The Wild Wild West

From the original awesome series. Not that travesty that Will Smith was in!

I’ve been slammed six ways to Sunday since returning to the new job. I did exercise Sunday through Wednesday, however, I’m so blasted tired that I took the night off with Mr. Martini. I have to be at the college on Saturday and Sunday so this is my mini break. This is also a chance for me to update you on the Wild Wild West.

I’ve told people in Indiana (aka Corndog Land) that the attitudes out here are different but they don’t believe me. Example: When we first moved to Indiana and I started my job at the former zoo I was proselytized to twice within the first month. Once by our neighbors which was not so bad and once by a zoo employee. The second instance was bad, inappropriate, and probably violated some laws. Given that I was new and wanting to make a good impression I kept my mouth shut. The 45-year-old Bob would not stand for that today!

Indiana joke: In Corndog Land people would ask me why I rarely talked about religion. My response usually was “because if I tell you I’m not religious I have to spend the next 30 minutes listening to why I should be.”

Not so in the Wild Wild West. I’ve been here three months and nobody has broached the topic. Period. Our neighbor is a pastor. I kid you not. Initially I made all sorts of nice-nice with him since he is our neighbor. Since he found out I work at the college, and since he’s seen me in the tie, he’s totally left me alone. He probably thinks I’m one of those liberal suites that opposes family values or some other conservative bullshit. Fine by me!

Given that I studied Preying Mantis Kung Fu this is ironic on several levels

Better still, I am at a state institution and during H.R. orientation they beat home the notion that legally speaking, all views have to be respected. This is VERY refreshing–especially since the old zoo was a private institution that frequently violated fudged the rules.

This week I had to attend a new administrator orientation. During the orientation we had an hour-long session on campus security. Mr. Campus Police was kind enough to prepare us for the western culture.

Summary:

• Personal liberty attitudes–which include a mistrust of government and a nonjudgmental “leave me alone” attitude. (I totally love this attitude!)
• Mr. Campus Police told us that he cited one offender who thought that if he signed a ticket with the word “exempt” next to his name the laws did not apply him.
• A gun culture, but not in that bat shit crazy southern redneck or inner city way. Here he warned that we will see people packing heat in town. In this state you do not need a permit for concealed weapons or for slapping iron to your thigh in public. Cowboys abound, and even the very liberal Mrs. Patterson acknowledges that they are NOT like the southern redneck nurps
• Said cop was a police chief and detective in a few big cities (including Houston). He noted that in those cities he dealt with many bat shit crazy gun problems. Here in the west it’s mostly part of the culture that includes farmers, ranchers, and the personal liberty folks. While the west does see gun crime, most of these folks are responsible gun owners and are just exercising their rights.
• Most of the problems he sees stem from the very liberal (aka lack of) alcohol laws. You can buy hard alcohol on Sundays and from a drive-up window! I kid you not. He noted that there is a strong correlation between a lack of strict alcohol laws and the number of motor vehicle fatalities in this state.

Booze on Sundays and an overall you leave me alone and I’ll leave you alone attitude? Sign me up!

It sure is nice to be left alone.

-BCP

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