Oh, you're from THE STATES????

*** continued from previous post ***

"So, where you folks from again?"

Now here is a dilema. What do I say? Do I tell him we live in Enumclaw, and spend the next 10 minutes discussing what an odd name that is and where it came from and all the other peculiar Native American names from our neck of the woods? Or, do we offer a generality, like "Oh, the Seattle area, little town 40 miles to the south"?

That's my preference. It gives enough information to satisfy their curiosity, but not enough to invite further inquiry. Due to my impending loss of consciousness, I opt for the latter.

"Oh," he says as if he's just confirmed a long-held suspicion, "you're from THE STATES!"

Then he gives us a look that I have no idea what it means, but I would come to see often over the next few days. I think that somehow in his mind, this explained everything.

I cursed silently under my breath. I'd dealt with Canadians before. I'd sat at various conferences with them. I had studied them online for months. Oh, I've done my homework. I'd watched my share of 'Anne of Green Gables' and 'The Red Green Show' and tons of stuff with David Suzuki and Alanis Morisette who, as we all know, is actually God in disguise. There is one common thread that runs like a polluted river amongst our comrades to the north, be they white collar or blue collar, man or woman or some combination thereof, conservative or rabidly liberal.

That thread is this: More than likely it is the United State's fault. Story over.

And really, in the late summer of 2008 who in their right mind could disagree? All that Bushy-ness, you know?

It didn't matter for I had no energy for debate. I absolutely could not rally any enthusiasm for apologies. I prayed that 'shirtless old dude' as I now tagged him in my head was apolitical. Or, barring that, at least polite as he pointed out our list of deficiencies and crimes.


*** the journey continues tomorrow ***