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State College is small. Small towns mean frequent encounters with vague acquaintances- acquaintances that stir up old memories of high school.....

two cars pull in parking next to each other in the parking lot before school. both drivers end up getting out at the same time. Neither know each other that well but proceed to make quaint small talk. 

me: uh hey what's going on

girl: oh hi...hey what's that? are you making a project for shop class?

me: um, what do you mean?

girl: oh you know, right behind you silly.

me: do you mean my car? 

girl: oh I'm so sorry I thought you were modifying a go-cart or something like that

me: uh....no. It's just a small car. If we all drove around in SUV's yours wouldn't be as special. consider it a favor.

girl: yeah my daddy bought me this for my sweet sixteen. Lindsey Lohan was so driving this model in  a recent People Magazine issue.  I think she was doing lines of coke off the steering wheel before she got pulled over. wow so counter-cultural of her.

me: yeah, Hollywood looks on in complete disgust.

girl: The steering wheel is actually contoured quite nicely to do so if you look at mine. I don't think I would have thought of that, people just don't give her enough credit these days. Plus, heroin chic is so hot right now.

me: ...yeah.... so is that tea you're drinking or-

girl: -no, well this is coffee, I got it from Webster's Bookstore and Cafe, I like refuse to buy from Starbucks anymore.

me: how trendy and cool of you.

girl: yeah they're all "corporate" and stuff like that... I refuse to support them.

me: a quizzical look

girl: oh you know, they like oppress people and farmers, and probably benefit from Bush tax cuts.

me: ...is that a term you heard on CNN?

girl: I think my Dad talked about them one time. Anyways, it sounded like he supported it or them or whatever, so I usually just agree with the opposite point of view.  My parents are like so republican it's not even funny.

me: mmhmmm... "anyways" isn't a word by the way.

girl: huh?

me: well it's just "anyway", no "s" on the end is all. just pointing it out. never mind.

girl: it doesn't matter either way really if you think about it. Society just wants us to use the proper form. We shouldn't let that effect the way we live. maybe using "anyways" is my own form of protest.

me: a regular Rosa Parks, you are.

girl:  I've been listening to The Beatles a lot lately so yeah, pretty independent thinker these days.  Anyways, I just don't support big companies and stuff, they're all corrupt.  We need to bring the power back to the people.

me: your shirt from Abercrombie, stretched out to look like a hippie sweater echos your cries of indignation.

girl: hehe, I have to go to my environmental club meeting before school starts.

me: so does your SUV run off vegetable oil?

girl: no... but the only alternative would be for me to bike to school, and if I bike to school then i get really tired, and when I get tired, I start to sweat, and when I sweat, I break out, and if I break out then I'm no use anyone am I?

me: a sacrificial means to a noble end.

girl: exactly, I really do have to go. Ah where's my phone, omg I need it, where is it!

me: expecting a call?

girl: no, I need have it up to my ear like I'm talking so I don't look like a total loser when I walk across the parking lot by my self.

me: the hardships your life employs- I consider my self blessed.

girl: whatever, I'll just have my daddy buy me a new one tomorrow. Well good luck with your proj...oh I mean have fun driving your car around. um, maybe I'll see you around.

me: (contemplatively pensive)...

                        

 .... I hate my life.