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Webster’s: cavalier 1: DEBONAIR 2: given to offhand dismissal of important matters. 3: ARISTOCRATIC.
Last week in the “Letters to the Editor” section of this fine paper, a citizen, whose spouse was a locked out checker at Ralph’s, was writing in to present his side on the why’s and wherefores of the grocery strike. Apparently miffed at my opinion on the matter, he was exerting his constitutional right to an opposing opinion. Right on!
At the beginning of his letter he stated that I had a “cavalier way of expressing my opinion” regarding the strikes. Cavalier huh? Now that’s a word you don’t hear used very often any more, good word. Now, while I would like to think that he was referring to description number one or three, I’m almost positive he was using it in the vain of description number two. But either way works for me.
Because unless this was the first time he has ever read one of my articles he would have known that description number two is pretty much my motus operandi. Again, in my opinion, too many people take too many things too seriously as it is, and while my opinions can be pretty much off the wall at times, I try to lace them with some humor. So you either get it or you don’t. Cavalier huh, I don’t know what it is about it, but that’s such a cool word.
I heard another one the other day that I hadn’t heard in a while, scrappy. Just saying it kind of makes you want to smile. I heard it when my wife told me that my daughter’s JV volleyball coach Penny described the opposing team as scrappy. It is the perfect description for all these young athletes. They are all fighters and always give it their best win or lose. Scrappy, I definitely have to find more opportunities to use that word. Darn, I kind of wished I’d named my new dog that. Here Scrappy, it has a nice ring to it.
On the other hand, there is a little phrase that makes me crazy every time I hear it. “My Bad.” I don’t know where it came from but I started hearing it on the little league field. Although it is pretty much self explanatory in what it means I’ll tell you anyway. In some sort of illiterate slang, it means “my fault.” I don’t know why it bothers me so much, but it does. Every time I hear it I hate it because no matter who delivers the phrase they sound like a moron. Maybe it’s because it’s being used primarily by kids and it’s teaching them not good English.
Now did you see that my little letter writer, that was a little stab at humor. Granted a very small one but I gave it a shot. Now back to your little tome. Your purpose in sending your letter was to “clarify some of the inaccuracies in my views.” While I am always open to constructive criticism your statement that you read my article “several times” leaves me to believe you are not a product of our fine teachers here in the Temple City School District. Otherwise your reading comprehension would be at a much higher level than is displayed in your letter.
As to inaccuracies in my (Bill’s) views, hmmm, since they are my views, and not anyone elses, how can there be inaccuracies. How could you possibly clarify what are my opinions, and not yours. Kind of cavalier on your part, don’t you think?
When I mentioned the potential of increased gas prices I stated that “according to a news report I saw today, because California’s oil supply is so low, our recently decreasing gas prices will, IF YOUR STRIKE GOES BEYOND TWO WEEKS, cause our gas prices to escalate 25 to 30 cents a gallon.” Which to be honest has nothing to do with the prices going down at the beginning of the strike despite where they were three months ago. Since the strike is now going on two weeks, we will see what happens to the gas prices.
As far as a raise in food prices go, again, we will have to see what happens, unless you have some sort of financial crystal ball. What I can say is, that at the markets that aren’t on strike, I have watched the prices go up in the items that previously were usually good deals at those stores before the strike. At Valu Mart, for example, a head of iceberg lettuce last week was $1.29, which for that store is outrageous.
As to the “greedy” not “evil” employers and to the their laundry list of demands to change their existing benefits package, get in line. It was the sound bites and statements made by members of your wife’s union and the rank and file that supplied the impression that their insurance benefits was the paramount problem. If you haven’t experienced changes made by an employer yet in your job history, you will. As long as you are working for somebody else, nothing remains the same. As to the use of the word evil in describing them, everybody but you and yours got the humor, sorry.
As to me not giving the article much forethought, research, or being able to back up my thoughts with fact, again you missed the point. It’s an opinion column and the only fact that I need to concern myself with is the fact that because of this strike I have to feel uneasy every time I cross a picket line to shop where I want to. I personally like Swiss cheese, which you likened my article to. I would also like to purchase it where I please, when I please, and not have to be made to feel guilty about it by a group of disgruntled employees.
If I’m wrong, I’m sorry, My Bad.
The Shrub Speaks: There's a lot of things that there's misconceptions. Evidently it's a misconceptions that Americans believe that Muslims are terrorists. Aboard Air Force One, Oct. 22, 2003
B.D.’s response: It’s probably a misconceptions that our president speaks good English.
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