Nobody's Absurdities, No.21, The 21st Century-The Legal Age Of Reason

Nobody’s Opinion; Everyone has been reminding us lately that it’s the 21st’ century, and here I am on the 21st blog…what to say?

I remember my 21st birthday like it was yesterday. I ended up walking up and down Daytona Beach alone at night, completely zonked, and pretty much feeling sorry for myself. I had just flown in from Yale that afternoon, from a bad ending to a pen pal romance…one that I had no idea what had happened to, until my later years.

Basically the boy was expected to marry rich, and I was from a poor family. He had instructions from Mama to not get involved with a poor “musician” even if he loved music himself, and no matter how well we got along.

Not if he wanted to inherit the island mama owned off Miami Beach.

You would think it would be easy for the guy since we were only pen pals, but actually, even though the break up was not easy for me--- for him, I think looking back, it was much worse.

I was poor, but unlike him, at least I was in control of my own destiny.

It would not be the first time a romance of mine was broken up by rich “parents.”

The funny thing was, I was not a gold digger of any kind. I was so proud of making my own way as a musician; money meant little to me back then.

As much as I see how misguided the whole feminist era was, the freedom to be actually good at something besides being female and looking good, was as sweet as it could get.

Oh, how age changes idealistic youth.

My parents who loved me, suggested because I was feeling down, to go see my brother who was a trumpet player, and take a break in Daytona Beach to celebrate my much awaited 21st birthday. So out of a New England snow storm, into the Florida heat I went...

My older brother was a trip. He was like Elvis’ younger brother. Good-looking and charming---He has so much charm that I’m sure the nurses in the delivery room were fighting over who would hold him next.

But that night my older brother wanted to get rid of me so he could go be with his very voluptuous girlfriend, who was so top heavy I always expected her to fall over on her face at any given moment. I often waited for it.

He was only two years older than me and recently “engaged.”

So early in the evening he bought me a “birthday” drink at the beach bar. The plan was to get rid of me.

I don’t know what he told the bartender to put in it, but I’m sure he tripled the shots of whatever went into the usual…it was called a “Zombie.”

If I remember right, you take every single bottle of alcohol on the shelf and pour it in a very tall glass, add lighter fluid, and then mix something to make it sweet, and the girl is yours.

Except, the girl was alone and started walking up the beach in the dark because she was too bombed to do anything else.

Zombie was the perfect name for it.

My brother was always doing sweet things like that for me.

And now, we are just six years into the 21st century, and I feel like I’m in the dark and walking down that same dark and lonely beach. My reasoning says the human race should be a lot farther along than it is. America should not have gotten this screwed up.

Frankly, I blame my generation. Not that it was exactly our fault. Mix in radical liberal communistic infiltrations into the school systems and culture, and then add a heavy dose of drugs and free sex, and you come up with a whole generation of Zombies.

I remember how horrified my own parents were at the whole “hippy” movement. They got up, worked hard, and for what? To turn on their TV everyday and see the drugs, Vietnam, the attacks from the kids on the “un-cool” older parents who actually worked for a living. The parents who fed their kids, not knowing what junk the colleges, media, and politicians were putting into their heads.


Elvis and his hips were mild compared to Mick Jaggar. They grew up with Benny Goodman and bobby socks.

After having been the “greatest generation” and coming back from the reality of just how cruel the world could be in a World War, they wanted to hide and forget the horrors of it all. And by trying to spare and protect their kids, they ended up raising a lot of overprotected and spoiled idiots, some who still think a toke off a joint is safer than alcohol.

Some who think “flower power” means giving nuclear secrets to North Korea?

Parents back then much like the parents of today, had an ongoing battle. You might teach your kids right and wrong…but it’s not what they are taught at school, or by the media.

Rappers now have control---too many of them ruining the lives of millions with their misguided advice. Some old “hippie” somewhere is making so much money, he doesn’t care.

Oh, yes, the “hippies” grew up to be the greediest generation humanity has ever produced. The “Anti-Christ” by Frederich Nietzche was the “in” book to read.

Now when I look at America, still a woman in the “middle/lower” classes, I can see that the “class” divide has gotten worse.

Our rich “classes” now don’t even care about the middle or lower classes despite what they say, or what charity they lovingly give their money to, which gives them tax shelters to protect their millions, while at the same time, praises of philanthropic Kudos’s from their peers.

Their children still go to Yale and Harvard. Their children still do not marry into the lower classes, but their children never have to bear the burdens of funding millions of the “lower classes” around the world, and not many of their children go to fight for our country.

These baby boomers are now having a great time creating “middle classes” in India, at the expense of the disappearance of the “lower classes” in America. It makes them feel worthy.

Of what, I’m not sure.

The “hippies” grew up, and became more ruthless businessmen and woman than their parents, of which they accused of loving ‘money’ too much. They are now so busy making money that they forgot the reason they can do so is because of their parents’ great sacrifice before them. They think it’s because they are just so clever.

At least their parents still had integrity.

The baby boomers produced idols like Bill Clinton, Gloria Steinem, and Ted Kennedy…the “me” generation---the “sixties should live forever” gang.

Basically, the only thing to come out of the sixties that was any good was the music. The rest of it will go down as the generation that was taken over by the Marxists, and were too stoned to ever figure it out, until it was too late.

Somehow I managed to survive my 21st birthday. Some angel must have been watching over me because some guy did try to pick me up that night, and did try to entice me into his “beach trailer,” but I was so “out of it.” I started talking and waving “hello” to Leonardo da Vinci, who I told the guy, was standing in his kitchen curtain.

He said, “You’re nuts, you’re a wack-o! Get away from me!” And then he gave me a push to put me on my way up the beach. He decided he didn’t want to fool around with a complete idiot, even if she was drunk.

My brother had a great night I’m sure, and went on to dating playboy bunnies. Somehow I found my way back to a hotel room, and into another day.

But now, as I look into the 21st century, I feel that America’s long walk in the dark is getting kind of scary.

We have a two-party system that is so corrupted by corporate money, and entrenched family dynasties who refuse to give up power, it’s hard to see how to fix it. We see our Constitution and our rights getting washed out with the tide.

Other countries see our weakness and are working together, hoping the great America, the once great “Shining star on the hill” as Reagan once said, is ready to fall…all she needs is a push from within.

And we have a lot of baby boomers at the top…pushing it hard. They see money, they see power, they are still “hippies” and want the whole world to sing--make love, not war.

The elections coming up are going to be probably the most important in American history. The Republicans have done a terrible job on most subjects. But the Democrats are almost kneeling at the knees of Mao.

Once again, we have to choose it seems between the lesser of two evils.

And since my generation, the baby boomers helped get America into this mess, we should at least try harder to help get America out of it.

Sobering up, would be a good start.

Nobody’s Perfect; Now before I get any “guys” saying that I would have deserved to be “raped” or “killed” that night, I must add, that I had been working at night in bars as a musician for over 3 years by that time, going home alone by myself usually at 3 am, after the job, and I had leaned to keep all eyes open, and be prepared. I was street wise, and yet, I was always scared. Sometimes, like the police, there is just not a man around to protect you.

And sometimes, acting like you are nuts, works.

Nobody Knows; For all the doom and gloom we get bombarded with daily from just about any media outlet you turn on…we still managed to be good people, and most of us work hard everyday, love our children, and live by the golden rule. Americans are still the greatest around, and we must not stop thinking we’re special, because, well, we are.
All we really need is strong leaders to give us hope, and answers.
I said “most of us.”

Nobody Cares; Ever since my 21st birthday, I can honestly say, I’ve never been that zonked, and I have certainly never asked for a “Zombie” again.

My brother, who is still alive, still charming, and still gets the “babes” even though he is married and can’t fool with them anymore, would never even dream of pulling that trick on me again.

I’m sure has some new ones. This time I’m ready…I’ve long passed the legal age of reason.