Joie de vivre

Was in the kitchen last night… Son’s friend that lives with us, his girlfriend, hovered over the stove. Ground beef, some kinda hamburger helper. What looked like a pound anda halfa onions, smothered with melted cheese. Yuck.

“Vic, aren’t you gonna eat with us?” Yuck.. “ahm, sure, thanks!”… Ate. Yuck. But, loved the giving in ‘em. Tastes. Different tastes.

Twelve of us assembled. Most caucasion. Different sizes, ages, paychecks, dress. An Asian. An older African American male, and a 20-something African American female. We’d just heard over an hour and a half about a car accident. 40-something guy, small, portly, smiley, happy – had plowed into the back of a 40-something, tall, handsome dude.

Was Christmas time. Interstate. Big hill. Atop the hill, exit to a popular mall. So popular in fact, traffic filled the exit, and was overflowing into the Interstate. Portly crested hill, couldn’t stop – mashed the 40-something tall dude.

Who’s at fault? How much? Why? Why not?... Us. The blacks, whites, Asian, young, old, rich, middle, poor – grouped to decide…..

I love diversity. Our world is a puzzle and we’re all pieces within. Alaskans, hell I wouldn’t live there – they, wouldn’t be any place else. Wasting away in Key West. “The way.” “The only place.” Western Kansas farmer. “You can have your crowded Interstates, your skyscrapers.”

Christians, Hindu’s, Buddists, Atheists, Mormans, etc..

People who enjoy crossword puzzles, gardening, walks on the beach, blackjack, bingo, fiction, non-fiction, the History channel, the Missouri Tigers, (Hold your nose) The KU Jayhawks. We all have different interests. Diverse. Nifty.

Beauty in the eye of the beholder. “I love him because of his…. Confidence, eyes, chest, butt, humor, kindness, intellect, success, power, down-to-earthedness…”

“I love her because of…. her spunk, her boobs, her derriere, her intellect, her legs, her passion, her heart, her smile…” The view from our shoes ain’t the same, yet we somehow wonderfully share this muther dubber of life.

Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, those that don’t givea rats…

Walk into an auto plant.. there on the line… the country kid… the athlete who traded a full ride for a long ride… the 6’8”, 340 lb mammoth… the 5’1”, 95 lb gal… extroverts, introverts, religious fanatics… all join hands to mold the car. Their puzzle they put together.

Some within the jury talked frequently, and as they did, we tended to listen less… When an elderly lady spoke – she’d been quiet for over half an hour – we steadfastedly listened. On a fun note, we’d been subjected to 3 bouts of kick-boxing videos of the 40-something handsome dude – and his pitch “I hurt my back, my kick boxing career is over because of this.” I kinda giggled, as he looked fairly silly in the videos, but then I ran the bases at the City Park last year, so whointhehell am I to speak…

Good ideas these folks brought forth… “I never thoughta that.”… “Yes, he does deserve something.” The many minds, from way different upbringings, forced to decide.

Classic Rock, The Blues, Country, Hip-hop, Soul, Gospel, Opera, Symphonic… different.. Diverse…

The hotpants, the overalls, the cleavage shower, the conservative, the business suit – and all kindsa others somewhere in between. We’re unique, yet we makeup the world, this nation.

To me, doesn’t matter if you’re a Repub or Dem, there had to be some kinda feel good seeing Obama elected. We’ve come a long way baby. Herm Edwards, coach of the Kansas City Chiefs – shares a similar background to Barack….

Herm’s father(Black) was in the Military… Met his wife (White) in Germany.. Returned to the US to get married in 1953. Lived in the South. Wasn’t allowed. Had to travel to Washington DC to get married. Herm, born in 1954, even went thru some “bad stuff” personally regarding race..

“I had to wake my girls up to see the election. I was so proud. Proud of what my parents went through. Proud of what others before have gone through. I wanted the girls to see it rather than read about it in History books so they could say ‘I was there, I saw it.’ “

Pretty damn cool (to me… but I understand we’re diverse, and that’s what makes the world go round…)

I actually did contribute something that day in the jury. We all decided he was at fault. He’d admitted to speeding. The kick boxer (not becausea that) deserved something for his pain and duress. When we couldn’t reach financial decision, I said “let’s all write down an amount, we’ll throw out the high and the low and take the average.” We did. Can’t remember now, think it was like $14,000… Anyway, we “built that car.” We “lived in the same city together”… We coexisted.

One Nation under God, indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all."

Gotta email from a gal that said “I have been reading your blog. Seemed there were times what you were putting out there are some of my thoughts, not all, but some.” Viva la difference. Bebbe it’s what makes the world tick.

So whatinthehell does “Joie de vivre” mean?... I was on a goofy dating site. Saw a chicky that I thought had a cool smile. Emailed her to tell her so, cept, it wouldn’t let me because some nerd (said with love, with you I peacefully coexist!) figured outta way that because I listed “Smoker” I was blocked from emailing her.

So I lied and changed to non-smoker. Emailed her, fessed up to being a smoker – and related “nice smile, just wanted to let you know.” Which, is maybe kinda sorta fancy for “give it another thought wouldya, you’re gorgeous, let’s go take a nap.” Hehe.

So she writes back… admits to “can’t” (the smoker thing) and signed it Joie de vivre…

Looked it up… (See, we’re different, somea you brainiacs already know) it means “the joy of living.”

She and I were different, yet we share that. Life, it be good, no matter what size shoe you view it from.

Happy day, love Victurd.