Thursday, February 1, 2007

You're So Well Spoken...

Joe Biden's gaff about Barack Obama brought me back to my life...17 years ago when a southern lady at Mrs. Field's Cookies in Boca Raton, FL asked me for a chocolate chip cookie.

I carefully selected her cookie...lovingly baked with chips and nuts.

I weighed it, and served it to her, graciously, in the paper bag brandishing Mrs. Fields' bright red logo, and, of course, a napkin.

She was a sweet, southern gentle Caucasian lady. Lovely accent. Like Jessica Tandy in Driving Miss Daisy.

She gave me her cash and told me, "You don't speak like the rest of them do."

In my naivete I responded, "Thank You" and returned her change.

In my heart I felt numb to her compliment.

I was an advertising student at one of the top schools for Communications in the country. I am wondering what else she would have expected from me.

17 years later. I haven't shaken the comment. Nor the chocolate comment in 5th grade. Nor the pencils being tossed at my hair my senior year in high school.

May I inherit some of Mr. Obama's grace and gumption.

4 comments:

Roger Williams said...

I wouldn't cast a vote for Barack Obama for county dogcatcher, but I'd vote for him for president three times before I voted for Joe Biden for anything. Biden is a complete disgrace to the otherwise lovely state of Delaware. Could you imagine the furor if George Bush said this about Barack Obama? That the press criticism of Biden's comment has been so muted speaks volumes if you ask me.

Anyway, fuck Joe Biden, and fuck that lady at Mrs. Fields.

wrki said...

As always, Mr. Williams...thank you for having the rage that I still can't muster.

Someday I hope to say "F--- it all" to anything that's hurt me.

Unknown said...

Actually Biden was pilloried on the Weekly News Wrap-Up on the Diane Rehm show on NPR last Friday. Pretty much the common sentiment of all the panelists:

"Joe, you may be a smart man with some things, but please, STFU now." None of them took his candicacy remotely seriously.

Roger Williams said...

Savage satire on this from Iowahawk's blog:

BIDEN: OBAMA POLITE, ARTICULATE, CLEAN, AVERAGE LENGTH

Newly declared 2008 presidential candidate Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) lauded Senate colleague and rival candidate Barrack Obama as "the first mainstream African-American I've seen who is polite, articulate, and clean."

"I mean, you should see his fingernails," added Biden. "The man just has a totally surprising level of personally hygiene, much cleaner than you would probably expect."

"I sometimes see him at the Senate gym, and I have really admired his grooming routine," Biden continued. "Thoroughly soaps up, rinses off, uses normal people shampoo, guy absolutely never pees in the shower. Even uses regular talc, which is kind of interesting, because you'd think there would be some kind of special tinted powder or something."

"The first time I saw him in the shower stall, I was expecting to be, well, intimidated," Biden continued. "But, believe it or not, he's right there in what I'd call a normal length range, which was suprising, and frankly a relief. Beautiful shower singing voice though, which maybe isn't that surprising, but you would really be bowled over by how well he e-nun-ci-ates while he sings."

"Uhhhhhm... did I just totally screw my own campaign right there?" asked Biden. "I would appreciate someone letting me know, in case I should cancel my weekend flight to Des Moines."