Don't buy into their game

In a comment following this critique of the Bush doctrine by John Robb, George Ma says:

Don't buy into their game in which we are merely tools to achieve their ambitions. The day we realize we don't need these larger than life figures to tell us how to live or die is the day we free ourselves.

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Tree and Leaf

Irene likes to keep things just so: her lawn meticulously trimmed, the leaves safely raked, her flower beds freshly tended with Marigolds lined up in a row. It is the way a lot of people like things, I suppose, neat and tidy, Alles in Ordnung.

So she was out in the front, talking to Ron about the leaves in her yard -- his leaves in her yard. She had a smile on her face, and there was a bounce in her voice that suggested good nature, but she clearly was complaining. She didn't like that his leaves were in her yard. Ron took it well.

The mailman came by. It wasn't difficult for him to hear their animated conversation.

We're not at war, yet! he announced from his truck at the curb.

We walked up and chatted with him. Irene explained the thing with the leaves. The mailman smiled and turned off his portable radio.

I had a neighbor once, he said, who didn't like my Cottonwood tree.

Right there, we knew where the story was headed.

She didn't like the leaves from that tree always falling on her lawn, and she complained about it often. After five years of complaining I'd had enough and got out my chain saw and cut the thing down.

He paused. We all knew where he was going next.

No sooner had I cut the tree down than she came out and complained that it had been the only shade in her yard.

With that the mailman, still smiling, turned his radio back on and pulled away. We waved as he drove off.

Ron looked up at the Cedar Elm next to his driveway. He had just explained to me earlier about how Irene was always complaining about it. Fortunately, Ron likes his trees.

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