Sunday, December 28, 2008

Future Shock!

Krista and I eavesdropped on a group of people from the twentieth century complain about the brave new world of the 21st century at the Portland airport this morning.


“The security took away my water,” said a woman on her way to Cancun. “It was a brand new bottle that wasn’t even open and now I have to pay three times as much for a bottle half the size.” Several people commiserated.


“I used to take the corporate jet," said a nearby man, somehow connecting this to the inconvenience of being deprived of bottled water. "And now they’re making all of us fly commercial. I had to go buy an iPod and an iPhone because I used to be able to watch movies on the jet and now I can’t.” He also liked to show off by making pronouncements like, “We’re going to be boarding any minute now.” He can tell this because his phone is also a clock!


Another excellent moment was when The Lady From The Past talked about her son’s health care. She has to have his permission to look at his medical forms, even though he’s only fifteen. She’s livid. She pays the bills. He’s a minor. She wants everyone on the plane to know about the insanity of our privacy laws. Her lawyer told her, “Just get him to write you a permission slip.” NO WAY! She is not going to cave to the system. She is going to keep beating her head against the bureaucratic wall. She would rather keep calling and complaining to the medical services than exert her authority over her minor to have him write her a permission slip.


Welcome to the 21st century fellow travelers from the far flung past, and we hope you enjoy your stay here with us here in the future.

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