His Glass is Half Empty but Pops is Full of Advice
Dear Pops,
I’ve got a
question about water sprinklers.
Every morning, like clockwork, my neighbor’s sprinkler system kicks on at 6 a.m. sharp, and the damn thing hits my driveway, my car, and sometimes even my open window if I forget to close it.
It’s not a huge deal, I guess, but it annoys
the hell out of me.
Is it worth saying
something? Or should I just let it go?
— Greg M., Tucson, AZ
Wake up, Greg, you sound like a damp piece of toast.
Jesus Christ, kid, you’re writing to a
79-year-old about some morning water
droplets like you’re storming
Normandy.
Boo-hoo, your precious
driveway’s getting a little moist.
You
poor bastard.
How do you even survive
the real tragedies of life, like a lukewarm
cup of coffee or a grocery cart with a
wobbly wheel?
Here’s some perspective for you,
Sunshine:
If a sprinkler hitting your
driveway is your biggest problem, you should
be
doing cartwheels in the street wearing
nothing but a grin and a jockstrap.
You’re living in Tucson, for Christ’s
sake.
The air is drier than a
nun’s diary and you’re mad about
extra water?!
That’s like getting stranded
on a desert island and bitching because the
rum’s not chilled.
You want to know if it’s worth saying
something?
Sure.
March over there,
bang on your neighbor’s door like a
six-year-old who lost his balloon, and whine
about your damp Honda.
See how fast you
become the designated neighborhood bitch.
Or — and I’m just spitballing here —
you could grow a pair, close your
goddamn window, park your car five feet
left, and remember you’re not made
of sugar.
Here’s the
real secret, Greg:
Life will hit you with a hell
of a lot worse than sprinkler mist.
It’s
gonna piss on your plans, flood your dreams,
and occasionally back over your nuts with a
lawnmower.
You better toughen up now,
before you find yourself crying into your
breakfast about how the toaster didn’t
pop fast enough.
This world doesn’t care if you get a little
wet, a little bent, or a little broken.
It
only cares whether you keep moving forward
anyway — soggy shoes, wet socks, and all.
Now get off my brain,
Pops
