nonsense and insensibility

Yesterday my daughter and I were standing at a corner after a shopping excursion at Target, waiting for the light to change in our favor when two young dudes came up behind us, talking very loudly and only using expletives.

I was this close to turning around and yelling at them to STFU (speak the language of the natives) when the light finally changed and they skateboarded and biked on their way, still cursing, still oblivious. My daughter looked up at me and said, "I don't like them." I couldn't help myself and answered, "There's nothing to like."

What has happened to communication in our culture?

I have been immersed in reading classic literature lately, so their conversation sounded especially jarring to my ears. I understand that young dudes are prone to bombast. I have been known to use a colorful turn of phrase (or two or three) myself, but I am working on trying to clean up my act. No promises for any utterances made whilst driving...

But couldn't the two dudes in question, even if they were being loud and full of themselves, have taken a pause, or at least turned down the volume when they came within inches of a 5 1/2 year old girl? It didn't even occur to them.


Cher Horowitz: So okay, I don't want to be a traitor to my generation and all but I don't get how guys dress today. I mean, come on, it looks like they just fell out of bed and put on some baggy pants and take their greasy hair - ew - and cover it up with a backwards cap and like, we're expected to swoon? I don't think so.

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