1.
I received an intercampus email that one of our students died in a car accident. Followed up by an absentee notice for one of my own students who had “been involved in a car accident.” I tried to find out the details, watching the news and scanning it in the local paper. The news showed the picture of the drunken assailant who’d attempted to flee the scene and hide in some nearby woods. Later it showed pictures of a group of young people, one in an R.I.P. tee shirt with a familiar young man’s picture emblazoned across it. All the while the anchor was talking about this weekend’s upcoming Nascar races. Today’s death notices list him; a year younger and from another state than what’s listed in his University record. Did he die? Or is he hiding out with Tupac?
2.
I park in the underground deck following a nondescript Nissan in. A young guy is driving, his music is loud but not overwhelming; it’s just that his car windows are down and the deck echoes. He swerves into the space, you know, that exaggerated way you do when you wanna show a little bad-ass-ness. He’s kinda, um, skinny, I see when he gets out and I catch him double take me gathering my junk. What’s that about? Surely he saw me in his rearview as we drove into the deck together. So he gets out and saunters a little toward the exit and as he does I notice his gun. Holstered on his narrow hip. I didn’t know our apartment complex had sekuridee…
3.
From “Mind of Mencia”…”Words have no power unless you let them.” Carlos Mencia, comedian you might/not know, proceeds to show himself “fighting” with a black dude. Carlos calls the dude “jigaboo” or something equally offensive and the guy jerks like he’s been punched. Then, the black boy says something sooo offensive to Carlos that Carlos falls to the ground from the “jab.” Carlos closes this skit with a summary. Many soldiers, he points out, have died and are dying for our freedoms, including our freedom of speech. Speech that just might be offensive to others but is our right to say. And the point of censorship is? Oh yeah, that.
4.
Pump yer brakes. There’s a full moon tonight.
darlene anita scott 