I was out for an afternoon constitutional yesterday due to unseasonal temperatures and boredom. While wandering I noticed a local establishment had recently reopened so I decided to grab a seat at the bar.
One of the things I really miss from before the great plague is random bar conversations. If I still lived in Illinois I could recreate those with my friends at one of their houses. (that might sound weird like I was inviting myself places but the last two years of my residence inviting people over became a bit bumpy) So here, I need to be in an actual saloon to enjoy bar banter.
Right now it’s not the same. Unless you want to pretend you’ve quarrenteened with a complete stranger you have to sit two stools away. Not ideal for idol chitchat. Plus about half the people wear masks even while sitting down which when added to normal bar music and other random noise makes for a communications nightmare. Luckily I had a dude much like myself two stools away and he was looking to talk as well.
Everything was going great until he exposed himself as a climate change denier. I don't just mean a person who isn't sure about the science of the claims or has questions. I am talking facts and figures at his fingertips climate change is bullshit. Still starving for face to face conversation I listened and when pressed for my own thoughts I told him I had few on the subject. Was trying to steer away from his obvious passion with no luck. And sadly our friendship ended when I innocently mentioned enjoying a fifty degree February day in Saint Paul Minnesota. After that I was labeled a double agent but luckily I was done with my drink and headed back outside.
I literally don't care where anyone sits on the subject. In fact the entire thought chain makes me kind of sad. I watched that plastic documentary on Netflix "Broken" and it sent me down a recycling rabbit hole I could have done without. If the planet gets dangerously warm in my lifetime there are worse places to live than the land of 10,000 freshish water sources. hard to bitch about better weather up here.
Winter sure is pretty. Look how peaceful things look over at the commune. (I'm trying to stop calling it a cult in case I get really bored and join up)