old guy hates government and wishes it was still the size the guys behind the Federalists Papers envisioned, it may be time for cell phones to be banned in cars and, of course, bikes. Just look around and notice how many people are either talking on their phones while they drive or are busy hitting the keypad with reckless abandonment. Perhaps the bullies in Annapolis have been on to something after all with this cell phone ban legislation. In a few short years, that same kid that took a tumble onto the old guy’s lawn will be driving and the ramifications could be much worse.

Things The Old Guy Dislikes: traffic; driving in a funeral procession; phony people; cops who are bullies; guns; kids who disrespect their parents; leaving a restaurant hungry; parents who disrespect their kids; athletes who over-celebrate minor accomplishments; that Hank Aaron’s homerun record is going to be broken; long speeches with no point; liars; fakers; weak coffee; and going to the dentist.

“A fool is someone who doesn’t know when it’s best to say nothing at all." Author unknown.