It finally happened. I pissed someone off while writing my blog for entertaining purposes.
I’ve been at this blogging thing for a hand full of months now. I started somewhere in June and have accumulated over 4000 views, over 500 likes, over 200 followers, and six e-mail subscribers (come on people, let me send some spam to your e-mail inbox). My blog seems to be a popular little concept and my shoulder hurts from patting myself on the back. I think I heard my rotator cuff tear. No worries, I’ll type the rest of this with just one hand.
If you add all those up, you’ll get over 4706. And you’ll get the math problem wrong for adding up items that are not in the same category. With any luck you’ll receive a passing grade based on partial credit by the time you reach the end of this entry. Keep trying, you’ll catch on and be a mathematical whiz in no time.
So on September 21st I received the following one liner from someone who remained anonymous by using the name “Someone”.
“Someone: You should be put down for writing this. I hope your children get hit by a car while crossing the street.”
Wow! That’s harsh.
This comment was sent to me pertaining to a blog entry I wrote back in early July. You can read it here for yourself. The article was an attempt at humor (like almost all of my articles) in which the voices in my head starting yelling at me while I was observing my world.
At the time of me writing this entry (the one you are reading right now), there have been two positive hey-that’s-funny comments attached to the “offensive” article and nine bloggers “liked” it.
I wrote that over two months ago. This means that you have to dig through my blog archive in order to find it. Or you have to actually search for the topic specifically. Perhaps this person was wading through my archive before stumbling upon the entry that caused them mental peril. I’m guessing that the offended person searched through my archive and read at least two other stories from my voices in my head. I suspect that “Someone” would not enjoy my articles no matter what the subject.
“Well, those two articles were not funny, but I’ll bet the next one will make me smile.” Click. “Oh, now I’m completely pissed off.”
And who says “put down” when referring to a human? Maybe that is some sort of legal mumbo jumbo to ensure deniable plausibility. “I didn’t murder him. I simply put him down. He was getting heavy and I was growing tired of carrying him around.”
I went back and reread the entry twice. Not a single bird was hurt during the writing of that entry. In fact, through humor, I was suggesting that we humans work together in harmony (like that old Coke commercial) to train these creatures to stay off the streets. Sort of. Ok, at the end of the article I did suggest that hunting of these animals should be increased at the northern border of my country. But, as implied in all hunting, the carcasses should be used to feed the needy and hungry. How about a nice Christmas goose on your table this year?
Pertaining to Someone’s comment that wishes harm upon my children, I’ll say it again: Wow! I’m raising good, caring boys and I am a loving father and husband. To wish them harm because I don’t care for a particular type of bird is kind of crazy-go-nuts. I don’t care for a whole bunch of insects, perhaps we should go after my neighbor’s children too.
Perhaps when I taught my boys street safety rules so long ago, I should have gone about it differently.
“Now boys, when crossing the street don’t bother to look both ways. Just hiss like you’re completely irritated with the cars existence and then start walking.”
So my question for “Someone” is this: Do you own a car? How many ants, spiders, and caterpillars do you “put down” every time you go for a drive? I wish all of your toenails would fall off. No wait, I think that would be a good thing. See here. Ah, never mind. Just live your life in peace and may God bless you.
I read the response from “Someone” to my family—including my boys. One of my sons loves to read my blog and is always looking over my shoulder when I’m typing. My wife and I have always treated them like actual real live members of this world. He said, “Dad, you should write a response to that for your next blog entry.”
I said, “The last thing I want is a PETA war on my blog.”
He said, “Do you know how much publicity that will get you?”
Ah, the wisdom of twelve year old (who also knows how to look both ways when crossing the street).
My son says, “Buy my book or I’ll hit you with my car!“
