Reflections on a Labor Day cookout.

By D.C.

 This past Sunday,my husband and I were obliged by the rules of neighborly hospitality to attend our neighbor's "End of Summer"/Labor Day cookout.These are always small affairs but I know a couple of liberals will mouth off some political nonsense.These people just assume that everyone agrees with them.

 I keep my political beliefs to myself during social gatherings like this.Even when I want to say something,I don't.I normally try to not get involved in these conversations.I just smile and nod my head in agreement.

 I have a sort of mental line that I won't let them cross.I think this line is somewhere around calling right wingers racists.I admit,thats a lot of slack I give them.I have never been to the line in a situation like this,so I don't know for sure exactly where the line is.I do know there is a line.

 I know what would happen if I started speaking some truth and reason to these folks.It would be as if I poured gasoline on them and struck a match.I'm not here to try and win these folks hearts and minds.They lost those years ago,so why even bother? It's a cookout.Why should I be viewed as a trouble maker?

 These are good folks.Not so much my friends,but my neighbors.It's just that most of them are dumb liberals.As most liberals,they mean well.I don't need to create static with these people.

 I told my husband we would stay there for 90 minutes or so.Just say Hi to everyone,talk about sports,have a couple beers,eat a brat and we will go home.Done.

 I heard this one gal,who had drawn a small crowd,saying something about "they" never gave "him" a chance.I avoided that little circle like the plague.My neighbor (who was hosting the cookout and is a white collar "government" employee) ,she looked me in the face and told me that times were getting rough for her because,"Walker cut my income by 30%."

 That was rough for me too.I had a very hard time biting my lip on that one.I wanted her to ask my husband about the 50% in "real income" that he has lost over the past four years.But,I didn't.I looked concerned,nodded my head to her and said,"That's gotta be rough."

 Another neighbor (who I know is 58 or so years old and also works for "government") chimed in with,"I never thought I'd look forward to getting older,but 63 and getting out of this mess is looking good to me."

 I thought to myself,"Yeah,then the state will only have to pay you for another 20 years or so." Of course,I didn't say it aloud.Instead,I threw out an old standard,"I'm gonna check and see if my husband needs a beer." And removed myself from what was quickly becoming a cluster "blank".

 Luckily,we only had to attend one of these "End of Summer"/Labor Day cookouts this year.I never look forward to or enjoy these things.All Labor Day means to me is the end of the summer and liberals,both of which are major bummers.