I stopped at Mountain Bike Specialists on Main Avenue, which has excellent procedures to receive service at an outdoor table behind the store. I rode my bike to back and was waiting under a tree for an employee to bring items out to me.
I took off my helmet and placed it with my empty backpack on a car in the area where I was waiting. Then I heard a young woman close a car door, which turned out to be the door of that car. Sarcastically, she said, “You can use the car.” I replied, “Oh, this is your car? Thanks!” She responded, “That’s not very nice,” and walked into the store next to MBS.
She was upset that I had placed a couple of items on her older car with dents and misaligned bumpers.
This minor exchange makes a major statement. For most of human history, possessions were virtually nonexistent. Now, the use of a flat surface under a shade tree caused distress. This young woman found no pleasure that her car was useful to me. Instead, she shunned friendliness and community spirit. How sad, Durango.
Richard FisherRockville, Maryland
