This, That and the First Debate

Remember the man who showed up at my door a few weeks ago to tell me about a food bank give away his church was holding, no questions asked for anyone in need? I think he and his wife have pegged me as their adopt-a-lonely-widow project. She showed up on my doorstep today from down the street and around the corner with a jar of rhubarb jam in hand and she apologized for not coming down sooner. Mind you, I couldn’t pick either one of them out of a lineup unless the lineup was held in front of their house. Levi and I have stopped to make small talk while out walking when they’re in their yard, but they’ve never been here before. We’ve both lived in the neighborhood for almost 20 years, hadn't even exchanged names, and it seems so weird that all of a sudden they seem to want to make friends. I wish I could shake the feeling that I’m being pitied. I keep wondering if I said something that made them want to reach out like they are apparently doing. “Ouch!” Yes, that’s me kicking myself in the butt. I do vaguely remember a conversation about the pandemic and lack of social contact.

This week I saw the physiatrist who tested me for carpel tunnel. I really didn’t know what a PM&R specialist does but Mr. Google had an answer to that question. It’s a doctor who “treats a wide variety of medical conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons.” After sticking little pads with wires coming out of them all over my fingers and wrist that were connected to a computer and sticking three inch long needles down into the muscles on my right arm he said I’ve got a mild case of carpel tunnel but nothing severe enough to be causing the needles-and-pins feelings I’m getting when I type. He promised to get the report to my bone doctor before my next appointment.

The doctor himself came out to usher me into his exam room and to take my insurance cards. When was the last time you’ve had that happen? I was probably in my early teens the last time I remember seeing a doctor without a receptionist. When was the last time you've heard hard rock blasted into a doctor's waiting room? Me---never until this appointment. He was an interesting guy to talk with. He asked about my prior surgeries and when I told him I’ve had both knee replacements and that it was the best gift I ever gave myself, he latched on to that bit of information. He wanted to know about my recovery and physical therapy afterward and I suspected he’s in the queue to get a new knee himself. I told him I followed my doctor and the PT’s directions to the letter of the law and my knees have never given me a bit of trouble 11 and 13 years out from the replacements. He said 70% of his patients don’t do their after surgery rehabs and he tells them they can’t expect a successful surgery if they don’t get with the program and put the work in.

Did you watch the first debate this week? It went like I expected it to go, Trump talking over Biden and the moderator, Biden a little too soft spoken by comparison. The debate format was set with fifteen minute segments per question where the candidates were supposed to each have two minutes to answer the question, then they'd have the remaining time for “open discussion.” To me, that format was just too loose and invited the hot mess the debate turned out to be. The powers in charge apparently agree and are looking for ways to give the moderator more control. Duh, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that more traditional rules for debates including timed rebuttal responses need to be put in place. But, of course, both candidates have to agree with any changes made and we have to wait and see if that happens.

The high point of the night (or rather the low point of the night) was when Chris Wallace, the moderator, asked if Trump would condemn White Supremacists and militia groups, and after some back and forth Trump said and I quote, “Proud Boys — stand back and stand by.” The next day the New York Times wrote this about the group: “Several civil rights groups have condemned the Proud Boys, including the Southern Poverty Law Center, which classifies them as a hate group, and the Anti-Defamation League, which refers to them as “hard-core white supremacists.” Yes, we officially have a White Supremacist in the Oval Office who on national TV gave the group reason to celebrate. The Proud Boys have been involved in causing trouble at recent protest marches and their website is full of calls for them to “stand by” at polling places. Stand by for what? Too many people of color trying to vote? Stand by like they did on the steps of the state capital in Michigan, armed to the teeth because they didn't want to wear a freaking mask? Trump isn’t using dog whistles anymore, he’s letting his support for white supremacy show to the entire world. We should all be embarrassed by that. I’m sorry, but nothing he might bring to the table that some would see as good for the country can outweigh his divisiveness. If he’s reelected we are going down for the count. ©

The day after the debate the Proud Boys added this logo to their websites and are already selling t-shirts and patches imprinted with the president's words. They are not ambiguous about what the president said. Yet the day after the debate my Trump supporting in-laws were defending him and are saying the media was twisting his words. They were conveniently leaving off the 'stand by' part of Trump's statement. Whatever it takes for them to sleep at night, I guess. 

 

NOTE: I wrote this post on Wednesday, the day after the debate but the news cycle has exploded since then with Trump flying off to the hospital because of Covid-19. I'm only surprised that it didn't happen sooner. I can only hope this is a wake-up call for the anti-maskers who Mr. Trump created in his image.