First Impressions

A book came out not too long ago, Blink, exploring the science of why immediate, gut-instinct, first impressions are often correct. I did not read this book, but I did read the New York Times Book Review review, and in the retarded circles which I currently travel (read the Refugee), that's as good as a Ph. D. Science, however, is not needed to explain the phenomna of the following anecdote and the precise accuracy of a stranger's immediate reading of a persona familiar to us all. the Refugee was drinking at a bar (surprise surprise - note how these stories never begin with, the Refugee was at a bookstore, or, the Refugee was on a date, or, the Refugee was engaged in interesting conversation ... ), anyway, the Refugee was at a bar becoming inebriadetly numb to the devastating pain of his life, when a woman approached him. That's a kind rendering of the situation, I'm sure; the bravery of this woman to voluntarily approach the vicinity of this asshole is astounding, almost unbelievable, leading me to believe the Refugee was doing something highly inappropriate which prompted the woman to engage him. Stinking from his depressingly lonely day, the Refugee turned in shock when he heard a feminine voice address him directly. He stammered something unintelligible while ogling her crudely. He may have even made a groping gesture. Charitably, she did not run, or duck, or cower. No, she had a simple statement of fact and observation to relay, like a journalist telling an irreducible truth, for no other reason than just to say something so honest and indisputable it becomes good. A statement of shared understanding that allows everyone who was there, in that moment, to connect in collective reality. A world in which we can know each other, if only in the knowledge that the man the woman was speaking to, the Refugee, is "an absolutely worthless human being." When this woman, a complete stranger, stated those words, we all took comfort in at least one small bit of objective truth. Instictively, we all know the Refugee is a worthless human being, and amen to the stranger who said it for no good reason at all.

That was a true story, no lie.

Yes, tonight is a test of wills and stomachs. My jewishness has nothing to do with the selection of tofu dogs over beef or pork. It may, however, have something to do with my general suaveness.