But the good news is that I made it back (alive) from my walk this morning. This is a complicated and crazy story. You know how I'm always saying that I like my neighbors and everyone is really friendly? Well...
It all started several months back. Jules the Dog and I would walk up the road like clockwork every morning. And what with the time change and my need to go to work earlier, Jules and I started running into this guy Mike and his small son, Dylan waiting for the school bus. They have been waiting in Mike's SUV (no doubt because of the cold) but every morning- like clockwork- Dylan jumps out of the SUV with the broadest grin on his face (and he is a cute little kid) and runs down the end of the driveway because he adores Jules. And Jules loves Dylan; truly they're both thrilled to see one another and roll on the ground and slobber on one another. Very cute and heart warming.
So Mike and I exchange bland pleasantries and talk gardening- neighborly things- and then Jules and I proceed on our walk. I don't even remember when our conversation took a turn, but turn it did. I think one morning one of us hazarded the banal observation that it was exceptionally cold. And then Mike said (I'm pretty sure it was him) something about the weather was only going to keep getting weirder (but here's the punchline) I think I mentioned the dread words, "Climate Change" and Mike countered with something about how I couldn't possibly believe that we had anything to do with the weather, it was all naturally occurring cycles... you can see where this is going. It became a back and forth about "Do the research" and both sides became a bit heated, but it was cold and probably warmed us up a bit. But nothing too drastic. Until the next day.
Then Mike became more aggressive and rolled his window down (while Jules and Dylan indulged in a nonpartisan love fest) and said, "You know what I hate? Ignorance! Check the facts! We have nothing to do with changing the planet! C02 has nothing to do with the weather... and your pal Al Gore is all wrong!" I retaliated with, "Forget Al Gore* Read some of what James Hansen is saying... 90% (I actually think it's more) of scientists agree we've messed up the environment and it may be too late to fix it!" Mike yelled something about me "and my liberal friends". I responded, "You have a right to your opinion". To which he said, "It's not my opinion; I'm right and you're wrong". I did say something about, "And you probably believe God made the world in 5 days". (Oops- that should have been 7 days!) I was walking away up the road at this point calling, "Have a nice day!" I felt bad that this had all digressed into stupidity but I wasn't too concerned.
Mike doesn't see it that way. Yesterday, when I was coming back from my walk, I saw him waiting for the school bus, engine running but it was like 5 degrees out and I had to go to work, so instead of hanging out or taking a longer walk, I walked back up the road. Dylan jumped out of the car, grinning and Jules bounded over; at least they were enjoying themselves. Mike started right in. He spat out, "Look- you're an idiot! You refuse to see the facts!" I made some response, still trying to be good natured. I mean, I could see he was really mad- like emphatic and red faced and cords in his neck mad. I just pulled Jules away and walked off but not quick enough so that I heard him yell that I was an "atheist pig*".
I know my religious or spiritual views may be unorthodox and not even fully formed, but I sure think that even God thinks we're doing a fine job of screwing up the planet. I even googled Pope Francis and HIS views on Climate Change and I have to say it, but the Pope and I seem to be in agreement. And you know what? I guess my final argument is this: maybe I'm wrong. Maybe the world won't get totally destroyed- at our hands- and maybe everything will go back to just as it was. Maybe Super Storms will all be an unpleasant memory. But we'll have solar energy and wind power and at least we can feel we made a positive change in our behaviors.
But if Mike is wrong, and we go on as we are now and the climate keeps changing and we accelerate the melting of the polar caps and most habitable land becomes uninhabitable, then we all die. His son will be doomed to inherit a world too awful to contemplate, with wars over the tiny islands of arable soil and food shortages and skin cancer.. I know where I'd rather stand.
This morning, I walked slightly later to make sure I didn't encounter Mike and his son. I know that Jules missed Dylan (and I'm certain that Dylan missed Jules) but at least Dylan didn't have to watch his father spew vitriol at me and teach a lesson of hate and intolerance. Or watch me get shot or something!
I am hoping to call a detente, a truce. I will say to Mike, "Let's simply agree to disagree. Look at how nicely your son and my dog get along". I really don't want battles with my neighbors and hostilities. But I also know that climate change is real.
* Why do all these people hate Al Gore so much? He isn't really even in the news anymore. It's weird. And they often preface comments about him with the adjective "that fat" Al Gore. As if his weight somehow affected their ability to listen to him.
* Atheist? not sure... Pig? Maybe he had a point as I have been overeating this winter. It does all come down to one's weight after all. (See above A. Gore reference.)
* As in the Koch Brothers...
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